Sample records for alaska species composition
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Pampell, Rehanon; Pantoja, Alberto; Holloway, Patricia; Knight, Charles; Ranft, Richard
2015-01-01
Abstract Background Despite the ecological and agricultural significance of bumble bees in Alaska, very little is known and published about this important group at the regional level. The objectives of this study were to provide baseline data on species composition, distribution, seasonal biology, and parasites of the genus Bombus at three major agricultural locations within Alaska: Fairbanks, Delta Junction, and Palmer, to lay the groundwork for future research on bumble bee pollination in Alaska. New information A total of 8,250 bumble bees representing 18 species was collected from agricultural settings near Delta Junction, Fairbanks, and Palmer, Alaska in 2009 and 2010. Of the 8,250 specimens, 51% were queens, 32.7% were workers, and 16.2% were males. The species composition and relative abundances varied among sites and years. Delta Junction had the highest relative abundance of bumble bees, representing 51.6% of the specimens collected; the other two locations, Fairbanks and Palmer represented 26.5% and 21.8% of the overall catch respectively. The species collected were: Bombus bohemicus Seidl 1837 (= B. ashtoni (Cresson 1864)), B. balteatus Dahlbom 1832, B. bifarius Cresson 1878, B. centralis Cresson 1864, B. cryptarum (Fabricius 1775) (=B. moderatus Cresson 1863), B. distinguendus Morawitz 1869, B. flavidus Eversmann 1852 (=B. fernaldae Franklin 1911), B. flavifrons Cresson 1863, B. frigidus Smith 1854, B. insularis (Smith 1861), B. jonellus (Kirby 1802), B. melanopygus Nylander 1848, B. mixtus Cresson 1878, B. neoboreus Sladen 1919, B. occidentalis Greene 1858, B. perplexus Cresson 1863, B. rufocinctus Cresson 1863, and B. sylvicola Kirby 1837. Overall, the most common bumble bees near agricultural lands were B. centralis, B. frigidus, B. jonellus, B. melanopygus, B. mixtus, and B. occidentalis. Species' relative population densities and local diversity were highly variable from year to year. Bombus occidentalis, believed to be in decline in the Pacific
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Despite the ecological and agricultural significance of bumble bees in Alaska, very little is known and published about this important group at the regional level. The objectives of this study were to provide baseline data on species composition, distribution, seasonal biology, and parasites of the ...
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The species velocity of trees in Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Morrison, B. D.; Napier, J.; de Lafontaine, G.; Heath, K.; Li, B.; Hu, F.; Greenberg, J. A.
2017-12-01
Anthropogenic climate change has motivated interest in the paleo record to enhance our knowledge about past vegetation responses to climate change and help understand potential responses in the future. Additionally, polar regions currently experience the most rapid rates of climate change globally, prompting concern over changes in the ecological composition of high latitude ecosystems. Recent analyses have attempted to construct methods to estimate a species' ability to track climate change by computing climate velocity; a measure of the rate of climate displacement across a landscape which may indicate the speed an organism must migrate to keep pace with climate change. However, a challenge to using climate velocity in understanding range shifts is a lack of species-specificity in the velocity calculations: climate velocity does not actually use any species data in its analysis. To solve the shortcomings of climate velocity in estimating species displacement rates, we computed the "species velocity" of white spruce, green and grey alder populations across the state of Alaska from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to today. Species velocity represents the rate and direction a species is required to migrate to keep pace with a changing climate following the LGM. We used a species distribution model to determine past and present white spruce and alder distributions using statistically downscaled climate data at 60m. Species velocity was then derived from the change in species distribution per year by the change in distribution over Alaska (km/yr). High velocities indicate locations where the species environmental envelope is changing drastically and must disperse rapidly to survive climate change. As a result, high velocity regions are more vulnerable to distribution shifts and higher risk of local extinction. Conversely, low species velocities indicate locations where the local climate envelope is shifting relatively slowly, reducing the stress to disperse quickly
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Phytophthora species in forest streams in Oregon and Alaska.
Reeser, Paul W; Sutton, Wendy; Hansen, Everett M; Remigi, Philippe; Adams, Gerry C
2011-01-01
Eighteen Phytophthora species and one species of Halophytophthora were identified in 113 forest streams in Alaska, western Oregon and southwestern Oregon that were sampled by baiting or filtration of stream water with isolation on selective media. Species were identified by morphology and DNA characterization with single strand conformational polymorphism, COX spacer sequence and ITS sequence. ITS Clade 6 species were most abundant overall, but only four species, P. gonapodyides (37% of all isolates), P. taxon Salixsoil, P. taxon Oaksoil and P. pseudosyringae, were found in all three regions. The species assemblages were similar in the two Oregon regions, but P. taxon Pgchlamydo was absent in Alaska and one new species present in Alaska was absent in Oregon streams. The number of Phytophthora propagules in Oregon streams varied by season and in SW Oregon, where sampling continued year round, P. taxon Salixsoil, P. nemorosa and P. siskiyouensis were recovered only in some seasons.
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Eidam, Dona M; von Hippel, Frank A; Carlson, Matthew L; Lassuy, Dennis R; López, J Andrés
2016-07-01
Introduced non-native fishes have the potential to substantially alter aquatic ecology in the introduced range through competition and predation. The Alaska blackfish ( Dallia pectoralis ) is a freshwater fish endemic to Chukotka and Alaska north of the Alaska Range (Beringia); the species was introduced outside of its native range to the Cook Inlet Basin of Alaska in the 1950s, where it has since become widespread. Here we characterize the diet of Alaska blackfish at three Cook Inlet Basin sites, including a lake, a stream, and a wetland. We analyze stomach plus esophageal contents to assess potential impacts on native species via competition or predation. Alaska blackfish in the Cook Inlet Basin consume a wide range of prey, with major prey consisting of epiphytic/benthic dipteran larvae, gastropods, and ostracods. Diets of the introduced populations of Alaska blackfish are similar in composition to those of native juvenile salmonids and stickleback. Thus, Alaska blackfish may affect native fish populations via competition. Fish ranked third in prey importance for both lake and stream blackfish diets but were of minor importance for wetland blackfish.
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Eidam, Dona M.; Carlson, Matthew L.; Lassuy, Dennis R.; López, J. Andrés
2016-01-01
Introduced non-native fishes have the potential to substantially alter aquatic ecology in the introduced range through competition and predation. The Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) is a freshwater fish endemic to Chukotka and Alaska north of the Alaska Range (Beringia); the species was introduced outside of its native range to the Cook Inlet Basin of Alaska in the 1950s, where it has since become widespread. Here we characterize the diet of Alaska blackfish at three Cook Inlet Basin sites, including a lake, a stream, and a wetland. We analyze stomach plus esophageal contents to assess potential impacts on native species via competition or predation. Alaska blackfish in the Cook Inlet Basin consume a wide range of prey, with major prey consisting of epiphytic/benthic dipteran larvae, gastropods, and ostracods. Diets of the introduced populations of Alaska blackfish are similar in composition to those of native juvenile salmonids and stickleback. Thus, Alaska blackfish may affect native fish populations via competition. Fish ranked third in prey importance for both lake and stream blackfish diets but were of minor importance for wetland blackfish. PMID:28082763
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Selecting and testing cryptogam species for use in wetland delineation in Alaska
Robert W. Lichvar; Gary A. Laursen; Rodney D. Seppelt; Walter R. Ochs
2009-01-01
To support the determination of hydrophytic vegetation in wetland delineations in Alaska, USA, a series of tests were conducted to develop a group of "test positive" species to be used in a "cryptogam indicator." In 2004, non-vascular cryptogam species (bryophytes, lichens, and fungi) from Interior and South-Central Alaska in the vicinities of...
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Phytophthora species in forest streams in Oregon and Alaska
Paul Reeser; Everett M. Hansen; Wendy Sutton; Philippe Remigi; Gerard Adams
2010-01-01
Eighteen Phytophthora species and one species of Halophytophthora were identified in 113 forest streams in Alaska, western Oregon, and southwestern Oregon that were sampled by baiting or filtration of stream water with isolation on selective media. Species were identified by morphology and DNA characterization using single strand conformational polymorphism, COX spacer...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-07-07
... directed fishing for the deep-water species fisheries. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XX32 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery for...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-07-07
... directed fishing for the deep-water species fisheries. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA536 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery for...
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Bryophytes from Tuxedni Wilderness area, Alaska
Schofield, W.B.; Talbot, S. S.; Talbot, S.L.
2002-01-01
The bryoflora of two small maritime islands, Chisik and Duck Island (2,302 ha), comprising Tuxedni Wilderness in western lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, was examined to determine species composition in an area where no previous collections had been reported. The field study was conducted from sites selected to represent the totality of environmental variation within Tuxedni Wilderness. Data were analyzed using published reports to compare the bryophyte distribution patterns at three levels, the Northern Hemisphere, North America, and Alaska. A total of 286 bryophytes were identified: 230 mosses and 56 liverworts. Bryum miniatum, Dichodontium olympicum, and Orthotrichum pollens are new to Alaska. The annotated list of species for Tuxedni Wilderness expands the known range for many species and fills distribution gaps within Hulte??n's Central Pacific Coast district. Compared with bryophyte distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, the bryoflora of Tuxedni Wilderness primarily includes taxa of boreal (61%), montane (13%), temperate (11%), arctic-alpine (7%), cosmopolitan (7%), distribution; 4% of the total moss flora are North America endemics. A brief summary of the botanical exploration of the general area is provided, as is a description of the bryophytes present in the vegetation and habitat types of Chisik and Duck Islands.
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Moose as a vector for non-indigenous plant species in Alaska
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
White sweetclover and narrowleaf hawksbeard are non-indigenous invasive plant species in Alaska that are rapidly spreading, including into areas that are otherwise free of non-indigenous plants. There has been concern that native moose could be dispersing viable seed from these plants after ingestio...
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Melvin, April M.; Mack, Michelle C.; Johnstone, Jill F.; McGuire, A. David; Genet, Helene; Schuur, Edward A.G.
2015-01-01
In the boreal forest of Alaska, increased fire severity associated with climate change is expanding deciduous forest cover in areas previously dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana). Needle-leaf conifer and broad-leaf deciduous species are commonly associated with differences in tree growth, carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, and C accumulation in soils. Although this suggests that changes in tree species composition in Alaska could impact C and nutrient pools and fluxes, few studies have measured these linkages. We quantified C, nitrogen, phosphorus, and base cation pools and fluxes in three stands of black spruce and Alaska paper birch (Betula neoalaskana) that established following a single fire event in 1958. Paper birch consistently displayed characteristics of more rapid C and nutrient cycling, including greater aboveground net primary productivity, higher live foliage and litter nutrient concentrations, and larger ammonium and nitrate pools in the soil organic layer (SOL). Ecosystem C stocks (aboveground + SOL + 0–10 cm mineral soil) were similar for the two species; however, in black spruce, 78% of measured C was found in soil pools, primarily in the SOL, whereas aboveground biomass dominated ecosystem C pools in birch forest. Radiocarbon analysis indicated that approximately one-quarter of the black spruce SOL C accumulated prior to the 1958 fire, whereas no pre-fire C was observed in birch soils. Our findings suggest that tree species exert a strong influence over C and nutrient cycling in boreal forest and forest compositional shifts may have long-term implications for ecosystem C and nutrient dynamics.
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Montane-breeding bird distribution and abundance across national parks of southwestern Alaska
Amundson, Courtney L.; Handel, Colleen M.; Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Tibbitts, T. Lee; Gill, Robert E.
2018-01-01
Between 2004 and 2008, biologists conducted an inventory of breeding birds during May–June primarily in montane areas (>100 m above sea level) in Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve (Aniakchak NMP), Katmai National Park and Preserve (Katmai NPP), and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Lake Clark NPP) in southwestern Alaska. Observers conducted 1,021 point counts along 169 transects within 63 10-km × 10-km plots that were randomly selected and stratified by ecological subsection. We created hierarchical N-mixture models to estimate detection probability and abundance for 15 species, including 12 passerines, 2 galliforms, and 1 shorebird. We first modeled detection probability relative to observer, date within season, and proportion of dense vegetation cover around the point, then modeled abundance as a function of land cover composition (proportion of seven coarse-scale land cover types) within 300 m of the survey point. Land cover relationships varied widely among species but most showed selection for low to tall shrubs (0.2–5 m tall) and an avoidance of alpine and 2 dwarf shrub–herbaceous cover types. After adjusting for species not observed, we estimated a minimum of 107 ± 9 species bred in the areas surveyed within the three parks combined. Species richness was negatively associated with elevation and associated land cover types. At comparable levels of survey effort (n = 721 birds detected), species richness was greatest in Lake Clark NPP (75 ± 12 species), lowest in Aniakchak NMP (45 ± 6 species), and intermediate at Katmai NPP (59 ± 10 species). Species richness was similar at equivalent survey effort (n = 973 birds detected) within the Lime Hills, Alaska Range, and Alaska Peninsula ecoregions (68 ± 8; 79 ± 11; 67 ± 11, respectively). Species composition was similar across all three parks and across the three major ecoregions (Alaska Range, Alaska Peninsula, Lime Hills) that encompass them. Our results provide baseline estimates of
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Estimation of avian population sizes and species richness across a boreal landscape in Alaska
Handel, Colleen M.; Swanson, S.A.; Nigro, Debora A.; Matsuoka, S.M.
2009-01-01
We studied the distribution of birds breeding within five ecological landforms in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, a 10,194-km2 roadless conservation unit on the Alaska-Canada border in the boreal forest zone. Passerines dominated the avifauna numerically, comprising 97% of individuals surveyed but less than half of the 115 species recorded in the Preserve. We used distance-sampling and discrete-removal models to estimate detection probabilities, densities, and population sizes across the Preserve for 23 species of migrant passerines and five species of resident passerines. Yellow-rumped Warblers (Dendroica coronata) and Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) were the most abundant species, together accounting for 41% of the migrant passerine populations estimated. White-winged Crossbills (Loxia leucoptera), Boreal Chickadees (Poecile hudsonica), and Gray Jays (Perisoreus canadensis) were the most abundant residents. Species richness was greatest in the Floodplain/Terrace landform flanking the Yukon River but densities were highest in the Subalpine landform. Species composition was related to past glacial history and current physiography of the region and differed notably from other areas of the northwestern boreal forest. Point-transect surveys, augmented with auxiliary observations, were well suited to sampling the largely passerine avifauna across this rugged landscape and could be used across the boreal forest region to monitor changes in northern bird distribution and abundance. ?? 2009 The Wilson Ornithological Society.
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Michael Damon Anderson; Roger W. Ruess; David D. Myrold; D. Lee Taylor
2009-01-01
This study examined the genetic structure (nifD-K spacer RFLP haplotypes) of Frankia assemblages symbiotic with two species of Alnus (A. tenuifolia and A. viridis) in four successional habitats in interior Alaska. We used one habitat in which both hosts occurred to...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-07-07
.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XX33 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species... Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) sideboard limit specified for the deep-water species...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-07-07
.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA539 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water...; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species... species catch (PSC) sideboard limit specified for the shallow-water species fishery for catcher/processors...
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Taylor, Tamra Faris
This publication contains a detailed list of the birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates found in Alaska. Part I lists the species by geographical regions. Part II lists the species by the ecological regions of the state. (CO)
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Harden, J.W.; Munster, J.; Manies, K.L.; Mack, M.C.; Bubier, J.L.
2009-01-01
In an effort to characterize the species and production rates of various upland mosses and their relationship to both site drainage and time since fire, annual net primary production of six common moss species was measured. Several stands located near Delta Junction, interior Alaska, were located. These stands ranged from one to 116 years since fire in well-drained (dry) and moderately to somewhat poorly drained (wet) black spruce (Picea mariana)-feathermoss systems. Moss species composition varied greatly during the fire cycle, with Ceratodon purpureus dominating the earliest years after a fire, Aulacomnium palustre dominating the transitional and older stages, and Hylocomium splendens dominating the oldest, mature sites. Polytrichum spp. was found at all sites. Average moss cover ranged from <10 percent in the youngest sites to almost 90 percent in the mature sites. Species from the genus Polytrichum were the most productive and contributed up to 30 g m2 of organic matter in one growing season. Least productive was Rhytidium rugosum, which contributed about 1.5 g m2 of organic matter in mature stands. Recovery of moss productivity after fire was not significantly different for wet and dry sites.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-09-07
.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XY78 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery by... apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water species fishery in the...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-07-07
.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XX31 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery for... (PSC) sideboard limit specified for the shallow-water species fishery for catcher/processors subject to...
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John F. Caratti
2006-01-01
The FIREMON Species Composition (SC) method is used to provide ocular estimates of cover and height measurements for plant species on a macroplot. The SC method provides plant species composition and coverage estimates to describe a stand or plant community and can be used to document changes over time. It is suited for a wide variety of vegetation types and is...
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Emily L. Bernhardt; Teresa N. Hollingsworth; F. Stuart Chapin
2011-01-01
Question: How do pre-fire conditions (community composition and environmental characteristics) and climate-driven disturbance characteristics (fire severity) affect post-fire community composition in black spruce stands? Location: Northern boreal forest, interior Alaska. Methods: We compared plant community composition and environmental stand characteristics in 14...
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Responses of southeast Alaska understory species to variation in light and simulated herbivory
Thomas A. Hanley; Jeffrey C. Barnard
2014-01-01
Responses to variation in light intensity, simulated herbivory by clipping, and their interaction were studied over three seasons in a factorial experimental design. Six major species of southeast Alaska forest understories were studied, each as a separate experiment: bunchberry, Cornus canadensis L.; threeleaf foamflower, Tiarella...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-02-29
.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XB044 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery by... shallow-water species fishery by Amendment 80 vessels in the GOA has been reached. DATES: Effective 1200...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-08-03
.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XC142 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by... apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-05-22
.... 120918468-3111-02] RIN 0648-XC675 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by... apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-05-03
.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XW20 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by... apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-04-23
.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XC001 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by... apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-04-27
.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA394 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by... apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA...
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Mapping lichen color-groups in western Arctic Alaska using seasonal Landsat composites
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nelson, P.; Macander, M. J.; Swingley, C. S.
2016-12-01
Mapping lichens at a landscape scale has received increased recent interest due to fears that terricolous lichen mats, primary winter caribou forage, may be decreasing across the arctic and boreal zones. However, previous efforts have produced taxonomically coarse, total lichen cover maps or have covered relatively small spatial extents. Here we attempt to map lichens of differing colors as species proxies across northwestern Alaska to produce the finest taxonomic and spatial- grained lichen maps covering the largest spatial extent to date. Lichen community sampling in five western Alaskan National Parks and Preserves from 2007-2012 generated 328 FIA-style 34.7 m radius plots on which species-level macrolichen community structure and abundance was estimated. Species were coded by color and plot lichen cover was aggregated by plot as the sum of the cover of each species in a color group. Ten different lichen color groupings were used for modeling to deduce which colors were most detectable. Reflectance signatures of each plot were extracted from a series of Landsat composites (circa 2000-2010) partitioned into two-week intervals from June 1 to Sept. 15. Median reflectance values for each band in each pixel were selected based on filtering criteria to reduce likelihood of snow cover. Lichen color group cover was regressed against plot reflectance plus additional abiotic predictors in two different data mining algorithms. Brown and grey lichens had the best models explaining approximately 40% of lichen cover in those color groups. Both data mining techniques produced similarly good fitting models. Spatial patterns of lichen color-group cover show distinctly different ecological patterns of these color-group species proxies.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-09-15
.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XZ06 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water Species... closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for shallow-water species by vessels using trawl gear... of the 2010 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl shallow-water species fishery...
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Riehle, J.R.; Ager, T.A.; Reger, R.D.; Pinney, D.S.; Kaufman, D.S.
2008-01-01
Recently discovered Lethe tephra has been proposed as a latest Pleistocene marker bed in Bristol Bay lowland NE to the Cook Inlet region, Alaska, on the basis of correlations involving a single "Lethe average" glass composition. Type deposits in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, however, are chemically heterogeneous-individual lapilli as well as aggregate ash deposits have glass compositions that range from the average mode to much higher SiO2 and K2O. Moreover, a lake-sediment core from the Cook Inlet region contains one ash deposit similar to "Lethe average" and other, closely underlying deposits that resemble a mixture of the average mode and high-Si high-K mode of proximal deposits. Synthesis of previously published radiocarbon ages indicates a major eruption mainly of "Lethe average" mode about 13,000 14C yr BP. As many as six deposits in the Cook Inlet region-five chiefly "Lethe average" mode-range from about 13,000 to 15-16,000 14C yr BP, and an early Holocene deposit in the Bristol Bay lowland extends the minimum age range of Lethe tephra throughout this region to 8000 14C yr BP. Because of the appearance of "Lethe average" composition in multiple deposits spanning thousands of years, we urge caution when using a Lethe-like composition as a basis for inferring a latest Pleistocene age of a tephra deposit in south-central Alaska. Linear variation plots suggest that magma mixing caused the Lethe heterogeneity; multiple magmas were involved as well in other large pyroclastic eruptions such as Katmai (Alaska) and Rotorua (New Zealand). Lethe is an example of a heterogeneous tephra that may be better compared with other tephras by use of plots of individual analytical points rather than by calculating similarity coefficients based on edited data. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-09-07
.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA680 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water...; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species... fourth seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-09-06
.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XC204 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water...; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species... fourth seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-06-05
.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XC056 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water...; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species... second seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-03-30
.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XB122 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water...; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species... first seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-07-18
.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-0648-XC112 Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water...; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species... third seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water...
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Species and size selectivity of two midwater trawls used in an acoustic survey of the Alaska Arctic
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
De Robertis, Alex; Taylor, Kevin; Williams, Kresimir; Wilson, Christopher D.
2017-01-01
Acoustic-trawl (AT) survey methods are widely used to estimate the abundance and distribution of pelagic organisms. This technique relies on estimates of size and species composition from trawl catches along with estimates of the acoustic properties of these animals to convert measurements of acoustic backscatter into animal abundance. However, trawls are selective samplers, and if the catch does not represent the size and species composition of the animals in the acoustic beam the resulting abundance estimates will be biased. We conducted an experiment to quantify trawl selectivity for species encountered during an AT survey of the Alaska Arctic. The pelagic assemblage in this environment was dominated by small young-of-the-year (age-0) fishes and jellyfish, which may be poorly retained in trawls. A large midwater trawl (Cantrawl) and a smaller midwater trawl (modified Marinovich) were used during the survey. The Marinovich was equipped with 8 small-mesh recapture nets which were used to estimate the probability that an individual that enters the trawl is retained. In addition, paired hauls were made with the Cantrawl and Marinovich to estimate the difference in selectivity between the two trawls. A statistical model was developed to combine the catches of the recapture nets and the paired hauls to estimate the length-dependent selectivity of the trawls for the most abundant species (e.g., age-0 fishes and jellyfish). The analysis indicated that there was substantial size and species selectivity: although the modified Marinovich generally had a higher catch per unit effort, many of the animals encountered in this environment were poorly retained by both trawls. The observed size and species selectivity of the trawls can be used to select appropriate nets for sampling pelagic fishes, and correct survey estimates for the biases introduced in the trawl capture process.
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Plant community composition and vegetation height, Barrow, Alaska, Ver. 1
Siegrist, Julia; Norby, Richard; Sloan, Victoria; Iversen, Colleen; Brooks, Jonathan; Liebig, Jennifer; Wood, Sarah
2014-04-25
This dataset contains i) the results of field surveys of plant community composition and vegetation height made between 17th and 29th July 2012 in 48, 1 x 1 m plots located in areas A-D of Intensive Site 1 at the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE) Arctic site near Barrow, Alaska and ii) results of a mapping exercise undertaken in August 2013 using two perpendicular transects across each polygon containing vegetation plots to determine the boundaries of vegetation communities described in 2012.
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West, Catherine; Hofman, Courtney A; Ebbert, Steve; Martin, John; Shirazi, Sabrina; Dunning, Samantha; Maldonado, Jesus E
2017-10-01
The intentional and unintentional movement of plants and animals by humans has transformed ecosystems and landscapes globally. Assessing when and how a species was introduced are central to managing these transformed landscapes, particularly in island environments. In the Gulf of Alaska, there is considerable interest in the history of mammal introductions and rehabilitating Gulf of Alaska island environments by eradicating mammals classified as invasive species. The Arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) is of concern because it affects vegetation and seabirds on Gulf of Alaska islands. This animal is assumed to have been introduced by historic settlers; however, ground squirrel remains in the prehistoric archaeological record of Chirikof Island, Alaska, challenge this timeline and suggest they colonized the islands long ago. We used 3 lines of evidence to address this problem: direct radiocarbon dating of archaeological squirrel remains; evidence of prehistoric human use of squirrels; and ancient DNA analysis of dated squirrel remains. Chirikof squirrels dated to at least 2000 years ago, and cut marks on squirrel bones suggested prehistoric use by people. Ancient squirrels also shared a mitochondrial haplotype with modern Chirikof squirrels. These results suggest that squirrels have been on Chirikof longer than previously assumed and that the current population of squirrels is closely related to the ancient population. Thus, it appears ground squirrels are not a recent, human-mediated introduction and may have colonized the island via a natural dispersal event or an ancient human translocation. © 2016 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-09-16
.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA704 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water... closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for shallow-water species by vessels using trawl gear... apportionment of the 2011 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl shallow-water species...
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Evidence and implications of recent and projected climate change in Alaska's forest ecosystems
Jane M. Wolken; Teresa N. Hollingsworth; T. Scott Rupp; F. Stuart Chapin; Sarah F. Trainor; Tara M. Barrett; Patrick F. Sullivan; A. David McGuire; Eugenie S. Euskirchen; Paul E. Hennon; Erik A. Beever; Jeff S. Conn; Lisa K. Crone; David V. A' More; Nancy Fresco; Thomas A. Hanley; Knut Kielland; James J. Kruse; Trista Patterson; Edward A.G. Schuur; David L. Verbyla; John Yarie
2011-01-01
The structure and function of Alaska's forests have changed significantly in response to a changing climate, including alterations in species composition and climate feedbacks (e.g., carbon, radiation budgets) that have important regional societal consequences and human feedbacks to forest ecosystems. In this paper we present the first comprehensive synthesis of...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-09-23
.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA722 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Shallow- Water... closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for shallow-water species by [[Page 59065
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Understory plant diversity in riparian alder-conifer stands after logging in southeast Alaska.
Robert L. Deal
1997-01-01
Stand structure, tree height growth, and understory plant diversity were assessed in five mixed alder-conifer stands after logging in southeast Alaska. Tree species composition ranged from 7- to 91-percent alder, and basal area ranged from 30 to 55 m2/ha. The alder exhibited rapid early height growth, but recent growth has slowed considerably. Some conifers have...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Simpson, W. R.; Nattinger, K.; Hooper, M.
2017-12-01
High latitude cities often experience severe pollution episodes during wintertime exacerbated by thermal inversion trapping of pollutant emissions. Fairbanks, Alaska is an extreme example of this problem, currently being classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a "serious" non-attainment area for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). For this reason, we have studied the chemical composition of PM2.5 at multiple EPA monitoring sites in the non-attainment area from 2006 to the present. The chemical composition is dominated by organic carbon with lesser amounts of black carbon and inorganic ionic species such as ammonium, sulfate, and nitrate. We find large spatial differences in composition and amount of PM2.5 that indicate a different mix of sources in residential areas as compared to the city center. Specifically, the difference in composition is consistent with increased wood smoke source in the residential areas. The extent to which organic matter could be secondary (formed through conversion of emitted gases) is also an area needing study. Ammonium sulfate is responsible for about a fifth to a quarter of the particles mass during the darkest months, possibly indicating a non-photochemical source of sulfate, but the chemical mechanism for this possible transformation is unclear. Therefore, we quantified the relationship between particulate sulfate concentrations and gas-phase sulfur dioxide concentrations along with particulate metals and inferred particulate acidity with the hopes that these data can assist in elucidation of the mechanism of particulate sulfate formation. We also analyze temporal trends in PM2.5 composition in an attempt to understand how the problem is changing over time and find most trends are small despite regulatory changes. Improving mechanistic understanding of particulate formation under cold and dark conditions could assist in reducing air-quality-related health effects.
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John Yarie; Bert R. Mead
1988-01-01
Equations are presented for estimating the twig, foliage, and combined biomass for 58 plant species in interior Alaska. The equations can be used for estimating biomass from percentage of foliar cover of 10-centimeter layers in a vertical profile from 0 to 6 meters. Few differences were found in regressions of the same species between layers except when the ratio of...
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Bryophytes from Simeonof Island in the Shumagin Islands, southwestern Alaska
Schofield, W.B.; Talbot, S. S.; Talbot, S.L.
2004-01-01
Simeonof Island is located south of the Alaska Peninsula in the hyperoceanic sector of the middle boreal subzone. We examined the bryoflora of Simeonof Island to determine species composition in an area where no previous collections had been reported. This field study was conducted in sites selected to represent the spectrum of environmental variation within Simeonof Island. Data were analyzed using published reports to compare bryophyte distribution patterns at three levels, the Northern Hemisphere, North America, and Alaska. A total of 271 bryophytes were identified: 202 mosses and 69 liverworts. The annotated list of species for Simeonof Island expands the known range for many species and fills distribution gaps within Hulte??n's Western Pacific Coast district. Maps and notes on the distribution of 14 significant distribution records are presented. Compared with bryophyte distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, the bryoflora of Simeonof Island primarily includes taxa of boreal (55%), temperate (20%), arctic (10%), and cosmopolitan (8%) distribution; 6% of the moss flora are western North America endemics. A description of the bryophytes present in the vegetation and habitat types is provided as is a quantitative analysis of the most frequently occurring bryophytes in crowberry heath.
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Marketing recommendations for wood products from Alaska birch, red alder, and Alaska yellow-cedar.
Geoffrey H. Donovan; David L. Nicholls; Joseph. Roos
2003-01-01
Several factors have contributed to a recent decline in Alaskaâs wood products industry, including reduced exports to Japan and the closure of two pulp mills in southeast Alaska. However, higher value niche markets are a potential growth area for the industry. In this paper, we consider niche markets for three species that have historically been harvested in low...
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Thomas A. Hanley; Jay D. McKendrick
1983-01-01
Twenty-two forages from Admiralty Island, southeastern Alaska, were monitored bimonthly for one year to assess seasonal changes in their chemical composition: neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose, lignin/cutin, invitro dry-matter digestibility, total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, copper, manganese, iron, and zinc....
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Phytomass in southwest Alaska.
Bert R. Mead
2000-01-01
Phytomass tables are presented for southwest Alaska. The methods used to estimate plant weight and occurrence in the river basin are described and discussed. Average weight is shown for each sampled species of tree, shrub, grass, forb, lichen, and moss in 19 forest and 48 nonforest vegetation types. Species frequency of occurrence and species constancy within the type...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shaw, G. E.; Quinn, P. K.
2008-12-01
We are measuring the latitudinal gradient and time variation of aerosol chemical composition across Alaska looking for drifts that might be attributable to alteration in sources and chemical signatures that might allow the identification of sources. Alaska is a very clean region in the sense that the state has a low population density with little polluting emission sources. However it "receives" anthropogenic chemical signals from areas upstream in the westerly's, such as from China, and impacts of Arctic Haze. The region also generates sometime copious amounts of aerosol from wildfire in its boreal forests and condensed compounds from gases emitted by its surrounding oceans. The time series of aerosol composition from this small network goes back about a decade and shows clearly the spring peaking of anthropogenic signal known as Arctic Haze. This signal peaks year after year in spring months at all stations, but is most concentrated at north most stations. On the other hand, a signal indicative of products from the ocean, mainly sulfate with large fractional amounts of MSA peaks, year after year, in the summer and is strongest at the lower latitudes. We have identified not only chemical signatures associated with wildfire smoke from wildfires in Alaska, but the changed signatures from wildfires in far away regions, from Mongolia for example.
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Facts About Alaska, Alaska Kids' Corner, State of Alaska
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees State of Alaska Search Home Quick Links Departments Commissioners Employee Whitepages State Government Jobs Federal Jobs Starting a Small Business Living Get a Driver License Get a Hunting
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South-central Alaska forests: inventory highlights.
Sally Campbell; Willem W.S. van Hees; Bert. Mead
2005-01-01
This publication presents highlights of a recent south-central Alaska inventory conducted by the Pacific Northwest Research Station Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (USDA Forest Service). South-central Alaska has about 18.5 million acres, of which one-fifth (4 million acres) is forested. Species diversity is greatest in closed and open Sitka spruce forests, spruce...
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Robert L. Deal; J.C. Tappeiner; Paul E. Hennon
2002-01-01
The effects of partial cutting on species composition, stand structure and growth, tree size distribution, and tree disease and mortality were evaluated on 73 plots in 18 stands that were harvested 12â96 years ago in southeast Alaska. Partially-cut stands had diverse and highly complex stand structures similar to uncut stands. Sitka spruce was maintained in mixed...
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Genetic differentiation of Alaska Chinook salmon: the missing link for migratory studies.
Templin, William D; Seeb, James E; Jasper, James R; Barclay, Andrew W; Seeb, Lisa W
2011-03-01
Most information about Chinook salmon genetic diversity and life history originates from studies from the West Coast USA, western Canada and southeast Alaska; less is known about Chinook salmon from western and southcentral Alaska drainages. Populations in this large area are genetically distinct from populations to the south and represent an evolutionary legacy of unique genetic, phenotypic and life history diversity. More genetic information is necessary to advance mixed stock analysis applications for studies involving these populations. We assembled a comprehensive, open-access baseline of 45 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 172 populations ranging from Russia to California. We compare SNP data from representative populations throughout the range with particular emphasis on western and southcentral Alaska. We grouped populations into major lineages based upon genetic and geographic characteristics, evaluated the resolution for identifying the composition of admixtures and performed mixed stock analysis on Chinook salmon caught incidentally in the walleye pollock fishery in the Bering Sea. SNP data reveal complex genetic structure within Alaska and can be used in applications to address not only regional issues, but also migration pathways, bycatch studies on the high seas, and potential changes in the range of the species in response to climate change. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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Phytomass in southeast Alaska.
Bert R. Mead
1998-01-01
Phytomass tables are presented for the southeast Alaska archipelago. Average phytomass for each sampled species of tree, shrub, grass, forb, lichen, and moss in 10 forest and 4 nonforest vegetation types is shown.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Holderied, K.; Neher, T. H.; McCammon, M.; Hoffman, K.; Hopcroft, R. R.; Lindeberg, M.; Ballachey, B.; Coletti, H.; Esler, D.; Weingartner, T.
2016-02-01
The response of nearshore and coastal pelagic ecosystems in the northern Gulf of Alaska to the 2014-2015 Pacific Ocean warm anomaly is being assessed with multi-disciplinary observations of the Gulf Watch Alaska long-term ecosystem monitoring program. Gulf Watch Alaska is an integrated, multi-agency program, funded by the Exxon Valdez oil spill Trustee Council to track populations of nearshore and pelagic species injured by the 1989 oil spill, as well as the marine conditions that affect those species. While the primary program goals are to support management and sustained recovery of species injured directly and indirectly by the spill, the integration of oceanographic observations with monitoring of nearshore and pelagic food webs also facilitates detection and assessment of ecosystem changes. The initial 5-year phase of the Gulf Watch Alaska program was started in 2012 and has provided marine ecosystem observations through the transition in late 2013 from anomalously cool to anomalously warm ocean conditions in the Gulf of Alaska. We review results from and linkages between oceanographic, whale, seabird, intertidal, and plankton monitoring projects in Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet and the northern Gulf of Alaska shelf. We also assess the different ecosystem responses observed between the summers of 2014 and 2015, with the region experiencing unusual amounts of seabird and marine mammal mortalities and harmful algal bloom events in 2015.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Doyle, Miriam J.; Mier, Kathryn L.
2016-10-01
A synthesis of nearly four decades of ichthyoplankton survey data from the Gulf of Alaska was undertaken to provide the most comprehensive information available on the early life history ecology of five focal species: Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus), Walleye Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), Pacific Ocean Perch (Sebastes alutus), Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), and Arrowtooth Flounder (Atheresthes stomias). This analysis of historical data, along with information from published studies, is presented here in the form of ecological reviews of the species during their planktonic phase. The reviews include descriptions of temporal and spatial patterns of exposure to the environment, and interpretation regarding associated sensitivities to environmental forcing. On a temporal scale, patterns in abundance of eggs and larvae are synthesized that characterize seasonal exposure to the pelagic environment, and interannual variation that is presumed to incorporate responses to long-term environmental forcing. Spatial patterns are synthesized to identify horizontal and vertical extent of egg and larval distributions, delineate areas of primary larval habitat, and illuminate egg and larval drift pathways. The observed patterns are discussed with respect to characterizing species early life history strategies, identifying long-term adaptations to the Gulf of Alaska environment, and associated resilience and vulnerability factors that may modulate early life responses to environmental forcing in this region. For each species, gaps in knowledge are identified and are concerned primarily with the period of transition between the larval and juvenile stage, and feeding habits and ecology across seasons, habitats and sub-intervals of early ontogeny. These early life history reviews advance our ecological understanding of the pelagic phase, and fine-tune our focus for the investigation of potential response mechanisms to environmental forcing at appropriate, species-specific temporal
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Roman, Diana C.; Cashman, Katharine V.; Gardner, Cynthia A.; Wallace, Paul J.; Donovan, John J.
2006-01-01
Compositional heterogeneity (56–64 wt% SiO2 whole-rock) in samples of tephra and lava from the 1986 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska, raises questions about the physical nature of magma storage and interaction beneath this young and frequently active volcano. To determine conditions of magma storage and evolutionary histories of compositionally distinct magmas, we investigate physical and chemical characteristics of andesitic and dacitic magmas feeding the 1986 eruption. We calculate equilibrium temperatures and oxygen fugacities from Fe-Ti oxide compositions and find a continuous range in temperature from 877 to 947°C and high oxygen fugacities (ΔNNO=1–2) for all magmas. Melt inclusions in pyroxene phenocrysts analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and electron probe microanalysis are dacitic to rhyolitic and have water contents ranging from <1 to ∼7 wt%. Matrix glass compositions are rhyolitic and remarkably similar (∼75.9–76.6 wt% SiO2) in all samples. All samples have ∼25% phenocrysts, but lower-silica samples have much higher microlite contents than higher-silica samples. Continuous ranges in temperature and whole-rock composition, as well as linear trends in Harker diagrams and disequilibrium mineral textures, indicate that the 1986 magmas are the product of mixing between dacitic magma and a hotter, more mafic magma. The dacitic endmember is probably residual magma from the previous (1976) eruption of Augustine, and we interpret the mafic endmember to have been intruded from depth. Mixing appears to have continued as magmas ascended towards the vent. We suggest that the physical structure of the magma storage system beneath Augustine contributed to the sustained compositional heterogeneity of this eruption, which is best explained by magma storage and interaction in a vertically extensive system of interconnected dikes rather than a single coherent magma chamber and/or conduit. The typically short repose period (∼10
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Allen Brackley; David Nicholls; Mike Hannan
2010-01-01
Over the past several decades, red alder has established itself as a commercially important species in the Pacific Northwest. Once considered a weed species, red alder now commands respect within many markets, including furniture, architectural millwork, and other secondary manufactured products. Although red alder's natural range extends to southeast Alaska, an...
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Robert L. Deal; John C. Tappeiner
2002-01-01
The effects of partial cutting on species composition, new and residual-tree cohorts, tree size distribution, and tree growth was evaluate on 73 plots in 18 stands throughout southeast Alaska. These partially cut stands were harvested 12-96 years ago, when 16-96% if the former stand basal area was removed.Partial cutting maintained stand structures similar to...
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The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK)
Donald A. Walker; Amy L. Breen; Lisa A. Druckenmiller; Lisa W. Wirth; Will Fisher; Martha K. Raynolds; Jozef Šibík; Marilyn D. Walker; Stephan Hennekens; Keith Boggs; Tina Boucher; Marcel Buchhorn; Helga Bültmann; David J. Cooper; Fred J.A Daniëls; Scott J. Davidson; James J. Ebersole; Sara C. Elmendorf; Howard E. Epstein; William A. Gould; Robert D. Hollister; Colleen M. Iversen; M. Torre Jorgenson; Anja Kade; Michael T. Lee; William H. MacKenzie; Robert K. Peet; Jana L. Peirce; Udo Schickhoff; Victoria L. Sloan; Stephen S. Talbot; Craig E. Tweedie; Sandra Villarreal; Patrick J. Webber; Donatella Zona
2016-01-01
The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK, GIVD-ID: NA-US-014) is a free, publically available database archive of vegetation-plot data from the Arctic tundra region of northern Alaska. The archive currently contains 24 datasets with 3,026 non-overlapping plots. Of these, 74% have geolocation data with 25-m or better precision. Species cover data and header data are...
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Thomas A. Hanley; Cathy L. Rose
1987-01-01
Snow depth and density were measured in 33 stands of western hemlock-Sitka spruce (Tsuga heterophylla [Rat] Sarg.-Picea sitchensis [Bong.] Carr.) over a 3-year period. The stands, near Juneau, Alaska, provided broad ranges of species composition, age, over-story canopy coverage, tree density, and wood volume. Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that both...
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Chemical composition of black rockfish (Sebastes melanops) fillets and byproducts
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Black rockfish are important in the near shore fishery of Southeast Alaska. They are the only species among the pelagic shelf rockfishes for which there is a directed fishery in state waters. The purpose of this study was to determine the composition black rockfish fillets and its major processing b...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Several hawkweed species from Europe have escaped ornamental planting and have colonized roadsides and grasslands in south central and southeast Alaska. These plants form near monotypic stands, reducing plant diversity and decreasing pasture productivity. A replicated greenhouse study was conducted ...
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Boreal blending: timber and moose in Alaska's interior.
Sally Duncan
2001-01-01
Only a small boby of research addresses the impacts of timber harvesting in the boreal forest of Alaska. The two projects described here began in 1970 and 1980 to develop more reliable methods of regenerating white sprucethe main commercial species in interior Alaskafrom seed, and quantifying vegetation and soil responses.A "by-...
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Local sources of pollution and their impacts in Alaska (Invited)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Molders, N.
2013-12-01
The movie 'Into the Wilde' evoke the impression of the last frontier in a great wide and pristine land. With over half a million people living in Alaska an area as larger as the distance from the US West to the East Coast, this idea comes naturally. The three major cities are the main emission source in an otherwise relative clean atmosphere. On the North Slope oil drilling and production is the main anthropogenic emission sources. Along Alaska's coasts ship traffic including cruises is another anthropogenic emission source that is expected to increase as sea-ice recedes. In summer, wildfires in Alaska, Canada and/or Siberia may cause poor air quality. In winter inversions may lead poor air quality and in spring. In spring, aged polluted air is often advected into Alaska. These different emission sources yield quite different atmospheric composition and air quality impacts. While this may make understanding Alaska's atmospheric composition at-large a challenging task, it also provides great opportunities to examine impacts without co-founders. The talk will give a review of the performed research, and insight into the challenges.
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Alaska Department of Revenue - Alaska Film Office
State Employees Alaska Film Office Alaska Film Office State of Alaska HOME CREDIT PROGRAM PUBLIC REPORTING CPA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONTACT US State of Alaska > Department of Revenue > Alaska Film Office > Text Size: A+ | A- | A Text Only Effective July 1, 2015, the film production incentive
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The Late Triassic bivalve Monotis in accreted terranes of Alaska
Silberling, Norman J.; Grant-Mackie, J. A.; Nichols, K.M.
1997-01-01
Late Triassic bivalves of the genus Monotis occur in at least 16 of the lithotectonic terranes and subterranes that together comprise nearly all of Alaska, and they also occur in the Upper Yukon region of Alaska where Triassic strata are regarded as representing non-accretionary North America. On the basis of collections made thus far, 14 kinds of Monotis that differ at the species or subspecies level can be recognized from alaska. These are grouped into the subgenera Monotis (Monotis), M. (Pacimonotis), M. (Entomonotis), and M. (Eomonotis). In places, Monotis shells of one kind or another occur in rock-forming abundance. On the basis of superpositional data from Alaska, as well as from elsewhere in North America and Far Eastern Russia, at least four distince biostratigraphic levels can be discriminated utilizing Monotis species. Different species of M. (Eomonotis) characterize two middle Norian levels, both probably within the supper middle Norian Columbianus Ammonite Zone. Two additional levels are recognized in the lower upper Norian Cordilleranus Ammonite Zone utilizing species of M. (Monotis) or M. (Entomonotis), both of which subgenera are restricted to the late Norian. An attached-floating mode of life is commonly attributed to Monotis; thus, these bivalves would have been pseudoplanktonic surface dwellers that were sensitive to surface-water temperature and paleolatitude. Distinctly different kinds of Monotis occur at different paleolatitudes along the Pacific and Arctic margins of the North American craton inboard of the accreted terranes. Comparison between thse craton-bound Monotis faunas and those of the Alaskan terranes in southern Alaska south of the Denali fault were paleoequatorial in latitude during Late Triassic time. Among these terranes, the Alexander terrane was possibly in the southern hemisphere at that time. Terranes of northern Alaska, on the other hand, represent middle, possibly high-middle, northern paleolatitudes.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Juday, G. P.; Jess, R.; Alix, C. M.; Verbyla, D.
2015-12-01
The boreal forest of Alaska and western Canada exist in a complex mosaic of environments determined by elevation, aspect of exposure, and longitudinal and latitudinal gradients of change from warm, dry continental to maritime-influenced conditions. This forest region is largely made up of trees with two growth responses to temperature increases. Trees that decrease in growth are termed negative responders, and occupy warm, dry sites at low elevations. Trees that increase in radial growth are termed positive responders, and are largely in western Alaska, and at high elevation of the Brooks and Alaska Ranges. Since the Pacific climate regime shift of the 1970s, mature trees at low elevation sites have experienced increasing climate stress in several quasi-decadal cycles of intensifying drought stress. NDVI trends and tree ring records demonstrating radial growth decline are coherent. Phenological monitoring of spruce height growth also indicates that depletion of spring soil moisture is a critical process driven by the interaction of early warm season temperatures and precipitation. Novel biotic disturbance agents including spruce budworm, outbreaks of which are triggered by warm temperature anomalies related to its biology, and aspen leaf miner are depressing realized growth below climatically predicted levels, suggesting a pathway by which tree death is likely to occur before absolute temperature limits. As a result, insect outbreaks are degrading the otherwise strong long-term climate signal in Alaska boreal trees. However, young tree (> 40 yrs.) regeneration generally does not yet display the symptoms of acute high temperature stress. Overall, on these vulnerable sites, if temperature increases similar to the past 40 years continue, long term survival prospects are questionable because the climate conditions would be outside the limits that have historically defined the species ranges of aspen, Alaska birch, and black and white spruce.
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The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK)
Walker, Donald; Breen, Amy; Druckenmiller, Lisa; ...
2016-05-17
The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK, GIVD-ID: NA-US-014) is a free, publically available database archive of vegetation-plot data from the Arctic tundra region of northern Alaska. The archive currently contains 24 datasets with 3,026 non-overlapping plots. Of these, 74% have geolocation data with 25-m or better precision. Species cover data and header data are stored in a Turboveg database. A standardized Pan Arctic Species List provides a consistent nomenclature for vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens in the archive. A web-based online Alaska Arctic Geoecological Atlas (AGA-AK) allows viewing and downloading the species data in a variety of formats, and providesmore » access to a wide variety of ancillary data. We conducted a preliminary cluster analysis of the first 16 datasets (1,613 plots) to examine how the spectrum of derived clusters is related to the suite of datasets, habitat types, and environmental gradients. Here, we present the contents of the archive, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and provide three supplementary files that include the data dictionary, a list of habitat types, an overview of the datasets, and details of the cluster analysis.« less
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The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK)
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Walker, Donald; Breen, Amy; Druckenmiller, Lisa
The Alaska Arctic Vegetation Archive (AVA-AK, GIVD-ID: NA-US-014) is a free, publically available database archive of vegetation-plot data from the Arctic tundra region of northern Alaska. The archive currently contains 24 datasets with 3,026 non-overlapping plots. Of these, 74% have geolocation data with 25-m or better precision. Species cover data and header data are stored in a Turboveg database. A standardized Pan Arctic Species List provides a consistent nomenclature for vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens in the archive. A web-based online Alaska Arctic Geoecological Atlas (AGA-AK) allows viewing and downloading the species data in a variety of formats, and providesmore » access to a wide variety of ancillary data. We conducted a preliminary cluster analysis of the first 16 datasets (1,613 plots) to examine how the spectrum of derived clusters is related to the suite of datasets, habitat types, and environmental gradients. Here, we present the contents of the archive, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and provide three supplementary files that include the data dictionary, a list of habitat types, an overview of the datasets, and details of the cluster analysis.« less
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Alaska goose populations: Past, present and future
King, James G.; Derksen, Dirk V.
1986-01-01
Many people think Alaska remains a pristine wilderness and that wildlife populations are still at prehistoric levels. This very likely is not true for the 11 species and subspecies of geese that nest in Alaska. Large, widely dispersed populations of geese were observed near the turn of the century. Even in the early 1970s, it was estimated that Alaskan habitats were used by 915,000 nesting and 100,000 additional migrating geese each year (King and Lensink 1971). Since then the Alaskan populations of most of these species have declined, some to dramatically low levels (Raveling 1984), even though habitats within the state have remained largely unaltered by man.The U.S. has treaties with Canada, Mexico, Japan and the Soviet Union to protect geese and other shared migratory birds, confirming international concern for the welfare of this resource. Cooperative research on Alaskan geese during the past several decades has given understanding of their migration corridors, staging and wintering habitats, and the principle places where they are hunted, thereby providing information needed to develop effective management plans. The only attempt to re-introduce geese in Alaska has been in the Aleutian Islands. Other opportunities exist.It is our intent here to: (1) review the historic and current status and important habitats of geese that occur in Alaska; (2) identify existing and potential threats to these populations; and (3) offer alternative management approaches for geese in Alaska.
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Species composition of regeneration after clearcutting Southern Appalachian hardwoods
David L. Loftis
1989-01-01
Regeneration after clearcutting of Southern Appalachian hardwood stands varies substantially in species composition not only among sites of different quality and previous-stand composition, but also among sites of similar quality and similar previous-stand composition. Severe competition from less desirable species for available growing space is cOllDlon in regenerated...
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Canaris, Albert G; Kinsella, John M
2007-06-01
Helminth communities in sympatric black turnstones (Arenaria melanocephala), ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres), and dunlin (Calidris alpina) were examined over 4 summers in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The compound community, made up of component communities of all 3 species of hosts for 4 summer seasons (n=164), consisted of 43 helminth species, with cestodes, especially Anomotaenia clavigera, accounting for 47% of the helminth species and 95% of the abundance. The black turnstone had significantly higher species richness and abundance than either the ruddy turnstone or dunlin. The congeneric black and ruddy turnstone component communities were the most similar, and the dunlin's was the least similar. New helminth species continued to be acquired in all 3 host species during years 2 to 4. There was no significant difference for abundance among sample years for each of the 3 species of host. The 3 component communities all included a predictable suite of helminths with 1 dominant species and 4 to 5 associates, a large number of less-predictable species, and a greater prevalence and abundance of cestode species. Consistencies over time included high diversity, low evenness, low species richness (<5), and continued recruitment of small numbers of helminth species with low prevalence and abundance. There was minimal circulation of helminth species between the dunlin and the 2 turnstone species, indicating a considerable degree of specialization, particularly among species of cestodes.
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Checklist of beetles (Coleoptera) of Canada and Alaska. Second edition
Bousquet, Yves; Bouchard, Patrice; Davies, Anthony E.; Sikes, Derek S.
2013-01-01
Abstract All 8237 species-group taxa of Coleoptera known to occur in Canada and Alaska are recorded by province/territory or state, along with their author(s) and year of publication, in a classification framework. Only presence of taxa in each Canadian province or territory and Alaska is noted. Labrador is considered a distinct geographical entity. Adventive and Holarctic species-group taxa are indicated. References to pertinent identification keys are given under the corresponding supraspecific taxa in the data archive. PMID:24363590
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Provisional tree seed zones and transfer guidelines for Alaska.
John N. Alden
1991-01-01
Four hundred and eighty-six provisional tree seed zones were delineated within 24 physiographic and climatic regions of Alaska and western Yukon Territory Estimated forest and potential forest land within altitudinal limits of tree species in Alaska was 51,853,000 hectares (128,130,000 acres) Seed transfer guidelines and standard labeling of seed collections are...
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A range extension for Carex sartwellii in interior Alaska
Mark Winterstein; Teresa N Hollingsworth; Carolyn Parker
2016-01-01
Our documentation of Sartwellâs Sedge, Carex sartwellii, on nine shrinking lakes during fieldwork in the central Yukon Flats, Alaska, represents a range extension for this species. Previously, its range extended as far northwest as Yukon, Canada, with a reported, but lost collection, from Alaska in 1895. Two earlier collections from the Yukon Flats...
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Silurian gastropoda from southeastern and west-central Alaska
Rohr, D.M.; Blodgett, R.B.; Fryda, J.
2008-01-01
Additional Silurian (Ludlovian) gastropods are described from the Heceta Formation in the Alexander terrane on Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska. Species include Spinicharybdis krizi n. sp., Spinicharybdis boucoti n. sp., Morania wagneri n. sp., Haplospira craigi n. sp., Australonema sp., Pachystrophia cf. gotlandica (Lindstro??m, 1884), and Medfrazyga gilmulli n. sp. An additional new Silurian species, Morania nixonforkensis n. sp., is described from the Nixon Fork subterrane of the Farewell terrane of west-central Alaska. The spine-bearing Spinicharybdis is placed into a new subfamily Spinicharybdiinae together with Hystricoceras Jahn, 1894. Joint occurrences of genera Beraunia, Coelocaulus, and Morania, as well as members of subfamily Spinicharybdiinae in the gastropod fauna from the Heceta Formation, support its close relationship with gastropod fauna of Bohemia. Additionally, the occurrence of the genus Medfrazyga suggests a faunal link between the Alexander and Farewell terranes of Alaska. Medfrazyga gilmulli n. sp. is the oldest known and the only early Paleozoic member of the family Palaeozygopleuridae. Copyright ?? 2008, The Paleontological Society.
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50 CFR 679.21 - Prohibited species bycatch management.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... to 907-586-7465. Forms are available on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa... the retained aggregate amount of other GOA groundfish species or species group. (B) Deep-water species... the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/): (A) The Chinook salmon PSC...
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Digital Shaded-Relief Image of Alaska
Riehle, J.R.; Fleming, Michael D.; Molnia, B.F.; Dover, J.H.; Kelley, J.S.; Miller, M.L.; Nokleberg, W.J.; Plafker, George; Till, A.B.
1997-01-01
of Alaska at 1:2,500,000 scale (Alaska Department of Natural Resources, 1994), using the 1,000-m digital elevation data set referred to below. An important difference between our image and these previous ones is the method of reproduction: like the Thelin and Pike (1991) image, our image is a composite of halftone images that yields sharp resolution and preserves contrast. Indeed, the first impression of many viewers is that the Alaskan image and the Thelin and Pike image are composites of satellite-generated photographs rather than an artificial rendering of a digital elevation model. A shaded-relief image represents landforms in a natural fashion; that is, a viewer perceives the image as a rendering of reality. Thus a shaded-relief image is intrinsically appealing, especially in areas of spectacular relief. In addition, even subtle physiographic features that reflect geologic structures or the type of bedrock are visible. To our knowledge, some of these Alaskan features have not been depicted before and so the image should provide earth scientists with a new 'look' at fundamental geologic features of Alaska.
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Leffler, A Joshua; Klein, Eric S; Oberbauer, Steven F; Welker, Jeffrey M
2016-05-01
Climate change is expected to increase summer temperature and winter precipitation throughout the Arctic. The long-term implications of these changes for plant species composition, plant function, and ecosystem processes are difficult to predict. We report on the influence of enhanced snow depth and warmer summer temperature following 20 years of an ITEX experimental manipulation at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Winter snow depth was increased using snow fences and warming was accomplished during summer using passive open-top chambers. One of the most important consequences of these experimental treatments was an increase in active layer depth and rate of thaw, which has led to deeper drainage and lower soil moisture content. Vegetation concomitantly shifted from a relatively wet system with high cover of the sedge Eriophorum vaginatum to a drier system, dominated by deciduous shrubs including Betula nana and Salix pulchra. At the individual plant level, we observed higher leaf nitrogen concentration associated with warmer temperatures and increased snow in S. pulchra and B. nana, but high leaf nitrogen concentration did not lead to higher rates of net photosynthesis. At the ecosystem level, we observed higher GPP and NEE in response to summer warming. Our results suggest that deeper snow has a cascading set of biophysical consequences that include a deeper active layer that leads to altered species composition, greater leaf nitrogen concentration, and higher ecosystem-level carbon uptake.
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Building a DNA barcode library of Alaska's non-marine arthropods.
Sikes, Derek S; Bowser, Matthew; Morton, John M; Bickford, Casey; Meierotto, Sarah; Hildebrandt, Kyndall
2017-03-01
Climate change may result in ecological futures with novel species assemblages, trophic mismatch, and mass extinction. Alaska has a limited taxonomic workforce to address these changes. We are building a DNA barcode library to facilitate a metabarcoding approach to monitoring non-marine arthropods. Working with the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, we obtained DNA barcodes from recently collected and authoritatively identified specimens in the University of Alaska Museum (UAM) Insect Collection and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge collection. We submitted tissues from 4776 specimens, of which 81% yielded DNA barcodes representing 1662 species and 1788 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs), of primarily terrestrial, large-bodied arthropods. This represents 84% of the species available for DNA barcoding in the UAM Insect Collection. There are now 4020 Alaskan arthropod species represented by DNA barcodes, after including all records in Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) of species that occur in Alaska - i.e., 48.5% of the 8277 Alaskan, non-marine-arthropod, named species have associated DNA barcodes. An assessment of the identification power of the library in its current state yielded fewer species-level identifications than expected, but the results were not discouraging. We believe we are the first to deliberately begin development of a DNA barcode library of the entire arthropod fauna for a North American state or province. Although far from complete, this library will become increasingly valuable as more species are added and costs to obtain DNA sequences fall.
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Estimating Forest Species Composition Using a Multi-Sensor Approach
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wolter, P. T.
2009-12-01
The magnitude, duration, and frequency of forest disturbance caused by the spruce budworm and forest tent caterpillar has increased over the last century due to a shift in forest species composition linked to historical fire suppression, forest management, and pesticide application that has fostered the increase in dominance of host tree species. Modeling approaches are currently being used to understand and forecast potential management effects in changing insect disturbance trends. However, detailed forest composition data needed for these efforts is often lacking. Here, we used partial least squares (PLS) regression to integrate satellite sensor data from Landsat, Radarsat-1, and PALSAR, as well as pixel-wise forest structure information derived from SPOT-5 sensor data (Wolter et al. 2009), to estimate species-level forest composition of 12 species required for modeling efforts. C-band Radarsat-1 data and L-band PALSAR data were frequently among the strongest predictors of forest composition. Pixel-level forest structure data were more important for estimating conifer rather than hardwood forest composition. The coefficients of determination for species relative basal area (RBA) ranged from 0.57 (white cedar) to 0.94 (maple) with RMSE of 8.88 to 6.44 % RBA, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the effective lower limits of usefulness of species RBA estimates which ranged from 5.94 % (jack pine) to 39.41 % (black ash). These estimates were then used to produce a dominant forest species map for the study region with an overall accuracy of 78 %. Most notably, this approach facilitated discrimination of aspen from birch as well as spruce and fir from other conifer species which is crucial for the study of forest tent caterpillar and spruce budworm dynamics, respectively, in the Upper Midwest. Thus, use of PLS regression as a data fusion strategy has proven to be an effective tool for regional characterization of forest
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Applications of satellite telemetry to wildlife research and management in Alaska
Fancy, S.G.; Harris, R.B.; Douglas, David C.; Pank, L.F.; Whitten, Kenneth R.; McCabe, Thomas R.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Garner, G.W.
1988-01-01
Since 1984, the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Research Center, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and several other agencies, has used the Argos Data Collection and Location System to address wildlife research and management problems in Alaska and other parts of North America. The use of satellite telemetry has overcome some of the logistical problems of working in remote areas in an arctic environment, where harsh weather, darkness, worker safety considerations, extensive movements by some species, and high costs of locating study animals often result in small incomplete data sets. As of September 1988, 241 satellite transmitters (PPTs) have been deployed on large mammals, including 109 on polar bears in the Bering, Beaufort and Chukchi seas; 74 on caribou in northern Alaska and northwestern Canada; 22 on brown bears in northern Alaska and Kodiak Island, Alaska; 12 on muskoxen in northeastern Alaska and Greenland; 7 on wolves in northern Alaska; 7 on walrus in the Bering and Chuckchi seas; 4 on mule deer in Idaho; 2 on elk in Wyoming; 2 on moose in southcentral Alaska; and 2 on Dall sheep int the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The Argos DCLS has provided more than 19,000 and 66,000 locations for polar bears and caribou, respectively, and has been used to document the international ranges of these species and to address specific management questions in a cost-effective manner. The precision of locations provided by the Argos DCLS was examined using transmitters placed on the ground or on buildings and compared to the precision from that prior to deployment, presumably because of the proximity of the antenna to the animal's body. The mean error of locations for PTTs on captive animals was 954 m(+or- 1324 SD; median -553 m; n -330). Sensors for determining ambient temperature, short- and long-term indices of animal activity immersion of transmitters in saltwater, and dive depths, were developed and tested. The long-term activity index indicated
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Huo, Hong; Feng, Qi; Su, Yong-hong
2014-01-01
Understanding the factors that influence the distribution of understory vegetation is important for biological conservation and forest management. We compared understory species composition by multi-response permutation procedure and indicator species analysis between plots dominated by Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia Kom.) and Qilian juniper (Sabina przewalskii Kom.) in coniferous forests of the Qilian Mountains, northwestern China. Understory species composition differed markedly between the forest types. Many heliophilous species were significantly associated with juniper forest, while only one species was indicative of spruce forest. Using constrained ordination and the variation partitioning model, we quantitatively assessed the relative effects of two sets of explanatory variables on understory species composition. The results showed that topographic variables had higher explanatory power than did site conditions for understory plant distributions. However, a large amount of the variation in understory species composition remained unexplained. Forward selection revealed that understory species distributions were primarily affected by elevation and aspect. Juniper forest had higher species richness and α-diversity and lower β-diversity in the herb layer of the understory plant community than spruce forest, suggesting that the former may be more important in maintaining understory biodiversity and community stability in alpine coniferous forest ecosystems.
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Migaszewski, Z.M.; Galuszka, A.; Crock, J.G.; Lamothe, P.J.; Dolegowska, S.
2009-01-01
Comparative biogeochemical studies performed on the same plant species in remote areas enable pinpointing interspecies and interregional differences of chemical composition. This report presents baseline concentrations of PAHs and trace elements in moss species Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi from the Holy Cross Mountains (south-central Poland) (HCM) and Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve (Alaska) and Denali National Park and Preserve (Alaska). Total PAH concentrations in the mosses of HCM were in the range of 473-2970 ??g kg-1 (dry weight basis; DW), whereas those in the same species of Alaska were 80-3390 ??g kg-1 DW. Nearly all the moss samples displayed the similar ring sequence: 3 > 4 > 5 > 6 for the PAHs. The 3 + 4 ring/total PAH ratios show statistically significant differences between HCM (0.73) and Alaska (0.91). The elevated concentrations of PAHs observed in some sampling locations of the Alaskan parks were linked to local combustion of wood, with a component of vehicle particle- and vapor-phase emissions. In HCM, the principal source of PAH emissions has been linked to residential and industrial combustion of coal and vehicle traffic. In contrast to HCM, the Alaskan mosses were distinctly elevated in most of the trace elements, bearing a signature of??the underlying geology. H.??splendens and P. schreberi showed diverse bioaccumulative capabilities of PAHs in all three study areas. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd.
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Resilience of Alaska's Boreal Forest to Climatic Change
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Chapin, F. S., III; McGuire, A. D.; Ruess, R. W.; Hollingsworth, T. N.; Mack, M. C.; Johnstone, J. F.; Kasischke, E. S.; Euskirchen, E. S.; Jones, J. B.; Jorgenson, M. T.;
2010-01-01
This paper assesses the resilience of Alaska s boreal forest system to rapid climatic change. Recent warming is associated with reduced growth of dominant tree species, plant disease and insect outbreaks, warming and thawing of permafrost, drying of lakes, increased wildfire extent, increased postfire recruitment of deciduous trees, and reduced safety of hunters traveling on river ice. These changes have modified key structural features, feedbacks, and interactions in the boreal forest, including reduced effects of upland permafrost on regional hydrology, expansion of boreal forest into tundra, and amplification of climate warming because of reduced albedo (shorter winter season) and carbon release from wildfires. Other temperature-sensitive processes for which no trends have been detected include composition of plant and microbial communities, long-term landscape-scale change in carbon stocks, stream discharge, mammalian population dynamics, and river access and subsistence opportunities for rural indigenous communities. Projections of continued warming suggest that Alaska s boreal forest will undergo significant functional and structural changes within the next few decades that are unprecedented in the last 6000 years. The impact of these social ecological changes will depend in part on the extent of landscape reorganization between uplands and lowlands and on policies regulating subsistence opportunities for rural communities.
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The Post-Glacial Species Velocity of Picea glauca following the Last Glacial Maximum in Alaska.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Morrison, B. D.; Napier, J.; Kelly, R.; Li, B.; Heath, K.; Hug, B.; Hu, F.; Greenberg, J. A.
2015-12-01
Anthropogenic climate change is leading to dramatic fluctuations to Earth's biodiversity that has not been observed since past interglacial periods. There is rising concern that Earth's warming climate will have significant impacts to current species ranges and the ability of a species to persist in a rapidly changing environment. The paleorecord provides information on past species distributions in relation to climate change, which can illuminate the patterns of potential future distributions of species. Particularly in areas where there are multiple potential limiting factors on a species' range, e.g. temperature, radiation, and evaporative demand, the spatial patterns of species migrations may be particularly complex. In this study, we assessed the change in the distributions of white spruce (Picea glauca) from the Last Glacial Maxima (LGM) to present-day for the entire state of Alaska. To accomplish this, we created species distribution models (SDMs) calibrated from modern vegetation data and high-resolution, downscaled climate surfaces at 60m. These SDMs were applied to downscaled modern and paleoclimate surfaces to produce estimated ranges of white spruce during the LGM and today. From this, we assessed the "species velocity", the rate at which white spruce would need to migrate to keep pace with climate change, with the goal of determining whether the expansion from the LGM to today originated from microclimate refugia. Higher species velocities indicate locations where climate changed drastically and white spruce would have needed to migrate rapidly to persist and avoid local extinction. Conversely, lower species velocities indicated locations where the local climate was changing less rapidly or was within the center of the range of white spruce, and indicated locations where white spruce distributions were unlikely to have changed significantly. Our results indicate the importance of topographic complexity in buffering the effects of climate change
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Moore, Thomas; Box, Stephen E.
2016-01-01
The structural architecture of Alaska is the product of a complex history of deformation along both the Cordilleran and Arctic margins of North America involving oceanic plates, subduction zones and strike-slip faults and with continental elements of Laurentia, Baltica, and Siberia. We use geological constraints to assign regions of deformation to 14 time intervals and to map their distributions in Alaska. Alaska can be divided into three domains with differing deformational histories. Each domain includes a crustal fragment that originated near Early Paleozoic Baltica. The Northern domain experienced the Early Cretaceous Brookian orogeny, an oceanic arc-continent collision, followed by mid-Cretaceous extension. Early Cretaceous opening of the oceanic Canada Basin rifted the orogen from the Canadian Arctic margin, producing the bent trends of the orogen. The second (Southern) domain consists of Neoproterozoic and younger crust of the amalgamated Peninsular-Wrangellia-Alexander arc terrane and its paired Mesozoic accretionary prism facing the Pacific Ocean basin. The third (Interior) domain, situated between the first two domains and roughly bounded by the Cenozoic dextral Denali and Tintina faults, includes the large continental Yukon Composite and Farewell terranes having different Permian deformational episodes. Although a shared deformation that might mark their juxtaposition by collisional processes is unrecognized, sedimentary linkage between the two terranes and depositional overlap of the boundary with the Northern domain occurred by early Late Cretaceous. Late Late Cretaceous deformation is the first deformation shared by all three domains and correlates temporally with emplacement of the Southern domain against the remainder of Alaska. Early Cenozoic shortening is mild across interior Alaska but is significant in the Brooks Range, and correlates in time with dextral faulting, ridge subduction and counter-clockwise rotation of southern Alaska. Late Cenozoic
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Phytoplankton species composition of four ecological provinces in Yellow Sea, China
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Xiaoqian; Feng, Yuanyuan; Leng, Xiaoyun; Liu, Haijiao; Sun, Jun
2017-12-01
The ecological province based on phytoplankton species composition is important to understanding the interplay between environmental parameters and phytoplankton species composition. The aim of this study was to establish phytoplankton species composition ecological pattern thus elucidate the relationship between environmental factors and the phytoplankton species composition in the ecological provinces. Phytoplankton samples were collected from 31 stations in Yellow Sea (121.00°-125.00°E, 32.00°-39.22°N) in November 2014. The samples were enumerated and identified with the Utermöhl method under an optical inverted microscope-AE2000 with magnifications of 200 × or 400 ×. In the present study, a total of 141 taxa belonging to 60 genera of 4 phyla of phytoplankton were identified, among them 101 species of 45 genera were Bacillariophyta, 36 species of 11 genera were Dinophyta, 3 species of 3 genera were Chrysophyta and 1 species of 1 genera was Chlorophyta. The study area was divided into 4 ecological provinces according to an unsupervised cluster algorithm applied to the phytoplankton biomass. A T-S (Temperature-Salinity) scatter diagram depicted with data of water temperature and salinity defined by environmental provinces matched well with the ecological provinces. The results of Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) indicated that the phytoplankton species composition was mainly correlated with temperature, salinity and silicate concentration in the studied area. A method of establishing ecological provinces is useful to further understanding the environmental effects on the marine phytoplankton species composition and the consequent marine biogeochemistry.
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Thompson, Robert S.; Anderson, Katherine H.; Strickland, Laura E.; Shafer, Sarah L.; Pelltier, Richard T.; Bartlein, Patrick J.
2006-01-01
Climate is the primary factor in controlling the continental-scale distribution of plant species, although the relations between climatic parameters and species' ranges is only now beginning to be quantified. Preceding volumes of this atlas explored the continental-scale relations between climatic parameters and the distributions of woody plant species across all of the continent of North America. This volume presents similar information for important woody species, groups of species, and ecoregions in more detail for the State of Alaska. For these analyses, we constructed a 25-kilometer equal-area grid of modern climatic and bioclimatic parameters for North America from instrumental weather records. We obtained a digital representation of the geographic distribution of each species or ecoregion, either from a published source or by digitizing the published distributions ourselves. The presence or absence of each species or ecoregion was then determined for each point on the 25-kilometer grid, thus providing a basis for comparison of the climatic data with the geographic distribution of each species or ecoregion. The relations between climate and these distributions are presented in graphical and tabular form.
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NGEE Arctic Canopy Spectral Reflectance, Barrow, Alaska, 2014-2016
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Shawn Serbin; Wil Lieberman-Cribbin; Kim Ely
Measurements of full-spectrum (i.e. 350-2500nm) canopy spectral reflectance of Arctic plant species within the BEO, Barrow, Alaska. Spectra were collected using an Spectra Vista Corporation (SVC) HR-2014i and Spectral Evolution (SE) PSR+ instrument mounted on a tripod or monopod together with a Spectralon white plate to calibrate each measurement under variable illumination conditions. Data were collected in Barrow, Alaska during the 2014 to 2016 period.
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Community reorganization in the Gulf of Alaska following ocean climate regime shift
Anderson, P.J.; Piatt, John F.
1999-01-01
A shift in ocean climate during the late 1970s triggered a reorganization of community structure in the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem, as evidenced in changing catch composition on long-term (1953 to 1997) small-mesh trawl surveys. Forage species such as pandalid shrimp and capelin declined because of recruitment failure and predation, and populations have not yet recovered. Total trawl catch biomass declined >50% and remained low through the 1980s. In contrast, recruitment of high trophic-level groundfish improved during the 1980s, yielding a >250% increase in catch biomass during the 1990s. This trophic reorganization apparently had negative effects on piscivorous sea birds and marine mammals.
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Nichols, J.D.; Boulinier, T.; Hines, J.E.; Pollock, K.H.; Sauer, J.R.
1998-01-01
Inferences about spatial variation in species richness and community composition are important both to ecological hypotheses about the structure and function of communities and to community-level conservation and management. Few sampling programs for animal communities provide censuses, and usually some species present. We present estimators useful for drawing inferences about comparative species richness and composition between different sampling locations when not all species are detected in sampling efforts. Based on capture-recapture models using the robust design, our methods estimate relative species richness, proportion of species in one location that are also found in another, and number of species found in one location but not in another. The methods use data on the presence or absence of each species at different sampling occasions (or locations) to estimate the number of species not detected at any occasions (or locations). This approach permits estimation of the number of species in the sampled community and in subsets of the community useful for estimating the fraction of species shared by two communities. We provide an illustration of our estimation methods by comparing bird species richness and composition in two locations sampled by routes of the North American Breeding Bird Survey. In this example analysis, the two locations (an associated bird communities) represented different levels of urbanization. Estimates of relative richness, proportion of shared species, and number of species present on one route but not the other indicated that the route with the smaller fraction of urban area had greater richness and a larer number of species that were not found on the more urban route than vice versa. We developed a software package, COMDYN, for computing estimates based on the methods. Because these estimation methods explicitly deal with sampling in which not all species are detected, we recommend their use for addressing questions about species
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Lipid Molecular Species Composition in Developing Soybean Cotyledons 1
Wilson, Richard F.; Rinne, Robert W.
1978-01-01
The fatty acid composition of triglyceride and phospholipids in developing soybean cotyledons (Glycine max L., var. “Harosoy 63”) was analyzed at several stages of growth between 30 and 70 days after flowering. Changes observed in fatty acid composition within each lipid class were related to the levels of lipid molecular species present in the oil. Thirteen molecular species of triglyceride were identified in developing cotyledons, however three of these groups: trilinolenic, dilinolenic-monolinoleic, and linolenic-linoleic-oleic triglycerides, were not found in the mature seed. In immature cotyledons, trioleic and trilinoleic triglycerides accounted for 50% of the structures found; the level of these molecules decreased to 24.9% in the mature seed. The dilinoleic-monolinolenic triglycerides increased from 0.4 to 23.4% during cotyledon development. Changes in triglyceride composition were compared to the levels of molecular species for each phospholipid class. Dilinoleic and monosaturated monolinoleic phospholipid species were dominant in all phospholipid classes throughout development. PMID:16660395
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Alaska Railroad Alaska Maps Alaska Travel Safety Information Alaska Fish and Game Alaska Facts & Month Services How Do I? Education Health Jobs Safety How Do I? Apply for a Permanent Fund Dividend File Information More Dept. of Commerce, Comm... More Dept. of Labor & Workforce Dev. Safety 511 - Traveler
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Handel, Colleen M.; Sauer, John
2017-01-01
Management interest in North American birds has increasingly focused on species that breed in Alaska, USA, and Canada, where habitats are changing rapidly in response to climatic and anthropogenic factors. We used a series of hierarchical models to estimate rates of population change in 2 forested Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) in Alaska based on data from the roadside North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and the Alaska Landbird Monitoring Survey, which samples off-road areas on public resource lands. We estimated long-term (1993–2015) population trends for 84 bird species from the BBS and short-term (2003–2015) trends for 31 species from both surveys. Among the 84 species with long-term estimates, 11 had positive trends and 17 had negative trends in 1 or both BCRs; negative trends were primarily found among aerial insectivores and wetland-associated species, confirming range-wide negative continental trends for many of these birds. Three species with negative trends in the contiguous United States and southern Canada had positive trends in Alaska, suggesting different population dynamics at the northern edges of their ranges. Regional population trends within Alaska differed for several species, particularly those represented by different subspecies in the 2 BCRs, which are separated by rugged, glaciated mountain ranges. Analysis of the roadside and off-road data in a joint hierarchical model with shared parameters resulted in improved precision of trend estimates and suggested a roadside-related difference in underlying population trends for several species, particularly within the Northwestern Interior Forest BCR. The combined analysis highlights the importance of considering population structure, physiographic barriers, and spatial heterogeneity in habitat change when assessing patterns of population change across a landscape as broad as Alaska. Combined analysis of roadside and off-road survey data in a hierarchical framework may be particularly
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Developing Gyrfalcon surveys and monitoring for Alaska
Fuller, Mark R.; Schempf, Philip F.; Booms, Travis L.
2011-01-01
We developed methods to monitor the status of Gyrfalcons in Alaska. Results of surveys and monitoring will be informative for resource managers and will be useful for studying potential changes in ecological communities of the high latitudes. We estimated that the probability of detecting a Gyrfalcon at an occupied nest site was between 64% and 87% depending on observer experience and aircraft type (fixed-wing or helicopter). The probability of detection is an important factor for estimating occupancy of nesting areas, and occupancy can be used as a metric for monitoring species' status. We conclude that surveys of nesting habitat to monitor occupancy during the breeding season are practical because of the high probability of seeing a Gyrfalcon from aircraft. Aerial surveys are effective for searching sample plots or index areas in the expanse of the Alaskan terrain. Furthermore, several species of cliff-nesting birds can be surveyed concurrently from aircraft. Occupancy estimation also can be applied using data from other field search methods (e.g., from boats) that have proven useful in Alaska. We believe a coordinated broad-scale, inter-agency, collaborative approach is necessary in Alaska. Monitoring can be facilitated by collating and archiving each set of results in a secure universal repository to allow for statewide meta-analysis.
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GeoFORCE Alaska, A Successful Summer Exploring Alaska's Geology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wartes, D.
2012-12-01
Thirty years old this summer, RAHI, the Rural Alaska Honors Institute is a statewide, six-week, summer college-preparatory bridge program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks for Alaska Native and rural high school juniors and seniors. This summer, in collaboration with the University of Texas Austin, the Rural Alaska Honors Institute launched a new program, GeoFORCE Alaska. This outreach initiative is designed to increase the number and diversity of students pursuing STEM degree programs and entering the future high-tech workforce. It uses Earth science to entice kids to get excited about dinosaurs, volcanoes and earthquakes, and includes physics, chemistry, math, biology and other sciences. Students were recruited from the Alaska's Arctic North Slope schools, in 8th grade to begin the annual program of approximately 8 days, the summer before their 9th grade year and then remain in the program for all four years of high school. They must maintain a B or better grade average and participate in all GeoFORCE events. The culmination is an exciting field event each summer. Over the four-year period, events will include trips to Fairbanks and Anchorage, Arizona, Oregon and the Appalachians. All trips focus on Earth science and include a 100+ page guidebook, with tests every night culminating with a final exam. GeoFORCE Alaska was begun by the University of Alaska Fairbanks in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin, which has had tremendous success with GeoFORCE Texas. GeoFORCE Alaska is managed by UAF's long-standing Rural Alaska Honors Institute, that has been successfully providing intense STEM educational opportunities for Alaskan high school students for over 30 years. The program will add a new cohort of 9th graders each year for the next four years. By the summer of 2015, GeoFORCE Alaska is targeting a capacity of 160 students in grades 9th through 12th. Join us to find out more about this exciting new initiative, which is enticing young Alaska Native
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A Revision of the Stylasteridae (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Filifera) from Alaska and Adjacent Waters
Cairns, Stephen D.; Lindner, Alberto
2011-01-01
Abstract The stylasterid fauna of Alaska is revised, consisting of the description or redescription and illustration of 21 species, one additional subspecies, and a geographically adjacent species: Stylaster venustus. Six new species and one new subspecies are described: Errinopora fisheri, Errinopora undulata, Errinopora disticha, Errinopora dichotoma, Stylaster crassiseptum, Stylaster repandus, and Stylaster parageus columbiensis. Four subspecies are raised to species rank: Stylaster leptostylus, Stylaster trachystomus, Stylaster parageus, and Distichopora japonica, and five species and one subspecies were synonymized. A dichotomous key to the Errinopora species and tabular keys to the Errinopora and Alaskan Stylaster species are provided. The focus of the study was on the stylasterids from Alaska, primarily those from the diverse Aleutian Islands, but also including records from British Columbia. This is the first revisionary work on this fauna since the seminal report by Fisher in 1938. PMID:22303109
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Joseph Roos; David L. Nicholls
2006-01-01
New equipment, technology, and marketing efforts have allowed Alaskaâs wood products producers to consider opportunities previously unavailable to them. Until recently, the primary product produced by Alaska firms was rough, unseasoned lumber sold primarily within local markets. Given the purchase and installation of new drying and planing equipment, Alaska producers...
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Moles, A; Heintz, R A
2007-07-01
Fish serve as intermediate hosts for a number of larval parasites that have the potential of maturing in marine mammals such as Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). We examined the prevalence of parasites from 229 fish collected between March and July 2002 near two islands used by Steller sea lions in Southeast Alaska and island habitats in the Aleutian Islands. Sea lion populations have remained steady in Southeast Alaska but have been declining over the last 30 yr in the Aleutian Islands. Even though the fish samples near the Southeast Alaska haul-outs were composed of numerous small species of fish and the Aleutian Islands catch was dominated by juveniles of commercially harvested species, the parasite fauna was similar at all locations. Eleven of the 20 parasite taxa identified were in their larval stage in the fish hosts, several of which have been described from mammalian final hosts. Four species of parasite were more prevalent in Southeast Alaska fish samples, and seven parasite species, including several larval forms capable of infecting marine mammals, were more prevalent in fish from the Aleutian Islands. Nevertheless, parasites available to Steller sea lions from common fish prey are not likely to be a major factor in the decline of this marine mammal species.
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Ichthyophonus in sport-caught groundfishes from southcentral Alaska
Harris, Bradley P.; Webster, Sarah R.; Wolf, Nathan; Gregg, Jacob L.; Hershberger, Paul
2018-01-01
This report of Ichthyophonus in common sport-caught fishes throughout the marine waters of southcentral Alaska represents the first documentation of natural Ichthyophonus infections in lingcod Ophiodon elongates and yelloweye rockfish Sebastes ruberrimus. In addition, the known geographic range of Ichthyophonus in black rockfish S. melanops has been expanded northward to include southcentral Alaska. Among all species surveyed, the infection prevalence was highest (35%, n = 334) in Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis. There were no gross indications of high-level infections or clinically diseased individuals. These results support the hypothesis that under typical conditions Ichthyophonus can occur at high infection prevalence accompanied with low-level infection among a variety of fishes throughout the eastern North Pacific Ocean, including southcentral Alaska.
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Monitoring Start of Season in Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Robin, J.; Dubayah, R.; Sparrow, E.; Levine, E.
2006-12-01
In biomes that have distinct winter seasons, start of spring phenological events, specifically timing of budburst and green-up of leaves, coincides with transpiration. Seasons leave annual signatures that reflect the dynamic nature of the hydrologic cycle and link the different spheres of the Earth system. This paper evaluates whether continuity between AVHRR and MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is achievable for monitoring land surface phenology, specifically start of season (SOS), in Alaska. Additionally, two thresholds, one based on NDVI and the other on accumulated growing degree-days (GDD), are compared to determine which most accurately predicts SOS for Fairbanks. Ratio of maximum greenness at SOS was computed from biweekly AVHRR and MODIS composites for 2001 through 2004 for Anchorage and Fairbanks regions. SOS dates were determined from annual green-up observations made by GLOBE students. Results showed that different processing as well as spectral characteristics of each sensor restrict continuity between the two datasets. MODIS values were consistently higher and had less inter-annual variability during the height of the growing season than corresponding AVHRR values. Furthermore, a threshold of 131-175 accumulated GDD was a better predictor of SOS for Fairbanks than a NDVI threshold applied to AVHRR and MODIS datasets. The NDVI threshold was developed from biweekly AVHRR composites from 1982 through 2004 and corresponding annual green-up observations at University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF). The GDD threshold was developed from 20+ years of historic daily mean air temperature data and the same green-up observations. SOS dates computed with the GDD threshold most closely resembled actual green-up dates observed by GLOBE students and UAF researchers. Overall, biweekly composites and effects of clouds, snow, and conifers limit the ability of NDVI to monitor phenological changes in Alaska.
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Summer spawning in the fourhorn sculpin, Myoxocephalus quadricornis, from Alaska
Goldberg, S.R.; Yasutake, W.T.; West, R.L.
1987-01-01
Histological ovarian analysis indicates summer spawning occurs in Myoxocephalus quadricornis (Fourhorn Sculpin) from Alaska. Previous studies have shown this species spawns during winter in the Baltic Sea; the data presented herein suggests that geographical variation may occur in the timing of spawning of this species.
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Adoption of engineered wood products in Alaska
Joseph A. Roos; Indroneil Ganguly; Allen Brackley
2009-01-01
Based on an in-grade testing program, the Ketchikan Wood Technology Center has registered three proprietary grademarks for Alaska species of hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), yellow-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (D. Don) Spach), and spruce (combined Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr...
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Home - Gold mining in Alaska - Libraries, Archives, & Museums at Alaska
State Library Skip to main content State of Alaska myAlaska Departments State Employees Statewide Links à Upcoming Holiday Closure for Memorial Day The Alaska State Libraries, Archives, & Tuesday, May 29. Department of Education and Early Development Alaska State Libraries, Archives, and
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2002-02-26
This image from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite covers an area of 55 by 40 kilometers (34 by 25 miles) over the southwest part of the Malaspina Glacier and Icy Bay in Alaska. The composite of infrared and visible bands results in the snow and ice appearing light blue, dense vegetation is yellow-orange and green, and less vegetated, gravelly areas are in orange. According to Dr. Dennis Trabant (U.S. Geological Survey, Fairbanks, Alaska), the Malaspina Glacier is thinning. Its terminal moraine protects it from contact with the open ocean; without the moraine, or if sea level rises sufficiently to reconnect the glacier with the ocean, the glacier would start calving and retreat significantly. ASTER data are being used to help monitor the size and movement of some 15,000 tidal and piedmont glaciers in Alaska. Evidence derived from ASTER and many other satellite and ground-based measurements suggests that only a few dozen Alaskan glaciers are advancing. The overwhelming majority of them are retreating. This ASTER image was acquired on June 8, 2001. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image Earth for the next six years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03475
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Alaska Tidal Datum Portal - Alaska Tidal Datum Calculator | Alaska Division
Coastal Hazards Program Guide to Geologic Hazards in Alaska MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Portal main content Alaska Tidal Datum Portal Unambiguous vertical datums in the coastal environment are projects to ensure protection of human life, property, and the coastal environment. January 2017 - Update
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Historical factors shaped species diversity and composition of Salix in eastern Asia.
Wang, Qinggang; Su, Xiangyan; Shrestha, Nawal; Liu, Yunpeng; Wang, Siyang; Xu, Xiaoting; Wang, Zhiheng
2017-02-08
Ambient energy, niche conservatism, historical climate stability and habitat heterogeneity hypothesis have been proposed to explain the broad-scale species diversity patterns and species compositions, while their relative importance have been controversial. Here, we assessed the relative contributions of contemporary climate, historical climate changes and habitat heterogeneity in shaping Salix species diversity and species composition in whole eastern Asia as well as mountains and lowlands using linear regressions and distance-based redundancy analyses, respectively. Salix diversity was negatively related with mean annual temperature. Habitat heterogeneity was more important than contemporary climate in shaping Salix diversity patterns, and their relative contributions were different in mountains and lowlands. In contrast, the species composition was strongly influenced by contemporary climate and historical climate change than habitat heterogeneity, and their relative contributions were nearly the same both in mountains and lowlands. Our findings supported niche conservatism and habitat heterogeneity hypotheses, but did not support ambient energy and historical climate stability hypotheses. The diversity pattern and species composition of Salix could not be well-explained by any single hypothesis tested, suggesting that other factors such as disturbance history and diversification rate may be also important in shaping the diversity pattern and composition of Salix species.
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Historical factors shaped species diversity and composition of Salix in eastern Asia
Wang, Qinggang; Su, Xiangyan; Shrestha, Nawal; Liu, Yunpeng; Wang, Siyang; Xu, Xiaoting; Wang, Zhiheng
2017-01-01
Ambient energy, niche conservatism, historical climate stability and habitat heterogeneity hypothesis have been proposed to explain the broad-scale species diversity patterns and species compositions, while their relative importance have been controversial. Here, we assessed the relative contributions of contemporary climate, historical climate changes and habitat heterogeneity in shaping Salix species diversity and species composition in whole eastern Asia as well as mountains and lowlands using linear regressions and distance-based redundancy analyses, respectively. Salix diversity was negatively related with mean annual temperature. Habitat heterogeneity was more important than contemporary climate in shaping Salix diversity patterns, and their relative contributions were different in mountains and lowlands. In contrast, the species composition was strongly influenced by contemporary climate and historical climate change than habitat heterogeneity, and their relative contributions were nearly the same both in mountains and lowlands. Our findings supported niche conservatism and habitat heterogeneity hypotheses, but did not support ambient energy and historical climate stability hypotheses. The diversity pattern and species composition of Salix could not be well-explained by any single hypothesis tested, suggesting that other factors such as disturbance history and diversification rate may be also important in shaping the diversity pattern and composition of Salix species. PMID:28176816
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Konar, Brenda
2000-01-01
Sea otters are well known as a keystone species because of their ability to transform sea urchin-dominated communities into kelp-dominated communities by preying on sea urchins and thus reducing the intensity of herbivory. After being locally extinct for more than a century, sea otters re-colonized the Semichi Islands in the Aleutian Archipelago, Alaska in the early 1990s. Here, otter populations increased to about 400 individuals by 1994, but rapidly declined to about 100 by 1997. Roughly 7 yr after initial otter re-colonization, there were only marginal changes in sea urchin biomass, mean maximum test size, and kelp density. These small changes may be the first steps in the cascading effects on community structure typically found with the invasion of a keystone species. However, no wholesale change in community structure occurred following re-colonization and growth of the sea otter population. Instead, this study describes a transition state and identifies factors such as keystone species density and residence time that can be important in dictating the degree to which otter effects are manifested.
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Home, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, State of Alaska
State logo Alaska Department of Administration Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Administration AOGCC Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Javascript is required to run this webpage
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Haeussler, Peter J.; Plafker, George
1995-01-01
Earthquake risk is high in much of the southern half of Alaska, but it is not the same everywhere. This map shows the overall geologic setting in Alaska that produces earthquakes. The Pacific plate (darker blue) is sliding northwestward past southeastern Alaska and then dives beneath the North American plate (light blue, green, and brown) in southern Alaska, the Alaska Peninsula, and the Aleutian Islands. Most earthquakes are produced where these two plates come into contact and slide past each other. Major earthquakes also occur throughout much of interior Alaska as a result of collision of a piece of crust with the southern margin.
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Effects of log dumping and rafting on the marine environment of southeast Alaska.
Bruce C. Pease
1974-01-01
The extent of water-dependent log handling and storage facilities in southeast Alaska is summarized, along with the available literature on the environmental impact of these facilities. Field studies were conducted at 16 sites and correlated with laboratory studies of leaching rates and toxicity of the four major wood species harvested in southeast Alaska. Significant...
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The forest ecosystem of Southeast Alaska: 4. Wildlife habitats.
William R. Meehan
1974-01-01
The effects of logging and associated activities on the habitat of the major forest wildlife species in southeast Alaska are discussed and research results applicable to this region are summarized. Big game, furbearers, and non-game species are considered with respect to their habitat requirements and behavior. Recommendations are made for habitat management with...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Coyle, Kenneth O.; Pinchuk, Alexei I.
2005-01-01
The cross-shelf distribution of major zooplankton species was examined on the northern Gulf of Alaska (GOA) shelf during the production season for four years, between October 1997 and October 2001. The zooplankton community on the northern GOA shelf consisted of oceanic and neritic species of the North Pacific subarctic species complex. Cross-shelf distribution of the major zooplankton species was influenced by their depth preferences, vertical migration behavior, salinity-temperature preferences, and by cross-shelf water-mass distribution and movement. The neritic community, dominated by Pseudocalanus spp., Metridia pacifica and Calanus marshallae, had highest abundances on the inner shelf, in the Alaska Coastal Current, and in the adjacent fjords in late spring and early summer. The oceanic community, which contained primarily Neocalanus cristatus and Eucalanus bungii, was observed in the Alaskan Stream and adjacent waters near the shelf break. A mid-shelf transition zone contained a mixture of oceanic and neritic species. Prince William Sound (PWS) contained a unique species complex of large mesopelagic copepods, amphipods and shrimp. Neocalanus flemingeri and Oithona similis were abundant in all four regions during spring and early summer. The transition zone commonly crossed much of the shelf between the shelf break and the ACC, but satellite images and CTD data indicate that occasionally a narrow shelf-break front can form, in which case distinct zooplankton species groups are observed on either side of the front. Satellite data also revealed numerous large and small eddies, which probably contribute to cross-shelf mixing in the transition zone.
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Persistent Effects of Fire Severity on Early Successional Forests in Interior Alaska
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Shenoy, Aditi; Johnstone, Jill F.; Kasischke, Eric S.; Kielland, Knut
2011-01-01
There has been a recent increase in the frequency and extent of wildfires in interior Alaska, and this trend is predicted to continue under a warming climate. Although less well documented, corresponding increases in fire severity are expected. Previous research from boreal forests in Alaska and western Canada indicate that severe fire promotes the recruitment of deciduous tree species and decreases the relative abundance of black spruce (Picea mariana) immediately after fire. Here we extend these observations by (1) examining changes in patterns of aspen and spruce density and biomass that occurred during the first two decades of post-fire succession, and (2) comparing patterns of tree composition in relation to variations in post-fire organic layer depth in four burned black spruce forests in interior Alaska after 10-20 years of succession.Wefound that initial effects of fire severity on recruitment and establishment of aspen and black spruce were maintained by subsequent effects of organic layer depth and initial plant biomass on plant growth during post-fire succession. The proportional contribution of aspen (Populus tremuloides) to total stand biomass remained above 90% during the first and second decades of succession in severely burned sites, while in lightly burned sites the proportional contribution of aspen was reduced due to a 40- fold increase in spruce biomass in these sites. Relationships between organic layer depth and stem density and biomass were consistently negative for aspen, and positive or neutral for black spruce in all four burns. Our results suggest that initial effects of post-fire organic layer depths on deciduous recruitment are likely to translate into a prolonged phase of deciduous dominance during post-fire succession in severely burned stands. This shift in vegetation distribution has important implications for climate-albedo feedbacks, future fire regime, wildlife habitat quality and natural resources for indigenous subsistence
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Zimmerman, Christian E.; Swanson, Heidi K.; Volk, Eric C.; Kent, Adam J.R.
2013-01-01
To test the utility of otolith chemical composition as a tool for determining the natal stream of origin for salmon, we examined water chemistry and otoliths of juvenile and adult Chum Salmon Oncorhynchus keta and Coho Salmon O. kisutch from three watersheds (five rivers) in the Norton Sound region of Alaska. The two species are characterized by different life histories: Coho Salmon rear in freshwater for up to 3 years, whereas Chum Salmon emigrate from freshwater shortly after emergence. We used laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry (MS) to quantify element: Ca ratios for Mg, Mn, Zn, Sr, and Ba, and we used multicollector LA-ICP-MS to determine 87Sr:86Sr ratios in otolith regions corresponding to the period of freshwater residence. Significant differences existed in both water and otolith elemental composition, suggesting that otolith composition could be used to discriminate the natal origin of Coho Salmon and Chum Salmon but only when 87Sr:86Sr ratios were included in the discriminant function analyses. The best discriminant model included 87Sr:86Sr ratios, and without 87Sr:86Sr ratios it was difficult to discriminate among watersheds and rivers. Classification accuracy was 80% for Coho Salmon and 68% for Chum Salmon, indicating that this method does not provide sufficient sensitivity to estimate straying rates of Pacific salmon at the scale we studied.
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Toussaint, Rebecca K.; Scheel, David; Sage, G.K.; Talbot, S.L.
2012-01-01
Multiple species of large octopus are known from the north Pacific waters around Japan, however only one large species is known in the Gulf of Alaska (the giant Pacific octopus, Enteroctopus dofleini). Current taxonomy of E. dofleini is based on geographic and morphological characteristics, although with advances in genetic technology that is changing. Here, we used two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I), three nuclear genes (rhodopsin, octopine dehydrogenase, and paired-box 6), and 18 microsatellite loci for phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses of octopuses collected from across southcentral and the eastern Aleutian Islands (Dutch Harbor), Alaska. Our results suggest the presence of a cryptic Enteroctopus species that is allied to, but distinguished from E. dofleini in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Existence of an undescribed and previously unrecognized taxon raises important questions about the taxonomy of octopus in southcentral Alaska waters.
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Alaska and the Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership
2002-08-01
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The original document contains color images. 14. ABSTRACT The intent of the Alaska Federal Healthcare Partnership is to expand clinical and... intent of the Alaska Federal Healthcare Partnership is to expand clinical and support capabilities of the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC), Third...the formation of the Partnership. Although lengthy, the information is essential to appreciate the magnitude of the Partnership and the intent behind
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1964 Great Alaska Earthquake: a photographic tour of Anchorage, Alaska
Thoms, Evan E.; Haeussler, Peter J.; Anderson, Rebecca D.; McGimsey, Robert G.
2014-01-01
On March 27, 1964, at 5:36 p.m., a magnitude 9.2 earthquake, the largest recorded earthquake in U.S. history, struck southcentral Alaska (fig. 1). The Great Alaska Earthquake (also known as the Good Friday Earthquake) occurred at a pivotal time in the history of earth science, and helped lead to the acceptance of plate tectonic theory (Cox, 1973; Brocher and others, 2014). All large subduction zone earthquakes are understood through insights learned from the 1964 event, and observations and interpretations of the earthquake have influenced the design of infrastructure and seismic monitoring systems now in place. The earthquake caused extensive damage across the State, and triggered local tsunamis that devastated the Alaskan towns of Whittier, Valdez, and Seward. In Anchorage, the main cause of damage was ground shaking, which lasted approximately 4.5 minutes. Many buildings could not withstand this motion and were damaged or collapsed even though their foundations remained intact. More significantly, ground shaking triggered a number of landslides along coastal and drainage valley bluffs underlain by the Bootlegger Cove Formation, a composite of facies containing variably mixed gravel, sand, silt, and clay which were deposited over much of upper Cook Inlet during the Late Pleistocene (Ulery and others, 1983). Cyclic (or strain) softening of the more sensitive clay facies caused overlying blocks of soil to slide sideways along surfaces dipping by only a few degrees. This guide is the document version of an interactive web map that was created as part of the commemoration events for the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake. It is accessible at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Alaska Science Center website: http://alaska.usgs.gov/announcements/news/1964Earthquake/. The website features a map display with suggested tour stops in Anchorage, historical photographs taken shortly after the earthquake, repeat photography of selected sites, scanned documents
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-12-05
... from http://www.regulations.gov or from the Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov...) at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone 907-271-2809, or from the Council's Web... biomass trends for the following species are relatively stable: shallow-water flatfish, deep-water...
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Venezky, Dina Y.; Murray, Tom; Read, Cyrus
2008-01-01
Steam plume from the 2006 eruption of Augustine volcano in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Explosive ash-producing eruptions from Alaska's 40+ historically active volcanoes pose hazards to aviation, including commercial aircraft flying the busy North Pacific routes between North America and Asia. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) monitors these volcanoes to provide forecasts of eruptive activity. AVO is a joint program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAFGI), and the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (ADGGS). AVO is one of five USGS Volcano Hazards Program observatories that monitor U.S. volcanoes for science and public safety. Learn more about Augustine volcano and AVO at http://www.avo.alaska.edu.
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Nokleberg, W.J.; Richter, D.H.
2007-01-01
Several narrow terranes occur along the Denali fault in the Eastern and Central Alaska Range in Southern Alaska. These terranes are the Aurora Peak, Cottonwood Creek, Maclaren, Pingston, and Windy terranes, and a terrane of ultramafic and associated rocks. Exterior to the narrow terranes to the south is the majorWrangellia island arc composite terrane, and to the north is the major Yukon Tanana metamorphosed continental margin terrane. Overlying mainly the northern margin of the Wrangellia composite terrane are the Kahiltna overlap assemblage to the west, and the Gravina- Nutzotin-Gambier volcanic-plutonic- sedimentary belt to the east and southeast. The various narrow terranes are interpreted as the result of translation of fragments of larger terranes during two major tectonic events: (1) Late Jurassic to mid-Cretaceous accretion of the Wrangellia island arc composite terrane (or superterrane composed of the Wrangellia, Peninsular, and Alexander terranes) and associated subduction zone complexes; and (2) starting in about the Late Cretaceous, dextral transport of the Wrangellia composite terrane along the Denali fault. These two major tectonic events caused: (1) entrapment of a lens of oceanic lithosphere along the suture belt between the Wrangellia composite terrane and the North American Craton Margin and outboard accreted terranes to form the ultramafic and mafic part of the terrane of ultramafic and associated rocks, (2) subsequent dextral translation along the Denali fault of the terrane of ultramafic and associated rocks, (3) dextral translation along the Denali fault of the Aurora Peak, Cottonwood Creek, and Maclaren and continental margin arc terranes from part of the Coast plutonic-metamorphic complex (Coast-North Cascade plutonic belt) in the southwest Yukon Territory or Southeastern Alaska, (4) dextral translation along the Denali fault of the Pingston passive continental margin from a locus along the North American Continental Margin, and (5
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Wood inhabiting fungi in Alaska : their diversity, roles, and uses
Gary A Laursen; Harold H. Burdsall; Rodney D. Seppelt
2005-01-01
Wood inhabiting, rotting and/or decomposing fungi from Alaska include representatives from an assortment of fungal groups (cup, jelly, pored coral, tooth, puffball, gilled and lichenized fungi) and one fungus-like group (the slime molds). Of the more than 1,500 species recorded for North America, over 250 species of wood-inhabiting fungi have been reported from Alaska...
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Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees State of Alaska Search Home Quick Links Departments Commissioners Employee Whitepages State Government Jobs Federal Jobs Starting a Small Business Living Get a Driver License Get a Hunting
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Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees State of Alaska Search Home Quick Links Departments Commissioners Employee Whitepages State Government Jobs Federal Jobs Starting a Small Business Living Get a Driver License Get a Hunting
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McKinstry, Caitlin A. E.; Campbell, Robert W.
2018-01-01
Large calanoid copepods and other zooplankters comprise the prey field for ecologically and economically important predators such as juvenile pink salmon, herring, and seabirds in Prince William Sound (PWS). From 2009-2016, the Gulf Watch Alaska program collected zooplankton 5-10 times each year at 12 stations in PWS to establish annual patterns. Surveys collected 188 species of zooplankton with Oithona similis, Limacina helicina, Pseudocalanus spp., and Acartia longiremis as the most common species present in 519 samples. Generalized additive models assessed seasonal abundance and showed peak abundance in July (mean: 9826 no. m-3 [95% CI: 7990-12,084]) and lowest abundance in January (503 no. m-3 [373 to 678]). Significantly higher zooplankton abundance occurred in 2010 (542 no. m-3 ± 55 SE) and lowest in 2013 (149 no. m-3 ± 13). The species composition of communities, determined via hierarchical cluster analysis and indicator species analysis, produced six distinct communities based on season and location. The winter community, characterized by warm-water indicator species including Mesocalanus tenuicornis, Calanus pacificus, and Corycaeus anglicus, diverged into four communities throughout the spring and summer. The first spring community, characterized by copepods with affinities for lower salinities, occurred sound-wide. The second spring community, comprised of planktonic larvae, appeared sporadically in PWS bays in 2011-2013. Spring and summer open water stations were defined by the presence of large calanoid copepods. A summer community including the most abundant taxa was common in 2010 and 2011, absent in 2013, then sporadically appeared in 2014 and 2015 suggesting interannual variability of zooplankton assemblages. The zooplankton community shifted to a uniform assemblage characterized by cnidarians in the early autumn. Community assemblages showed significant correlations to a set of environmental variables including SST, mixed layer depth
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Schmidt, J.M.
1988-01-01
The Arctic volcanogenic massive sulfide prospect, located in the Ambler mineral district of northwestern Alaska, includes three types of hydrothermally altered rocks overlying, underlying, and interlayered with semimassive sulfide mineralization. Hydrothermal alteration of wall rocks and deposition of sulfide and gangue minerals were contemporaneous with Late Devonian of Early Mississippian basalt-rhyolite volcanism. Alteration developed asymmetrically around a linear fissure, suggesting fracture control of ore fluids rather than a point source. Microprobe analyses of phyllosilicates from the Arctic area indicate two discrete mineral populations. These differences in mineral chemistry are the result of differences in protolith composition caused by hydrothermal alteration-metasomatism. -from Author
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Long-term changes of tree species composition and distribution in Korean mountain forests
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lee, Boknam; Lee, Hoontaek; Cho, Sunhee; Yoon, Jongguk; Park, Jongyoung; Kim, Hyun Seok
2017-04-01
Long-term changes in the abundance and distribution of tree species in the temperate forests of South Korea remain poorly understood. We investigated how tree species composition and stand distribution change across temperate mountainous forests using the species composition and DBH size collected over the past 15 years (1998-2012) across 130 permanent forest plots of 0.1 ha in Jiri and Baegun mountains in South Korea. The overall net change of tree communities over the years showed positive in terms of stand density, richness, diversity, and evenness. At the species level, the change of relative species composition has been led by intermediate and shade-tolerant species, such as Quercus mongolica, Carpinus laxiflora, Quercus serrate, Quercus variabilis, Styrax japonicus, Lindera erythrocarpa, and Pinus densiflora and was categorized into five species communities, representing gradual increase or decrease, establishment, extinction, fluctuation of species population. At the community level, the change in species composition appeared to have consistent and directional patterns of increase in the annual rate of change in the mean species traits including species density, pole growth rate, adult growth rate, and adult stature. Based on the additive models, the distribution of species diversity was significantly related to topographical variables including elevation, latitude, longitude, slope, topographic wetness index, and curvature where elevation was the most significant driver, followed by latitude and longitude. However, the change in distribution of species diversity was only significantly influenced by latitude and longitude. This is the first study to reveal the long-term dynamics of change in tree species composition and distribution, which are important to broaden our understanding of temperate mountainous forest ecosystem in South Korea.
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Recent Trends in the Asian Forest Products Trade and Their Impact on Alaska
Joseph A. Roos; Daisuke Sasatani; Allen M Brackley; Valerie Barber
2010-01-01
This paper analyzes patterns of forest products trade between Asia and Alaska. Secondary data were collected and analyzed to identify Alaska forest product trading partners and the species used. Some of the many trends occurring in the Asian forest products industry include the shift from solid wood products to engineered wood products, the evolution of China as âthe...
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Warm summer nights and the growth decline of shore pine in Southeast Alaska
Patrick F Sullivan; Robin L Mulvey; Annalis H Brownlee; Tara M Barrett; Robert R Pattison
2015-01-01
Shore pine, which is a subspecies of lodgepole pine, was a widespread and dominant tree species in Southeast Alaska during the early Holocene. At present, the distribution of shore pine in Alaska is restricted to coastal bogs and fens, likely by competition with Sitka spruce and Western hemlock. Monitoring of permanent plots as part of the United States Forest Service...
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Kuletz, Kathy J.; Esler, Daniel N.
2015-01-01
Birds offer useful insights into marine ecosystems. Marine birds are responsive to spatial and temporal variation in the environment, that often originates with fluctuations in oceanographic and climatic drivers and permeates up through food webs to conspicuous top predators such as seabirds (Coyle and Pinchuk 2005, Speckman et al. 2005, Gonzales-Solis et al. 2009, Cushing et al., this report). In that way, marine birds are excellent assimilators, samplers, and indicators of the status of marine environments (Montevecchi 1993, Piatt et al. 2007b, Zador et al. 2013). Marine bird responses to dynamic marine ecosystems can be detected in a variety of metrics, including abundance, distribution, and productivity. For example, in the northern Gulf of Alaska (GOA), decadal-scale variation in oceanographic conditions has been associated with dramatic shifts in prey composition and abundance (Anderson and Piatt 1999). In turn, these shifts were more closely correlated with changes in abundance of fish-eating birds of Prince William Sound (PWS), such as pigeon guillemots (Golet et al. 2002) and marbled and Kittlitz’s murrelets (Kuletz et al. 2011a, 2011b), than in the abundance of species that primarily consume plankton or benthic prey (Agler et al. 1999, Cushing et al., this report). Birds also are responsive to anthropogenic influences in marine environments, including commercial fishing, contamination, introduction of non-native species, coastal development, offshore resource extraction, and vessel traffic. A major anthropogenic perturbation in the northern GOA was the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, in which marine birds suffered high immediate mortality (Piatt and Ford 1996). Additionally, several species showed long-term evidence of declines in the oiled areas of PWS (Lance et al. 2001), as well as impacts to reproductive success years later (Golet et al. 2002). However, the degree of direct impact and vulnerability to chronic injury, which was related to exposure to
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Seymour, J; Horstmann-Dehn, L; Rosa, C; Lopez, J A
2014-02-24
The zoonotic parasite Trichinella is the causative agent of trichinellosis outbreaks in the circumpolar Arctic. Subsistence communities are particularly prone to trichinellosis due to traditional meat preparation methods and regional presence of a freeze-tolerant Trichinella species (Trichinella nativa). This study is the first application of a validated artificial digestion method in determining incidence of Trichinella sp. in Alaskan mammals. Infection incidence in pinniped species (Erignathus barbatus, Eumetopias jubatus, Odobenus rosmarus divergens, and Pusa hispida) was low, with only 1/57 ringed seals infected. Polymerase Chain Reaction assays indicate T. nativa as the only species present in northern Alaska. Analysis of an archived polar bear (Ursus maritimus) muscle sample shows freeze-tolerance and longevity for T. nativa to -20°C for 10 years and short-term freeze resistance to -80°C when morphology was used to determine presence of live larvae. However, larval motility suggests 0% survival. An approach that combines artificial digestion with PCR based species identification has excellent potential for Trichinella sp. detection and identification of archived tissues. Overall, Trichinella in Alaskan mammals, particularly marine mammals of subsistence importance, appears to be a minor problem. These modern diagnostic techniques provide accurate insight into the presence of Trichinella in the Alaskan marine environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Euskirchen, E. S.; Carman, T. B.; McGuire, A. D.
2012-12-01
The phenology of arctic ecosystems is driven primarily by abiotic forces, with temperature acting as the main determinant of growing season onset and leaf budburst and in the spring. However, while the plant species in arctic ecosystems require differing amounts of accumulated heat for leaf-out, dynamic vegetation models simulated over a regional to global scale typically assume some average leaf-out for all of the species within an ecosystem. Here, we make use of air temperature records and observational data of spring leaf phenology collected across dominant groupings of species (dwarf birch shrubs, willow shrubs, other deciduous shrubs, grasses, sedges, and forbs) in arctic and ecotonal boreal ecosystems in Alaska. We then parameterize a dynamic vegetation model based on these data for four types of tundra ecosystems (heath tundra, shrub tundra, wet sedge tundra, and tussock tundra), as well as ecotonal boreal white spruce forest. This implementation improves the timing of the onset of carbon uptake in the spring, permitting a more accurate assessment of the contribution of each grouping of species to ecosystem performance. Furthermore, this implementation provides a more nuanced perspective on light competition among species and across ecosystems. For example, in the shrub tundra, the sedges and grasses leaf-out before the shade-inducing willow and dwarf birch, thereby providing the sedges and grasses time to accumulate biomass before shading effects arise. Also in the shrub tundra, the forbs leaf-out last, and are therefore, more prone to shading impacts by the taller willow and dwarf birch shrubs. However, in the wet sedge and heath tundra ecosystems, the forbs leaf-out before the shrubs, and are therefore less prone to shading impacts early in the growing season. These findings indicate the importance of leaf phenology data collection by species and across the various ecosystem types within the highly heterogeneous Arctic landscape. These findings also
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Modern tree species composition reflects ancient Maya "forest gardens" in northwest Belize.
Ross, Nanci J
2011-01-01
Ecology and ethnobotany were integrated to assess the impact of ancient Maya tree-dominated home gardens (i.e., "forest gardens"), which contained a diversity of tree species used for daily household needs, on the modern tree species composition of a Mesoamerican forest. Researchers have argued that the ubiquity of these ancient gardens throughout Mesoamerica led to the dominance of species useful to Maya in the contemporary forest, but this pattern may be localized depending on ancient land use. The tested hypothesis was that species composition would be significantly different between areas of dense ancient residential structures (high density) and areas of little or no ancient settlement (low density). Sixty-three 400-m2 plots (31 high density and 32 low density) were censused around the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve in northwestern Belize. Species composition was significantly different, with higher abundances of commonly utilized "forest garden" species still persisting in high-density forest areas despite centuries of abandonment. Subsequent edaphic analyses only explained 5% of the species composition differences. This research provides data on the long-term impacts of Maya forests gardens for use in development of future conservation models. For Mesoamerican conservation programs to work, we must understand the complex ecological and social interactions within an ecosystem that developed in intimate association with humans.
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In Situ Leaf Level Gas Exchange Measurements, Barrow, Alaska, 2013
Alistair Rogers; Stefanie Lasota
2015-01-13
Survey measurements of photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance together with carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, PAR, and relative humidity for 8 species on the BEO. Previously titled "Plant Physiology Data, Barrow, Alaska, 2013"
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Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission
State Employees ASHSC State of Alaska search Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission View of Anchorage and Commissions Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission (ASHSC) main contant Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission logo Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission (ASHSC) - Mission The Alaska Seismic
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Usefulness of Fatty Acid Composition for Differentiation of Legionella Species
Diogo, Alexandra; Veríssimo, António; Nobre, M. Fernanda; da Costa, Milton S.
1999-01-01
Numerical analysis of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles of 199 isolates and 76 reference strains, belonging to all validly described species of the genus Legionella that can be cultured in laboratory media, was used to differentiate between the species of this genus. With the exception of the strains that autofluoresced red, it was possible to differentiate all the other Legionella species. The strains of the species L. bozemanii, L. dumoffii, L. feeleii, L. gormanii, L. maceachernii, L. micdadei, and L. quinlivanii did not form single clusters, showing some degree of variability in the fatty acid compositions. The strains of the blue-white autofluorescent species had very similar fatty acid compositions and were difficult to distinguish from each other. Nine isolates had fatty acid profiles unlike those of any of the validly described species and may represent different FAME groups of known species or undescribed Legionella species. The method used in this study was useful for screening and discriminating large number of isolates of Legionella species. Moreover, the results obtained can be included in a database of fatty acid profiles, leading to a more accurate automatic identification of Legionella isolates. PMID:10364593
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Alaska exceptionality hypothesis: Is Alaska wilderness really different?
Gregory Brown
2002-01-01
The common idiom of Alaska as âThe Last Frontierâ suggests that the relative remoteness and unsettled character of Alaska create a unique Alaskan identity, one that is both a âfrontierâ and the âlastâ of its kind. The frontier idiom portrays the place and people of Alaska as exceptional or different from the places and people who reside in the Lower Forty- Eight States...
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Beccacece, Hernán Mario; Zeballos, Sebastián Rodolfo; Zapata, Adriana Inés
Paraná, Yungas and Chaco Serrano ecoregions are among the most species-rich terrestrial habitats at higher latitude. However, the information for tiger moths, one of the most speciose groups of moths, is unknown in these ecoregions. In this study, we assess their species richness and composition in all three of these ecoregions. Also we investigated whether the species composition of tiger moths is influenced by climatic factors and altitude. Tiger moth species were obtained with samples from 71 sites using standardized protocols (21 sites were in Yungas, 19 in Paraná and 31 in Chaco Serrano). Rarefaction-extrapolation curves, non-parametric estimators for incidence and sample coverage indices were performed to assess species richness in the ecoregions studied. Non metric multidimensional scaling and adonis tests were performed to compare the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions. Permutest analysis and Pearson correlation were used to evaluate the relationship among species composition and annual mean temperature, annual temperature range, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality and altitude. Among ecoregions Paraná was the richest with 125 species, followed by Yungas with 63 species and Chaco Serrano with 24 species. Species composition differed among these ecoregions, although Yungas and Chaco Serrano were more similar than Paraná. Species composition was significantly influenced by climatic factors and altitude. This study showed that species richness and species composition of tiger moths differed among the three ecoregions assessed. Furthermore, not only climatic factors and altitude influence the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions, but also climatic seasonality at higher latitude in Neotropical South America becomes an important factor.
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Alaska telemedicine: growth through collaboration.
Patricoski, Chris
2004-12-01
The last thirty years have brought the introduction and expansion of telecommunications to rural and remote Alaska. The intellectual and financial investment of earlier projects, the more recent AFHCAN Project and the Universal Service Administrative Company Rural Health Care Division (RHCD) has sparked a new era in telemedicine and telecommunication across Alaska. This spark has been flamed by the dedication and collaboration of leaders at he highest levels of organizations such as: AFHCAN member organizations, AFHCAN Office, Alaska Clinical Engineering Services, Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership, Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership Office, Alaska Native health Board, Alaska Native Tribal health Consortium, Alaska Telehealth Advisory Council, AT&T Alascom, GCI Inc., Health care providers throughout the state of Alaska, Indian Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of U.S. Senator Ted Steens, State of Alaska, U.S. Department of Homeland Security--United States Coast Guard, United States Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Defense--Air Force and Army, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, University of Alaska, and University of Alaska Anchorage. Alaska now has one of the largest telemedicine programs in the world. As Alaska moves system now in place become self-sustaining, and 2) collaborating with all stakeholders in promoting the growth of an integrated, state-wide telemedicine network.
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Production of wood pellets from Alaska-grown white spruce and hemlock
Allen M. Brackley; Daniel J. Parrent
2011-01-01
An extensive literature review failed to locate any information relative to the pelleting characteristics of hemlock speciesâwestern hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carr. )âthat grow in Alaska. To determine more about the pelletizing properties of the species,...
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Paul B. Alaback
1984-01-01
Preliminary information on general landscape patterns in southeast Alaska suggests that two major, compositionally distinct vegetation zones can be defined for the closed-forest type: western hemlock-Sitka spruce/Alaska huckleberry/bunchberry on the uplands, and Sitka spruce/devils club-salmonberry on alluvial flats and terraces.Recent clearcuts (0 to 30...
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Hupp, Jerry; Brubaker, Michael; Wilkinson, Kira; Williamson, Jennifer
2015-01-01
Wild berries are a valued traditional food in Alaska. Phytochemicals in wild berries may contribute to the prevention of vascular disease, cancer and cognitive decline, making berry consumption important to community health in rural areas. Little was known regarding which species of berries were important to Alaskan communities, the number of species typically picked in communities and whether recent environmental change has affected berry abundance or quality. To identify species of wild berries that were consumed by people in different ecological regions of Alaska and to determine if perceived berry abundance was changing for some species or in some regions. We asked tribal environmental managers throughout Alaska for their views on which among 12 types of wild berries were important to their communities and whether berry harvests over the past decade were different than in previous years. We received responses from 96 individuals in 73 communities. Berries that were considered very important to communities differed among ecological regions of Alaska. Low-bush blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum and V. caespitosum), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) and salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) were most frequently identified as very important berries for communities in the boreal, polar and maritime ecoregions, respectively. For 7 of the 12 berries on the survey, a majority of respondents indicated that in the past decade abundance had either declined or become more variable. Our study is an example of how environmental managers and participants in local observer networks can report on the status of wild resources in rural Alaska. Their observations suggest that there have been changes in the productivity of some wild berries in the past decade, resulting in greater uncertainty among communities regarding the security of berry harvests. Monitoring and experimental studies are needed to determine how environmental change may affect berry abundance.
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Hupp, Jerry; Brubaker, Michael; Wilkinson, Kira; Williamson, Jennifer
2015-01-01
Background Wild berries are a valued traditional food in Alaska. Phytochemicals in wild berries may contribute to the prevention of vascular disease, cancer and cognitive decline, making berry consumption important to community health in rural areas. Little was known regarding which species of berries were important to Alaskan communities, the number of species typically picked in communities and whether recent environmental change has affected berry abundance or quality. Objective To identify species of wild berries that were consumed by people in different ecological regions of Alaska and to determine if perceived berry abundance was changing for some species or in some regions. Design We asked tribal environmental managers throughout Alaska for their views on which among 12 types of wild berries were important to their communities and whether berry harvests over the past decade were different than in previous years. We received responses from 96 individuals in 73 communities. Results Berries that were considered very important to communities differed among ecological regions of Alaska. Low-bush blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum and V. caespitosum), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) and salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) were most frequently identified as very important berries for communities in the boreal, polar and maritime ecoregions, respectively. For 7 of the 12 berries on the survey, a majority of respondents indicated that in the past decade abundance had either declined or become more variable. Conclusions Our study is an example of how environmental managers and participants in local observer networks can report on the status of wild resources in rural Alaska. Their observations suggest that there have been changes in the productivity of some wild berries in the past decade, resulting in greater uncertainty among communities regarding the security of berry harvests. Monitoring and experimental studies are needed to determine how environmental change may affect
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Hupp, Jerry; Brubaker, Michael; Wilkinson, Kira; Williamson, Jennifer
2015-01-01
Background Wild berries are a valued traditional food in Alaska. Phytochemicals in wild berries may contribute to the prevention of vascular disease, cancer and cognitive decline, making berry consumption important to community health in rural areas. Little was known regarding which species of berries were important to Alaskan communities, the number of species typically picked in communities and whether recent environmental change has affected berry abundance or quality. Objective To identify species of wild berries that were consumed by people in different ecological regions of Alaska and to determine if perceived berry abundance was changing for some species or in some regions. Design We asked tribal environmental managers throughout Alaska for their views on which among 12 types of wild berries were important to their communities and whether berry harvests over the past decade were different than in previous years. We received responses from 96 individuals in 73 communities. Results Berries that were considered very important to communities differed among ecological regions of Alaska. Low-bush blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum and V. caespitosum), cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) and salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) were most frequently identified as very important berries for communities in the boreal, polar and maritime ecoregions, respectively. For 7 of the 12 berries on the survey, a majority of respondents indicated that in the past decade abundance had either declined or become more variable. Conclusions Our study is an example of how environmental managers and participants in local observer networks can report on the status of wild resources in rural Alaska. Their observations suggest that there have been changes in the productivity of some wild berries in the past decade, resulting in greater uncertainty among communities regarding the security of berry harvests. Monitoring and experimental studies are needed to determine how environmental change may affect
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Remnant trees affect species composition but not structure of tropical second-growth forest.
Sandor, Manette E; Chazdon, Robin L
2014-01-01
Remnant trees, spared from cutting when tropical forests are cleared for agriculture or grazing, act as nuclei of forest regeneration following field abandonment. Previous studies on remnant trees were primarily conducted in active pasture or old fields abandoned in the previous 2-3 years, and focused on structure and species richness of regenerating forest, but not species composition. Our study is among the first to investigate the effects of remnant trees on neighborhood forest structure, biodiversity, and species composition 20 years post-abandonment. We compared the woody vegetation around individual remnant trees to nearby plots without remnant trees in the same second-growth forests ("control plots"). Forest structure beneath remnant trees did not differ significantly from control plots. Species richness and species diversity were significantly higher around remnant trees. The species composition around remnant trees differed significantly from control plots and more closely resembled the species composition of nearby old-growth forest. The proportion of old-growth specialists and generalists around remnant trees was significantly greater than in control plots. Although previous studies show that remnant trees may initially accelerate secondary forest growth, we found no evidence that they locally affect stem density, basal area, and seedling density at later stages of regrowth. Remnant trees do, however, have a clear effect on the species diversity, composition, and ecological groups of the surrounding woody vegetation, even after 20 years of forest regeneration. To accelerate the return of diversity and old-growth forest species into regrowing forest on abandoned land, landowners should be encouraged to retain remnant trees in agricultural or pastoral fields.
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Beccacece, Hernán Mario; Zeballos, Sebastián Rodolfo; Zapata, Adriana Inés
2016-01-01
Paraná, Yungas and Chaco Serrano ecoregions are among the most species-rich terrestrial habitats at higher latitude. However, the information for tiger moths, one of the most speciose groups of moths, is unknown in these ecoregions. In this study, we assess their species richness and composition in all three of these ecoregions. Also we investigated whether the species composition of tiger moths is influenced by climatic factors and altitude. Tiger moth species were obtained with samples from 71 sites using standardized protocols (21 sites were in Yungas, 19 in Paraná and 31 in Chaco Serrano). Rarefaction-extrapolation curves, non-parametric estimators for incidence and sample coverage indices were performed to assess species richness in the ecoregions studied. Non metric multidimensional scaling and adonis tests were performed to compare the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions. Permutest analysis and Pearson correlation were used to evaluate the relationship among species composition and annual mean temperature, annual temperature range, annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality and altitude. Among ecoregions Paraná was the richest with 125 species, followed by Yungas with 63 species and Chaco Serrano with 24 species. Species composition differed among these ecoregions, although Yungas and Chaco Serrano were more similar than Paraná. Species composition was significantly influenced by climatic factors and altitude. This study showed that species richness and species composition of tiger moths differed among the three ecoregions assessed. Furthermore, not only climatic factors and altitude influence the species composition of tiger moths among ecoregions, but also climatic seasonality at higher latitude in Neotropical South America becomes an important factor. PMID:27681478
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-08-28
... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. OR13-31-000] Flint Hills Resources Alaska, LLC, BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc., ConocoPhillips Transportation Alaska, Inc., ExxonMobil... (Alaska) Inc., ConocoPhillips Transportation Alaska, Inc., and ExxonMobil Pipeline Company (collectively...
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Although single species of herbivores are known to affect soil microbial communities, the effects of herbivore species identity and functional composition on soil microbes is unknown. We tested the effects of single species of orthopterans and multiple species combinations on soil enzymatic activity...
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Alaska's timber harvest and forest products industry, 2005
Jeff M. Halbrook; Todd A. Morgan; Jason P. Brandt; Charles E. Keegan; Thale Dillon; Tara M. Barrett
2009-01-01
This report traces the flow of timber harvested in Alaska during calendar year 2005, describes the composition and operations of the state's primary forest products industry, and quantifies volumes and uses of wood fiber. Historical wood products industry changes are discussed, as well as trends in timber harvest, production, and sales of primary wood products....
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Estimating forest species composition using a multi-sensor approach
P.T. Wolter
2009-01-01
The magnitude, duration, and frequency of forest disturbance caused by the spruce budworm and forest tent caterpillar has increased over the last century due to a shift in forest species composition linked to historical fire suppression, forest management, and pesticide application that has fostered the increase in dominance of host tree species. Modeling approaches...
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Alaska Energy Inventory Project: Consolidating Alaska's Energy Resources
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Papp, K.; Clough, J.; Swenson, R.; Crimp, P.; Hanson, D.; Parker, P.
2007-12-01
Alaska has considerable energy resources distributed throughout the state including conventional oil, gas, and coal, and unconventional coalbed and shalebed methane, gas hydrates, geothermal, wind, hydro, and biomass. While much of the known large oil and gas resources are concentrated on the North Slope and in the Cook Inlet regions, the other potential sources of energy are dispersed across a varied landscape from frozen tundra to coastal settings. Despite the presence of these potential energy sources, rural Alaska is mostly dependent upon diesel fuel for both electrical power generation and space heating needs. At considerable cost, large quantities of diesel fuel are transported to more than 150 roadless communities by barge or airplane and stored in large bulk fuel tank farms for winter months when electricity and heat are at peak demands. Recent increases in the price of oil have severely impacted the price of energy throughout Alaska, and especially hard hit are rural communities and remote mines that are off the road system and isolated from integrated electrical power grids. Even though the state has significant conventional gas resources in restricted areas, few communities are located near enough to these resources to directly use natural gas to meet their energy needs. To address this problem, the Alaska Energy Inventory project will (1) inventory and compile all available Alaska energy resource data suitable for electrical power generation and space heating needs including natural gas, coal, coalbed and shalebed methane, gas hydrates, geothermal, wind, hydro, and biomass and (2) identify locations or regions where the most economic energy resource or combination of energy resources can be developed to meet local needs. This data will be accessible through a user-friendly web-based interactive map, based on the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Land Records Information Section's (LRIS) Alaska Mapper, Google Earth, and Terrago Technologies' Geo
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-10-31
... Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf... D. The U.S. groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands... groundfish species under the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska. The fixed-gear sablefish fishery is...
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Johnsson, Mark J.; Sokol, Nikolas K.
2000-01-01
Fluvial, deltaic, and marine sediments of the Nanushuk Group (Albian to Cenomanian), North Slope, Alaska, record Early Cretaceous orogenic events in the Brooks Range to the south. The 1,060-m section at Slope Mountain is part of the Lower Cretaceous Umiat Delta, shed from the Endicott and De Long Mountains subterranes in the central Brooks Range. These sandstones are litharenites dominated by metasedimentary lithic fragments. Subtle and previously unrecognized stratigraphic variations in composition (up-section increases in metasedimentary lithic fragments, volcanic lithic fragments, and quartz interpreted to be of metamorphic origin) reflect a combination of facies migration and changes in provenance associated with unroofing of the ancestral Brooks Range. We recognize stratigraphic variation in sandstone composition at Slope Mountain whereas previous workers have not, probably because of our use of finely subdivided point-counting categories. The source of the volcanic lithic fragments in the Nanushuk Group remains enigmatic; the most likely candidate is a now-eroded volcanic arc, perhaps a volcanic superstructure to granitic rocks of the Ruby terrane to the south.
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Remnant Trees Affect Species Composition but Not Structure of Tropical Second-Growth Forest
Sandor, Manette E.; Chazdon, Robin L.
2014-01-01
Remnant trees, spared from cutting when tropical forests are cleared for agriculture or grazing, act as nuclei of forest regeneration following field abandonment. Previous studies on remnant trees were primarily conducted in active pasture or old fields abandoned in the previous 2–3 years, and focused on structure and species richness of regenerating forest, but not species composition. Our study is among the first to investigate the effects of remnant trees on neighborhood forest structure, biodiversity, and species composition 20 years post-abandonment. We compared the woody vegetation around individual remnant trees to nearby plots without remnant trees in the same second-growth forests (“control plots”). Forest structure beneath remnant trees did not differ significantly from control plots. Species richness and species diversity were significantly higher around remnant trees. The species composition around remnant trees differed significantly from control plots and more closely resembled the species composition of nearby old-growth forest. The proportion of old-growth specialists and generalists around remnant trees was significantly greater than in control plots. Although previous studies show that remnant trees may initially accelerate secondary forest growth, we found no evidence that they locally affect stem density, basal area, and seedling density at later stages of regrowth. Remnant trees do, however, have a clear effect on the species diversity, composition, and ecological groups of the surrounding woody vegetation, even after 20 years of forest regeneration. To accelerate the return of diversity and old-growth forest species into regrowing forest on abandoned land, landowners should be encouraged to retain remnant trees in agricultural or pastoral fields. PMID:24454700
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Grasshopper species composition shifts following a severe rangeland grasshopper outbreak
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Little is known about how grasshopper species abundances shift during and following severe outbreaks, as sampling efforts usually end when outbreaks subside. Grasshopper densities, species composition and vegetation have infrequently been sampled during and after a severe outbreak in the western U.S...
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Geologic framework of the Alaska Peninsula, southwest Alaska, and the Alaska Peninsula terrane
Wilson, Frederic H.; Detterman, Robert L.; DuBois, Gregory D.
2015-01-01
The boundaries separating the Alaska Peninsula terrane from other terranes are commonly indistinct or poorly defined. A few boundaries have been defined at major faults, although the extensions of these faults are speculative through some areas. The west side of the Alaska Peninsula terrane is overlapped by Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks and Quaternary deposits.
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Species loss on spatial patterns and composition of zoonotic parasites
Harris, Nyeema C.; Dunn, Robert R.
2013-01-01
Species loss can result in the subsequent loss of affiliate species. Though largely ignored to date, these coextinctions can pose threats to human health by altering the composition, quantity and distribution of zoonotic parasites. We simulated host extinctions from more than 1300 host–parasite associations for 29 North American carnivores to investigate changes in parasite composition and species richness. We also explored the geography of zoonotic parasite richness under three carnivore composition scenarios and examined corresponding levels of human exposure. We found that changes in parasite assemblages differed among parasite groups. Because viruses tend to be generalists, the proportion of parasites that are viruses increased as more carnivores went extinct. Coextinction of carnivore parasites is unlikely to be common, given that few specialist parasites exploit hosts of conservation concern. However, local extirpations of widespread carnivore hosts can reduce overall zoonotic richness and shift distributions of parasite-rich areas. How biodiversity influences disease risks remains the subject of debate. Our results make clear that hosts vary in their contribution to human health risks. As a consequence, so too does the loss (or gain) of particular hosts. Anticipating changes in host composition in future environments may help inform parasite conservation and disease mitigation efforts. PMID:24068356
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Vegetation of eastern Unalaska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Talbot, Stephen S.; Schofield, Wilfred B.; Talbot, Sandra L.; Daniëls, Fred J. A.
2010-01-01
Plant communities of Unalaska Island in the eastern Aleutian Islands of western Alaska, and their relationship to environmental variables, were studied using a combined Braun-Blanquet and multivariate approach. Seventy relevés represented the range of structural and compositional variation in the matrix of vegetation and landform zonation. Eleven major community types were distinguished within six physiognomic–ecological groups: I. Dry coastal meadows: Honckenya peploides beach meadow, Leymus mollis dune meadow. II. Mesic meadows: Athyrium filix-femina – Aconitum maximum meadow, Athyrium filix-femina – Calamagrostis nutkaensis meadow, Erigeron peregrinus – Thelypteris quelpaertensis meadow. III. Wet snowbed meadow: Carex nigricans snowbed meadow. IV. Heath: Linnaea borealis – Empetrum nigrum heath, Phyllodoce aleutica heath, Vaccinium uliginosum – Thamnolia vermicularis fellfield. V. Mire: Carex pluriflora – Plantago macrocarpa mire. VI. Deciduous shrub thicket: Salix barclayi – Athyrium filix-femina thicket. These were interpreted as a complex gradient primarily influenced by soil moisture, elevation, and pH. Phytogeographical and syntaxonomical analysis of the plant communities indicated that the dry coastal meadows, most of the heaths, and the mire vegetation belonged, respectively, to the widespread classes Honckenyo–Elymetea, Loiseleurio–Vaccinietea, and Scheuchzerio–Caricetea, characterized by their circumpolar and widespread species. Amphi-Beringian species were likely diagnostic of amphi-Beringian syntaxa, many of these yet to be described.
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Lead shot poisoning of a Pacific loon in Alaska
Wilson, H.M.; Oyen, J.L.; Sileo, L.
2004-01-01
Lead poisoning, associated with ingestion of spent lead shot, was diagnosed in an adult female Pacific loon (Gavia pacifica) observed with partial paralysis on 13 June 2002 and found dead on 16 June 2002 on Kigigak Island, Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, western Alaska, USA. A necropsy revealed three pellets of ingested lead shot in the loona??s gizzard and a lead liver concentration of 31 ppm wet weight, which was consistent with metallic lead poisoning. This is the first report of lead poisoning in a Pacific loon and is the only account of lead toxicosis associated with ingestion of lead shot in any loon species breeding in Alaska.
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Wilson, Heather M.; Hall, Jeffery S.; Flint, Paul L.; Franson, J. Christian; Ely, Craig R.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Samuel, Michael D.
2013-01-01
We examined seroprevalence (presence of detectable antibodies in serum) for avian influenza viruses (AIV) among 4,485 birds, from 11 species of wild waterfowl in Alaska (1998–2010), sampled during breeding/molting periods. Seroprevalence varied among species (highest in eiders (Somateria and Polysticta species), and emperor geese (Chen canagica)), ages (adults higher than juveniles), across geographic locations (highest in the Arctic and Alaska Peninsula) and among years in tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus). All seroprevalence rates in excess of 60% were found in marine-dependent species. Seroprevalence was much higher than AIV infection based on rRT-PCR or virus isolation alone. Because pre-existing AIV antibodies can infer some protection against highly pathogenic AIV (HPAI H5N1), our results imply that some wild waterfowl in Alaska could be protected from lethal HPAIV infections. Seroprevalence should be considered in deciphering patterns of exposure, differential infection, and rates of AIV transmission. Our results suggest surveillance programs include species and populations with high AIV seroprevalences, in addition to those with high infection rates. Serologic testing, including examination of serotype-specific antibodies throughout the annual cycle, would help to better assess spatial and temporal patterns of AIV transmission and overall disease dynamics.
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Wilson, Heather M.; Hall, Jeffery S.; Flint, Paul L.; Franson, J. Christian; Ely, Craig R.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Samuel, Michael D.
2013-01-01
We examined seroprevalence (presence of detectable antibodies in serum) for avian influenza viruses (AIV) among 4,485 birds, from 11 species of wild waterfowl in Alaska (1998–2010), sampled during breeding/molting periods. Seroprevalence varied among species (highest in eiders (Somateria and Polysticta species), and emperor geese (Chen canagica)), ages (adults higher than juveniles), across geographic locations (highest in the Arctic and Alaska Peninsula) and among years in tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus). All seroprevalence rates in excess of 60% were found in marine-dependent species. Seroprevalence was much higher than AIV infection based on rRT-PCR or virus isolation alone. Because pre-existing AIV antibodies can infer some protection against highly pathogenic AIV (HPAI H5N1), our results imply that some wild waterfowl in Alaska could be protected from lethal HPAIV infections. Seroprevalence should be considered in deciphering patterns of exposure, differential infection, and rates of AIV transmission. Our results suggest surveillance programs include species and populations with high AIV seroprevalences, in addition to those with high infection rates. Serologic testing, including examination of serotype-specific antibodies throughout the annual cycle, would help to better assess spatial and temporal patterns of AIV transmission and overall disease dynamics. PMID:23472177
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The cestode community in northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) on St. Paul Island, Alaska.
Kuzmina, Tetiana A; Hernández-Orts, Jesús S; Lyons, Eugene T; Spraker, Terry R; Kornyushyn, Vadym V; Kuchta, Roman
2015-08-01
The diversity and ecology of cestodes from the northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus (NFS), were examined using newly collected material from 756 humanely harvested subadult males between 2011 and 2014. NFSs were collected from five different haul-outs on St. Paul Island, Alaska. A total of 14,660 tapeworms were collected with a prevalence of 98.5% and intensity up to 107 cestodes per host (mean intensity 19.7 ± 16.5 SD). Three species of tapeworms were found: Adenocephalus pacificus (Diphyllobothriidea) was the most prevalent (prevalence 97.4%), followed by Diplogonoporus tetrapterus (49.7%), and 5 immature specimens of Anophryocephalus cf. ochotensis (Tetrabothriidea) (0.5%). Most of the cestodes found in the NFS were immature (69.7%). However, only 0.9% of cestodes were in larval (plerocercoid) stages. The species composition, prevalence and intensity of cestodes from these NFSs were not statistically different between the five separate haul-outs. Significant increases in the intensity of NFS infections were observed during the study period.
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Compositional shifts in Costa Rican forests due to climate-driven species migrations.
Feeley, Kenneth J; Hurtado, Johanna; Saatchi, Sassan; Silman, Miles R; Clark, David B
2013-11-01
Species are predicted to shift their distributions upslope or poleward in response to global warming. This prediction is supported by a growing number of studies documenting species migrations in temperate systems but remains poorly tested for tropical species, and especially for tropical plant species. We analyzed changes in tree species composition in a network of 10 annually censused 1-ha plots spanning an altitudinal gradient of 70-2800 m elevation in Costa Rica. Specifically, we combined plot data with herbarium records (accessed through GBIF) to test if the plots' community temperature scores (CTS, average thermal mean of constituent species weighted by basal area) have increased over the past decade as is predicted by climate-driven species migrations. In addition, we quantified the contributions of stem growth, recruitment, and mortality to the observed patterns. Supporting our a priori hypothesis of upward species migrations, we found that there have been consistent directional shifts in the composition of the plots, such that the relative abundance of lowland species, and hence CTS, increased in 90% of plots. The rate of the observed compositional shifts corresponds to a mean thermal migration rate (TMR) of 0.0065 °C yr(-1) (95% CI = 0.0005-0.0132 °C yr(-1) ). While the overall TMR is slower than predicted based on concurrent regional warming of 0.0167 °C yr(-1) , migrations were on pace with warming in 4 of the 10 plots. The observed shifts in composition were driven primarily by mortality events (i.e., the disproportionate death of highland vs. lowland species), suggesting that individuals of many tropical tree species will not be able to tolerate future warming and thus their persistence in the face of climate change will depend on successful migrations. Unfortunately, in Costa Rica and elsewhere, land area inevitably decreases at higher elevations; hence, even species that are able to migrate successfully will face heightened risks of
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Contrasting drivers and trends of coniferous and deciduous tree growth in interior Alaska.
Cahoon, Sean M P; Sullivan, Patrick F; Brownlee, Annalis H; Pattison, Robert R; Andersen, Hans-Erik; Legner, Kate; Hollingsworth, Teresa N
2018-03-22
The boreal biome represents approximately one third of the world's forested area and plays an important role in global biogeochemical and energy cycles. Numerous studies in boreal Alaska have concluded that growth of black and white spruce is declining as a result of temperature-induced drought stress. The combined evidence of declining spruce growth and changes in the fire regime that favor establishment of deciduous tree species has led some investigators to suggest the region may be transitioning from dominance by spruce to dominance by deciduous forests and/or grasslands. Although spruce growth trends have been extensively investigated, few studies have evaluated long-term radial growth trends of the dominant deciduous species (Alaska paper birch and trembling aspen) and their sensitivity to moisture availability. We used a large and spatially extensive sample of tree cores from interior Alaska to compare long-term growth trends among contrasting tree species (white and black spruce vs. birch and aspen). All species showed a growth peak in the mid-1940s, although growth following the peak varied strongly across species. Following an initial decline from the peak, growth of white spruce showed little evidence of a trend, while black spruce and birch growth showed slight growth declines from ~1970 to present. Aspen growth was much more variable than the other species and showed a steep decline from ~1970 to present. Growth of birch, black and white spruce was sensitive to moisture availability throughout most of the tree-ring chronologies, as evidenced by negative correlations with air temperature and positive correlations with precipitation. However, a positive correlation between previous July precipitation and aspen growth disappeared in recent decades, corresponding with a rise in the population of the aspen leaf miner (Phyllocnistis populiella), an herbivorous moth, which may have driven growth to a level not seen since the early 20th century. Our results
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Resilience of Alaska's boreal forest to climate change
F.S. Chapin; A.D. McGuire; R.W. Ruess; T.N. Hollingsworth; M.C. Mack; J.F. Johnstone; E.S. Kasischke; E.S. Euskirchen; J.B. Jones; M.T. Jorgenson; K. Kielland; G.P. Kofinas; M.R. Turetsky; J. Yarie; A.H. Lloyd; D.L. Taylor
2010-01-01
This paper assesses the resilience of Alaska's boreal forest system to rapid climatic change. Recent warming is associated with reduced growth of dominant tree species, plant disease and insect outbreaks, warming and thawing of permafrost, drying of lakes, increased wildfire extent, increased postfire recruitment of deciduous trees, and reduced safety of hunters...
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Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Migratory Birds Inhabiting Remote Alaska.
Ramey, Andrew M; Hernandez, Jorge; Tyrlöv, Veronica; Uher-Koch, Brian D; Schmutz, Joel A; Atterby, Clara; Järhult, Josef D; Bonnedahl, Jonas
2017-12-11
We explored the abundance of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli among migratory birds at remote sites in Alaska and used a comparative approach to speculate on plausible explanations for differences in detection among species. At a remote island site, we detected antibiotic-resistant E. coli phenotypes in samples collected from glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens), a species often associated with foraging at landfills, but not in samples collected from black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), a more pelagic gull that typically inhabits remote areas year-round. We did not find evidence for antibiotic-resistant E. coli among 347 samples collected primarily from waterfowl at a second remote site in western Alaska. Our results provide evidence that glaucous-winged gulls may be more likely to be infected with antibiotic-resistant E. coli at remote breeding sites as compared to sympatric black-legged kittiwakes. This could be a function of the tendency of glaucous-winged gulls to forage at landfills where antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections may be acquired and subsequently dispersed. The low overall detection of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in migratory birds sampled at remote sites in Alaska is consistent with the premise that anthropogenic inputs into the local environment or the relative lack thereof influences the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria among birds inhabiting the area.
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Alaska GeoFORCE, A New Geologic Adventure in Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wartes, D.
2011-12-01
RAHI, the Rural Alaska Honors Institute is a statewide, six-week, summer college-preparatory bridge program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks for Alaska Native and rural high school juniors and seniors. A program of rigorous academic activity combines with social, cultural, and recreational activities. Students are purposely stretched beyond their comfort levels academically and socially to prepare for the big step from home or village to a large culturally western urban campus. This summer RAHI is launching a new program, GeoFORCE Alaska. This outreach initiative is designed to increase the number and diversity of students pursuing STEM degree programs and entering the future high-tech workforce. It uses Earth science as the hook because most kids get excited about dinosaurs, volcanoes and earthquakes, but it includes physics, chemistry, math, biology and other sciences. Students will be recruited, initially from the Arctic North Slope schools, in the 8th grade to begin the annual program of approximately 8 days, the summer before their 9th grade year and then remain in the program for all four years of high school. They must maintain a B or better grade average and participate in all GeoFORCE events. The carrot on the end of the stick is an exciting field event each summer. Over the four-year period, events will include trips to Fairbanks, Arizona, Oregon and the Appalachians. All trips are focused on Earth science and include a 100+ page guidebook, with tests every night culminating with a final exam. GeoFORCE Alaska is being launched by UAF in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin, which has had tremendous success with GeoFORCE Texas. GeoFORCE Alaska will be managed by UAF's long-standing Rural Alaska Honors Insitute (RAHI) that has been successfully providing intense STEM educational opportunities for Alaskan high school students for almost 30 years. The Texas program, with adjustments for differences in culture and environment, will be
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Effects of Intensified 21st Century Drought on the Boreal Forest of Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Juday, G. P.; Alix, C. M.; Jess, R.; Grant, T. A., III
2014-12-01
A long term perspective on several quasi-decadal cycles of intensifying drought stress across boreal Alaska has been synthesized from monitoring of forest reference stands at Bonanza Creek LTER, Interior Alaska Research Natural Areas, and tree ring sampling across Alaska. The Alaska boreal forest is largely made up of tree populations with two growth responses to temperature increases. Negative responders are more common, and found across the warm, dry Interior. Positive responders are largely in western Alaska, a maritime climate region near the Bering Sea, and at high elevation of the Brooks and Alaska Ranges. Following the North Pacific climate regime shift in 1976-77, negative responder Interior white and black spruce, aspen, and birch all experienced major growth reductions, particularly in warm drought years. Elevated summer temperatures and low annual precipitation of recent decades at low elevations of the Tanana and central Yukon Valleys were outside the values which previously defined the species distributions limits, Long term survival prospects are questionable. Simultaneously, recent elevated temperatures were associated with growth increases of positive responders. On fertile floodplain sites of the lower Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, the growth rate of positive responding white spruce is now greater than negative responders for the first time in centuries. NDVI trends in recent decades confirm these opposite growth trends in their respective regions. During peak warm/dry anomalies, forest disturbance, an important process for tree regeneration over the long term, intensified in boreal Alaska. Several insect outbreaks of wood-boring and defoliating species associated with warm temperature/drought stress anomalies appeared, many of them severe, and some not previously known to outbreak. Significant tree injury (e.g. top dieback) and mortality resulted. Wildfire extent and severity increased and reached record levels. The overall pattern has been
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-12-17
...: 16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq. Dated: December 12, 2013. Sean F. Corson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of...: Effective December 12, 2013, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time, December 31, 2013. Comments must be received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., Alaska local time, December 27, 2013. ADDRESSES...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wilson, Matthew T.; Mier, Kathryn L.; Cooper, Dan W.
2016-05-01
According to the nursery size hypothesis, flatfish recruitment is constrained by nursery area. Thus, if resource selection models can be shown to accurately predict the location and geographic extent of flatfish nursery areas, they will become important tools in the management and study of flatfish population dynamics. We demonstrate that some resource selection models derived previously to predict the presence and absence of juvenile flatfishes near shore were applicable to the broader continental shelf. For other age-species groups, derivation of new models for the continental shelf was necessary. Our study was conducted in the western Gulf of Alaska (GoA) during October 2011 on four groups of age-0 juvenile flatfishes: Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra), and flathead sole (Hippoglossoides elassodon); and three groups of age-1 juvenile flatfishes: northern rock sole, flathead sole, and yellowfin sole (Limanda aspera). Sampling occurred at 33 sites across the continental shelf. Fish were collected using a 3-m beam trawl, and a midwater trawl. Environmental data were collected on sediment composition and water temperature and depth. Many of the age-species groups co-occurred in the Shumagin and Barnabus sea valleys; however, age-0 arrowtooth flounder occurred at more locations than other juveniles, perhaps due to a relatively broad tolerance of environmental conditions and to the utilization of midwater habitat. Thus, the large nursery area of arrowtooth flounder may be one reason why they are currently the most abundant GoA flatfish. In fact, among all species, mean recruitment at age 3 increased with the percent occurrence of age-0 juveniles at the 33 sites, a proxy for relative nursery area, in accordance with the nursery size hypothesis, suggesting that mean recruitment among GoA flatfishes is structured by nursery size.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bartlett, Jill K.; Maher, William A.; Purss, Matthew B. J.
2018-03-01
Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) quantitative modelling was used to measure the protein, lipid and glycogen composition of five marine bivalve species (Saccostrea glomerata, Ostrea angasi, Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Anadara trapezia) from multiple locations and seasons. Predictive models were produced for each component using individual species and aggregated sample populations for the three oyster species (S. glomerata, O. angasi and C. gigas) and for all five bivalve species. Whole animal tissues were freeze dried, ground to > 20 μm and scanned by NIRS. Protein, lipid and glycogen composition were determined by traditional chemical analyses and calibration models developed to allow rapid NIRS-measurement of these components in the five bivalve species. Calibration modelling was performed using wavelet selection, genetic algorithms and partial least squares analysis. Model quality was assessed using RPIQ and RMESP. For protein composition, single species model results had RPIQ values between 2.4 and 3.5 and RMSEP between 8.6 and 18%, the three oyster model had an RPIQ of 2.6 and an RMSEP of 10.8% and the five bivalve species had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 8.7% respectively. For lipid composition, single species models achieved RPIQ values between 2.9 and 5.3 with RMSEP between 9.1 and 11.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 6.8 and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 5.2 and RMSEP of 6.8% respectively. For glycogen composition, the single species models had RPIQs between 3.8 and 18.9 with RMSEP between 3.5 and 9.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 5.5 and RMSEP of 7.1% and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 4 and RMSEP of 7.6% respectively. Comparison between individual species models and aggregated models for three oyster species and five bivalve species for each component indicate that aggregating data from like species produces high quality models with robust and reliable quantitative application. The benefit of
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Buma, Brian; Bisbing, Sarah; Krapek, John; Wright, Glenn
2017-06-01
Understanding plant community succession is one of the original pursuits of ecology, forming some of the earliest theoretical frameworks in the field. Much of this was built on the long-term research of William S. Cooper, who established a permanent plot network in Glacier Bay, Alaska, in 1916. This study now represents the longest-running primary succession plot network in the world. Permanent plots are useful for their ability to follow mechanistic change through time without assumptions inherent in space-for-time (chronosequence) designs. After 100-yr, these plots show surprising variety in species composition, soil characteristics (carbon, nitrogen, depth), and percent cover, attributable to variation in initial vegetation establishment first noted by Cooper in the 1916-1923 time period, partially driven by dispersal limitations. There has been almost a complete community composition replacement over the century and general species richness increase, but the effective number of species has declined significantly due to dominance of Salix species which established 100-yr prior (the only remaining species from the original cohort). Where Salix dominates, there is no establishment of "later" successional species like Picea. Plots nearer the entrance to Glacier Bay, and thus closer to potential seed sources after the most recent glaciation, have had consistently higher species richness for 100 yr. Age of plots is the best predictor of soil N content and C:N ratio, though plots still dominated by Salix had lower overall N; soil accumulation was more associated with dominant species. This highlights the importance of contingency and dispersal in community development. The 100-yr record of these plots, including species composition, spatial relationships, cover, and observed interactions between species provides a powerful view of long-term primary succession. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.
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Lillis, Paul G.
2004-01-01
Bulk oil composition is an important economic consideration of a petroleum resource assessment. Geological and geochemical interpretations from previous North Slope studies combined with recently acquired geochemical data are used to predict representative oil gravity (?API) and sulfur content (wt.% S) of the oil types for the 2002 U.S. Geological Survey resource assessment of the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska (NPRA). The oil types are named after their respective source rock units and include Kuna-Lisburne, Shublik-Otuk, Kingak-Blankenship, and Pebble-GRZ-Torok. The composition of the oil (24?API, 1.6 wt.% S) in the South Barrow 12 well was selected as representative of Kuna-Lisburne oil. The average gravity and sulfur values (23?API and 1.6 wt.% S, respectively) of the Kuparuk field were selected to be representative of Shublik-Otuk oil type. The composition of the oil (39?API, 0.3 wt.% S) from the Alpine field discovery well (ARCO Bergschrund 1) was selected to be representative of Kingak-Blankenship oil. The oil composition (37?API, 0.1 wt.% S) of Tarn field was considered representative of the Pebble-GRZ-Torok oil type in NPRA.
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The geophysical character of southern Alaska - Implications for crustal evolution
Saltus, R.W.; Hudson, T.L.; Wilson, Frederic H.
2007-01-01
The southern Alaska continental margin has undergone a long and complicated history of plate convergence, subduction, accretion, and margin-parallel displacements. The crustal character of this continental margin is discernible through combined analysis of aeromagnetic and gravity data with key constraints from previous seismic interpretation. Regional magnetic data are particularly useful in defining broad geophysical domains. One of these domains, the south Alaska magnetic high, is the focus of this study. It is an intense and continuous magnetic high up to 200 km wide and ∼1500 km long extending from the Canadian border in the Wrangell Mountains west and southwest through Cook Inlet to the Bering Sea shelf. Crustal thickness beneath the south Alaska magnetic high is commonly 40–50 km. Gravity analysis indicates that the south Alaska magnetic high crust is dense. The south Alaska magnetic high spatially coincides with the Peninsular and Wrangellia terranes. The thick, dense, and magnetic character of this domain requires significant amounts of mafic rocks at intermediate to deep crustal levels. In Wrangellia these mafic rocks are likely to have been emplaced during Middle and (or) Late Triassic Nikolai Greenstone volcanism. In the Peninsular terrane, the most extensive period of mafic magmatism now known was associated with the Early Jurassic Talkeetna Formation volcanic arc. Thus the thick, dense, and magnetic character of the south Alaska magnetic high crust apparently developed as the response to mafic magmatism in both extensional (Wrangellia) and subduction-related arc (Peninsular terrane) settings. The south Alaska magnetic high is therefore a composite crustal feature. At least in Wrangellia, the crust was probably of average thickness (30 km) or greater prior to Triassic mafic magmatism. Up to 20 km (40%) of its present thickness may be due to the addition of Triassic mafic magmas. Throughout the south Alaska magnetic high, significant crustal growth
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Oscar J. Abelleira Martinez; Mariela A. Rodríguez; Ivonne Rosario; Nataly Soto; Armando López; Ariel E. Lugo
2010-01-01
The African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata Beauv., is an introduced species forming novel forest types in Puerto Rico. These forests develop naturally after deforestation, agricultural use and land abandonment, and there are many questions as to their ecological characteristics. We sampled structure and species composition of large, small, and juvenile trees (C10,...
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Map and table showing isotopic age data in Alaska
Wilson, Frederic H.; Shew, Nora B.; DuBois, G.D.
1994-01-01
The source of the data reported here is a compilation of radiometric ages maintained in conjunction with the Alaska Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AMRAP) studies for Alaska. The symbol shape plotted at each location is coded for rock type, whether igneous, metamorphic, or other; the color of the symbol shows the geologic era or period for the Sample(s) at each locale. A list of references for each quadrangle is given to enable the user to find specific information including analytical data for each sample dated within a particular quadrangle. At the scale of this map, the very large number of Samples and the clustering of the samples in limited areas prevented the showing of individual sample numbers on the map.Synthesis and interpretation of any data set requires the user to evaluate the reliability or value of each component of the data set with respect to his or her intended use of the data. For geochronological data, this evaluation must be based on both analytical and geological criteria. Most age determinations are published with calculated estimates of analytical precision, Replicate analyses are infrequently performed; therefore, reported analytical precision is based on estimates of the precision of various components of the analysis and often on an intuitive factor to cover components that may have not been considered. Analytical accuracy is somewhat more difficult to determine; it is not only dependent on the actual measurement, it is also concerned with uncertainties in decay and abundance constants, uncertainties in the isotopic composition and size of the tracer for conventional K-Ar ages, and uncertainties in the Original isotopic composition of the sample, Geologic accuracy of a date is Variable; the interpretation of the meaning of an age determination, is important in the evaluation of its geologic accuracy. Potassium-argon, rubidium-strontium, and uranium-lead age determinations on a single sample can differ widely yet none or all may be
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Predicting breeding shorebird distributions on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Saalfeld, Sarah T.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Brown, Stephen C.; Saalfeld, David T.; Johnson, James A.; Andres, Brad A.; Bart, Jonathan R.
2013-01-01
The Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of Alaska is an important region for millions of migrating and nesting shorebirds. However, this region is threatened by climate change and increased human development (e.g., oil and gas production) that have the potential to greatly impact shorebird populations and breeding habitat in the near future. Because historic data on shorebird distributions in the ACP are very coarse and incomplete, we sought to develop detailed, contemporary distribution maps so that the potential impacts of climate-mediated changes and development could be ascertained. To do this, we developed and mapped habitat suitability indices for eight species of shorebirds (Black-bellied Plover [Pluvialis squatarola], American Golden-Plover [Pluvialis dominica], Semipalmated Sandpiper [Calidris pusilla], Pectoral Sandpiper [Calidris melanotos], Dunlin [Calidris alpina], Long-billed Dowitcher [Limnodromus scolopaceus], Red-necked Phalarope [Phalaropus lobatus], and Red Phalarope [Phalaropus fulicarius]) that commonly breed within the ACP of Alaska. These habitat suitability models were based on 767 plots surveyed during nine years between 1998 and 2008 (surveys were not conducted in 2003 and 2005), using single-visit rapid area searches during territory establishment and incubation (8 June, 1 July). Species specific habitat suitability indices were developed and mapped using presence-only modeling techniques (partitioned Mahalanobis distance) and landscape environmental variables. For most species, habitat suitability was greater at lower elevations (i.e., near the coast and river deltas) and lower within upland habitats. Accuracy of models was high for all species, ranging from 65 -98%. Our models predicted that the largest fraction of suitable habitat for the majority of species occurred within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, with highly suitable habitat also occurring within coastal areas of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge west to Prudhoe Bay.
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Birds of the major mainland rivers of southeast Alaska.
James A. Johnson; Brad A. Andres; John A. Bissonette
2008-01-01
This publication describes the bird communities of major mainland rivers of southeast Alaska and is based on a review of all known relevant studies as well as recent fieldwork. We synthesized information on the composition, structure, and habitat relationships of bird communities at 11 major mainland rivers. Information on current management concerns and research needs...
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Retaining Quality Teachers for Alaska.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McDiarmid, G. Williamson; Larson, Eric; Hill, Alexandra
This report examines the demand for teachers, teacher turnover, and teacher education in Alaska. Surveys were conducted with school district personnel directors, directors of Alaska teacher education programs, teachers who exited Alaska schools in 2001, and rural and urban instructional aides. Alaska is facing teacher shortages, but these are…
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Distribution of breeding shorebirds on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Johnson, J.A.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Andres, B.A.; Bart, J.R.; Brown, S.C.; Kendall, S.J.; Payer, David C.
2007-01-01
Available information on the distribution of breeding shorebirds across the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska is dated, fragmented, and limited in scope. Herein, we describe the distribution of 19 shorebird species from data gathered at 407 study plots between 1998 and 2004. This information was collected using a single-visit rapid area search technique during territory establishment and early incubation periods, a time when social displays and vocalizations make the birds highly detectable. We describe the presence or absence of each species, as well as overall numbers of species, providing a regional perspective on shorebird distribution. We compare and contrast our shorebird distribution maps to those of prior studies and describe prominent patterns of shorebird distribution. Our examination of how shorebird distribution and numbers of species varied both latitudinally and longitudinally across the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska indicated that most shorebird species occur more frequently in the Beaufort Coastal Plain ecoregion (i.e., closer to the coast) than in the Brooks Foothills ecoregion (i.e., farther inland). Furthermore, the occurrence of several species indicated substantial longitudinal directionality. Species richness at surveyed sites was highest in the western portion of the Beaufort Coastal Plain ecoregion. The broad-scale distribution information we present here is valuable for evaluating potential effects of human development and climate change on Arctic-breeding shorebird populations. ?? The Arctic Institute of North America.
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Fisheries Education in Alaska. Conference Report. Alaska Sea Grant Report 82-4.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Smoker, William W., Ed.
This conference was an attempt to have the fishing industry join the state of Alaska in building fisheries education programs. Topics addressed in papers presented at the conference include: (1) fisheries as a part of life in Alaska, addressing participation of Alaska natives in commercial fisheries and national efforts; (2) the international…
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Rawlik, Mateusz; Kasprowicz, Marek; Jagodziński, Andrzej M; Kaźmierowski, Cezary; Łukowiak, Remigiusz; Grzebisz, Witold
2018-09-01
According facilitative models of succession, trees are great forest ecosystem engineers. The strength of tree stand influences on habitat were tested in rather homogenous conditions where heterogeneity of site condition was not an important influence. We hypothesized that canopy composition affects total aboveground vascular herb layer biomass (THB) and species composition of herb layer plant biomass (SCHB) more significantly than primary soil fertility or slope exposure. The study was conducted in 227 randomly selected research plots in seven types of forest stands: pure with Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus petraea and Robinia pseudoacacia, and mixed with dominance of Acer pseudoplatanus or Betula pendula located on hilltop and northern, eastern, western, and southern slopes on a reclaimed, afforested post-mining spoil heap of the Bełchatów Brown Coal Mine (Poland). Generalized linear models (GLZ) showed that tree stand species were the best predictors of THB. Non-parametric variance tests showed significantly higher (nearly four times) THB under canopies of A. glutinosa, R. pseudoacacia, B. pendula and Q. petraea, compared to the lowest THB found under canopies of P. sylvestris and mixed with A. pseudoplatanus. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) showed that SCHB was significantly differentiated along gradients of light-nutrient herb layer species requirements. RDA and non-parametric variance tests showed that SCHB under canopies of A. glutinosa, R. pseudoacacia and mixed with A. pseudoplatanus had large shares of nitrophilous ruderal species (32%, 31% and 11%, respectively), whereas SCHB under B. pendula, Q. petraea, mixed with B. pendula and P. sylvestris were dominated by light-demanding meadow (49%, 51%, 51% and 36%, respectively) and Poaceae species. The results indicated the dominant role of tree stand composition in habitat-forming processes, and although primary site properties had minor importance, they were also modified by tree stand
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Temporal effects of mechanical treatment on winter moose browse in south-central Alaska
Sharon Smythe; Dana Sanchez; Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez
2015-01-01
Sites containing winter browse species utilized by moose on the Copper River Delta of south-central Alaska were mechanically treated (hydraulic-axed) to counteract possible earthquake related increases in less-preferred forage species, and to measure treatment effects on biomass, height, nutritional quality (crude protein, lignin, and tannin), utilization, and snow...
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Consideration of species community composition in statistical ...
Diseases are increasing in marine ecosystems, and these increases have been attributed to a number of environmental factors including climate change, pollution, and overfishing. However, many studies pool disease prevalence into taxonomic groups, disregarding host species composition when comparing sites or assessing environmental impacts on patterns of disease presence. We used simulated data under a known environmental effect to assess the ability of standard statistical methods (binomial and linear regression, ANOVA) to detect a significant environmental effect on pooled disease prevalence with varying species abundance distributions and relative susceptibilities to disease. When one species was more susceptible to a disease and both species only partially overlapped in their distributions, models tended to produce a greater number of false positives (Type I error). Differences in disease risk between regions or along an environmental gradient tended to be underestimated, or even in the wrong direction, when highly susceptible taxa had reduced abundances in impacted sites, a situation likely to be common in nature. Including relative abundance as an additional variable in regressions improved model accuracy, but tended to be conservative, producing more false negatives (Type II error) when species abundance was strongly correlated with the environmental effect. Investigators should be cautious of underlying assumptions of species similarity in susceptib
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State Employees Alaska Mental Health Board DHSS State of Alaska Home Divisions and Agencies Alaska Pioneer Homes Behavioral Health Office of Children's Services Office of the Commissioner Office of Substance Misuse and Addiction Prevention Finance & Management Services Health Care Services Juvenile
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Publications - STATEMAP Project | Alaska Division of Geological &
., 2008, Surficial-geologic map of the Salcha River-Pogo area, Big Delta Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska , Engineering - geologic map, Alaska Highway corridor, Delta Junction to Dot Lake, Alaska: Alaska Division of geologic map of the Salcha River-Pogo area, Big Delta Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological
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Atlas of United States Trees, Volume 2: Alaska Trees and Common Shrubs.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Viereck, Leslie A.; Little, Elbert L., Jr.
This volume is the second in a series of atlases describing the natural distribution or range of native tree species in the United States. The 82 species maps include 32 of trees in Alaska, 6 of shrubs rarely reaching tree size, and 44 more of common shrubs. More than 20 additional maps summarize environmental factors and furnish general…
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Projected changes in wildlife habitats in Arctic natural areas of northwest Alaska
Bruce G. Marcot; M.Torre Jorgenson; James P. Lawler; Colleen M. Handel; Anthony R. DeGange
2015-01-01
We project the effects of transitional changes among 60 vegetation and other land cover types (Becotypes^) in northwest Alaska over the 21st century on habitats of 162 bird and 39 mammal species known or expected to occur regularly in the region. This analysis, encompassing a broad suite of arctic and boreal wildlife species, entailed building wildlifehabitat matrices...
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Petrology of the Plutonic Rocks of west-central Alaska
Miller, Thomas P.
1970-01-01
A series of plutons in west-central Alaska defines the Hogatza plutonic belt which extends for about 200 miles in an east-west direction from the northeastern Seward Peninsula to the Koyukuk River. The plutonic rocks have an aggregate area of about 1,200 square miles and their composition, distribution, and possible petrogenesis are discussed for the first time in this report. Field, petrographic and chemical data supported by K/Ar age dating indicate the plutonic rocks are divisible into two suites differing in age, location, and composition. The western plutons are mid-Cretaceous (~100 m.y.) in age and consist of a heterogeneous assemblage of monzonite, syenite, quartz monzonite. Associated with these granitic rocks is a group of alkaline sub-silicic rocks that forma belt of intrusive complexes extending for a distance of at least 180 miles from west-central Alaska to the Bering Sea. The complex at Granite Mountain shows a rare example of zoning from an alkaline rim to a quartz-bearing core. The occurrence of a similar complex at Cape Dezhnev on the easternmost tip of Siberia suggests the alkaline province may extend into Siberia. The easternmost plutons are Late Cretaceous (180 m.y.) in age and composed primarily of granodiorite and quartz monzonite similar to calc-alkaline plutons found throughout the North America Cordillera. The plutons are epizonal and intrude deformed but unmetamorphosed Lower Cretaceous andesitic volcanics and volcanic graywacke which constitute the highly mobile Yukon-Koyukuk volcanogenic province of west-central Alaska. No older rocks have been found within the confines of this vast tract; the occurrence of a bounding ophiolite sequence has lead to the suggestion that the province was formed by large-scale rifting and is underlain by oceanic crust. The possibility of no juvenile sialic crust over much of the area suggests that the potassium-rich magma now represented by the alkaline rocks originated in the mantle. The distribution of the
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Proximate composition and mineral content of two edible species of Cnidoscolus (tree spinach).
Kuti, J O; Kuti, H O
1999-01-01
Proximate composition and mineral content of raw and cooked leaves of two edible tree spinach species (Cnidoscolus chayamansa and C. aconitifolius), known locally as 'chaya', were determined and compared with that of a traditional green vegetable, spinach (Spinicia oleraceae). Results of the study indicated that the edible leafy parts of the two chaya species contained significantly (p<0.05) greater amounts of crude protein, crude fiber, Ca, K, Fe, ascorbic acid and beta-carotene than the spinach leaf. However, no significant (p>0.05) differences were found in nutritional composition and mineral content between the chaya species, except minor differences in the relative composition of fatty acids, protein and amino acids. Cooking of chaya leaves slightly reduced nutritional composition of both chaya species. Cooking is essential prior to consumption to inactivate the toxic hydrocyanic glycosides present in chaya leaves. Based on the results of this study, the edible chaya leaves may be good dietary sources of minerals (Ca, K and Fe) and vitamins (ascorbic acid and beta-carotene).
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Shallow-water habitat use by Bering Sea flatfishes along the central Alaska Peninsula
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hurst, Thomas P.
2016-05-01
Flatfishes support a number of important fisheries in Alaskan waters and represent major pathways of energy flow through the ecosystem. Despite their economic and ecological importance, little is known about the use of habitat by juvenile flatfishes in the eastern Bering Sea. This study describes the habitat characteristics of juvenile flatfishes in coastal waters along the Alaska Peninsula and within the Port Moller-Herendeen Bay system, the largest marine embayment in the southern Bering Sea. The two most abundant species, northern rock sole and yellowfin sole, differed slightly in habitat use with the latter occupying slightly muddier substrates. Both were more common along the open coastline than they were within the bay, whereas juvenile Alaska plaice were more abundant within the bay than along the coast and used shallow waters with muddy, high organic content sediments. Juvenile Pacific halibut showed the greatest shift in distribution between age classes: age-0 fish were found in deeper waters (~ 30 m) along the coast, whereas older juveniles were found in the warmer, shallow waters within the bay, possibly due to increased thermal opportunities for growth in this temperature-sensitive species. Three other species, starry flounder, flathead sole, and arrowtooth flounder, were also present, but at much lower densities. In addition, the habitat use patterns of spring-spawning flatfishes (northern rock sole, Pacific halibut, and Alaska plaice) in this region appear to be strongly influenced by oceanographic processes that influence delivery of larvae to coastal habitats. Overall, use of the coastal embayment habitats appears to be less important to juvenile flatfishes in the Bering Sea than in the Gulf of Alaska.
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Spatial variability in plant species composition and peatland carbon exchange
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Goud, E.; Moore, T. R.; Roulet, N. T.
2015-12-01
Plant species shifts in response to global change will have significant impacts on ecosystem carbon (C) exchange and storage arising from changes in hydrology. Spatial variation in peatland C fluxes have largely been attributed to the spatial distribution of microhabitats that arise from variation in surface topography and water table depth, but little is known about how plant species composition impacts peatland C cycling or how these impacts will be influenced by changing environmental conditions. We quantified the effect of species composition and environmental variables on carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes over 2 years in a temperate peatland for four plant communities situated along a water table gradient from ombrotrophic bog to beaver pond. We hypothesized that (i) spatial heterogeneity in species composition would drive predictable spatial heterogeneity in C fluxes due to variation in plant traits and ecological tolerances, and (ii) increases in peat temperature would increase C fluxes. Species had different effects on C fluxes primarily due to differences in leaf traits. Differences in ecological tolerances among communities resulted in different rates of CO2 exchange in response to changes in water table depth. There was an overall reduction in ecosystem respiration (ER), gross primary productivity (GPP) and CH4 flux in response to colder peat temperatures in the second year, and the additive effects of a deeper water table in the bog margin and pond sites further reduced flux rates in these areas. These results demonstrate that different plant species can increase or decrease the flux of C into and out of peatlands based on differences in leaf traits and ecological tolerances, and that CO2 and CH4 fluxes are sensitive to changes in soil temperature, especially when coupled with changes in moisture availability.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Blaber, S. J. M.; Brewer, D. T.; Salini, J. P.; Kerr, J. D.; Conacher, C.
1992-12-01
The species composition and biomasses of fishes in the tropical seagrasses of Groote Eylandt, northern Australia, were studied in 1989 and 1990. A total of 156 species was recorded. Tall dense seagrass, short seagrass and control (no seagrass) sites in different depths were compared. Shallow (<1 m) sites were dominated by small resident species and juveniles of non-resident species, while deeper waters (to 7 m) were dominated by larger species. Species composition was not significantly different between sites, but species diversity ( H) and evenness ( E) were higher in non-vegetated areas. In slightly deeper water (<2 m) species composition was different between habitats and species diversity was highest in tall seagrass and least in open areas. Most species were more abundant in tall seagrass and least abundant in open areas. Most of the larger fishes, including 11 species of sharks, are piscivores, and most move into shallow sea-grass areas at night, irrespective of tide height. Only five species showed abundance patterns related to tide height and there were no significant seasonal patterns of abundance in any of the communities. The biomasses for all sites and sampling methods were mostly from 1 to 2 g m -2, which is low relative to other inshore tropical areas. The possible causes—the characteristics of adjacent habitats (coral reefs and mangroves) and the role of seagrasses in the life cycle of fishes are discussed. It is suggested that habitat structure is a major determinant of the species composition of fish in tropical seagrass areas, primarily because it affects food availability, both for small residents and juveniles, and for visiting predators.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Juday, G. P.; Grant, T.; Alix, C. M.; Spencer, D. L.; Beck, P. S.
2012-12-01
The boreal forest region of Alaska is characterized by a major east-west climate gradient, in addition to a widely appreciated north-south gradient. Low elevations of the eastern and central Interior experience warm summer temperatures and low annual precipitation, while coastal western Alaska has cool summer temperatures and greater precipitation. In the Interior the four dominant tree species of white and black spruce, aspen, and Alaska birch on low elevation sites nearly all register a strong negative radial growth relationship to summer temperatures, concentrated in May and July. Precipitation, particularly in late winter and midsummer, plays a supplemental role as a positive factor in growth. Floodplain white spruce along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers transition from negative temperature response to positive response in western Alaska near the tree limit. Populations of white spruce on treeline sites display both negative growth response to July temperature and positive response to spring temperatures, with the negative response dominant in the east and the positive response dominant in the west. Across boreal Alaska summer temperatures increased abruptly in 1974, and have remained at historically high levels since. Correspondingly, climatic favorability for radial growth of Interior trees on most low elevation sites has been at extreme low levels particularly in the 21st century. Satellite-based NDVI coverage confirms that forest growth reduction is widespread in boreal Alaska since the 1980s. Defoliating and wood boring insects have reached outbreak population levels across most of boreal Alaska, partly from release of direct temperature control on the insects and partly from increased tree host susceptibility. Major outbreak species include aspen leaf miner, spruce engraver beetle, and spruce budworm. About a dozen tall willow species have been subjected to widespread attack by willow leaf blotch miner, and a new disease and defoliating insect have spread
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Bartlett, Jill K; Maher, William A; Purss, Matthew B J
2018-03-15
Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) quantitative modelling was used to measure the protein, lipid and glycogen composition of five marine bivalve species (Saccostrea glomerata, Ostrea angasi, Crassostrea gigas, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Anadara trapezia) from multiple locations and seasons. Predictive models were produced for each component using individual species and aggregated sample populations for the three oyster species (S. glomerata, O. angasi and C. gigas) and for all five bivalve species. Whole animal tissues were freeze dried, ground to >20μm and scanned by NIRS. Protein, lipid and glycogen composition were determined by traditional chemical analyses and calibration models developed to allow rapid NIRS-measurement of these components in the five bivalve species. Calibration modelling was performed using wavelet selection, genetic algorithms and partial least squares analysis. Model quality was assessed using RPIQ and RMESP. For protein composition, single species model results had RPIQ values between 2.4 and 3.5 and RMSEP between 8.6 and 18%, the three oyster model had an RPIQ of 2.6 and an RMSEP of 10.8% and the five bivalve species had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 8.7% respectively. For lipid composition, single species models achieved RPIQ values between 2.9 and 5.3 with RMSEP between 9.1 and 11.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 3.6 and RMSEP of 6.8 and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 5.2 and RMSEP of 6.8% respectively. For glycogen composition, the single species models had RPIQs between 3.8 and 18.9 with RMSEP between 3.5 and 9.2%, the oyster model had an RPIQ of 5.5 and RMSEP of 7.1% and the five bivalve model had an RPIQ of 4 and RMSEP of 7.6% respectively. Comparison between individual species models and aggregated models for three oyster species and five bivalve species for each component indicate that aggregating data from like species produces high quality models with robust and reliable quantitative application. The benefit of
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Ockinger, Erik; Smith, Henrik G
2006-09-01
During the last 50 years, the distribution and abundance of many European butterfly species associated with semi-natural grasslands have declined. This may be the result of deteriorating habitat quality, but habitat loss, resulting in decreasing area and increasing isolation of remaining habitat, is also predicted to result in reduced species richness. To investigate the effects of habitat loss on species richness, we surveyed butterflies in semi-natural grasslands of similar quality and structure, but situated in landscapes of different habitat composition. Using spatially explicit habitat data, we selected one large (6-10 ha) and one small (0.5-2 ha) grassland site (pasture) in each of 24 non-overlapping 28.2 km(2) landscapes belonging to three categories differing in the proportion of the area that consisted of semi-natural grasslands. After controlling for local habitat quality, species richness was higher in grassland sites situated in landscapes consisting of a high proportion of grasslands. Species richness was also higher in larger grassland sites, and this effect was more pronounced for sedentary than for mobile species. However, the number of species for a given area did not differ between large and small grasslands. There was also a significant relationship between butterfly species richness and habitat quality in the form of vegetation height and abundance of flowers. In contrast, butterfly density was not related to landscape composition or grassland size. When species respond differently to habitat area or landscape composition this leads to effects on community structure, and nestedness analysis showed that depauperate communities were subsets of richer ones. Both grassland area and landscape composition may have contributed to this pattern, implying that small habitat fragments and landscapes with low proportions of habitat are both likely to mainly contain common generalist species. Based on these results, conservation efforts should aim at
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Kilbuck terrane: Oldest known rocks in Alaska
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Box, S.E.; Moll-Stalcup, E.J.; Wooden, J.L.
1990-12-01
The Kilbuck terrane in southwestern Alaska is a narrow, thin crustal sliver or flake of amphibolite facies orthogneiss. The igneous protolith of this gneiss was a suite of subduction-related plutonic rocks. U-Pb data on zircons from trondhjemitic and granitic samples yield upper-intercept (igneous) ages of 2,070 {plus minus}16 and 2,040 {plus minus}74 Ma, respectively. Nd isotope data from these rocks suggest that a diorite-tonalite-trondhjemite suite ({epsilon}{sub Nd}(T) = +2.1 to +2.7; T is time of crystallization) evolved from partial melts of depleted mantle with no discernible contamination by older crust, whereas a coeval granitic pluton ({epsilon}{sub Nd}(T) = {minus}5.7) containsmore » a significant component derived from Archean crust. Orthogneisses with similar age and Nd isotope characteristics are found in the Idono complex 250 km to the north. Early Proterozoic rocks are unknown elsewhere in Alaska. However, Phanerozoic plutons cutting several continental terranes in Alaska (southern Brooks Range and Ruby, Seward, and Yukon-Tanana terranes) have Nd isotope compositions indicative of Early Proterozoic (or older) crustal components that could be correlative with rocks of the Kilbuck terrane. Rocks with similar igneous ages in cratonal North America are rare, and those few that are known have Nd isotope compositions distinct from those of the Kilbuck terrane. Conversely, provinces with Nd model ages of 2.0-2.1 Ga are characterized by extensive 1.8 Ga or younger plutonism, which is unknown in the Kilbuck terrane. At present the case for a North American parentage of the Kilbuck terrane is not compelling. The possibility that the Kilbuck terrane was displaced from provinces of similar age in other cratons (e.g., Australian, Baltic, Guiana, and west African shields), or from the poorly dated Siberian craton, cannot be excluded.« less
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Composition of diets selected by Sitka black-tailed deer on Channel Island, central southeast Alaska
Thomas A. Hanley; Michael P. Gillingham; Katherine L. Parker
2014-01-01
Composition of diets selected by tame but free-ranging deer in a natural forest environment was studied throughout a 24-month period and summarized by mean monthly percentage composition on the basis of dry-matter intake. A modifi cation of the standard bite-count method of diet determination was used. All forages were identifi ed by species and plant part (leaf, twig...
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ENSO events in the northern Gulf of Alaska, and effects on selected marine fisheries
Bailey, K.M.; Macklin, S.A.; Reed, R.K.; Brodeur, R.D.; Ingraham, W.J.; Piatt, John F.; Shima, M.; Francis, R.C.; Anderson, P.J.; Royer, T.C.; Hollowed, A.; Somerton, D.A.; Wooster, W.S.
1995-01-01
The 1991-93 El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event first appeared in the northern Gulf of Alaska in autumn 1991 with warm sea-surface temperatures. In winter 1992, there were pulses of increased sea level and anomalous circulation. El Nino conditions persisted at least through summer 1993. The effects of this ENSO event on major groundfish species and Pacific herring in the northern Gulf of Alaska were examined and compared with the effects of previous ENSO events. There is little evidence that the 1991-93 or 1982-83 ENSO events affected landings of walleye pollock, Pacific cod, Pacific halibut, or arrowtooth flounder. Some changes in distribution of groundfish species were observed in 1993, but the effect was similar to changes observed in non-ENSO warm years. In general, warm ocean conditions have a positive effect on recruitment of northern stocks, but ENSO events appear to have an inconsistent effect on year-class strength within species and among different species. For example, strong year classes of halibut and arrowtooth flounder sometimes, but not always, coincide with ENSO events; ENSO events are associated with moderate to weak year classes of cod and pollock. However, post-ENSO warm years often are associated with strong recruitment of many groundfish species. Major changes have occurred in the Gulf of Alaska ecosystem since 1977. The influence of the 1976 ENSO event in precipitating these changes and the role of the frequency or strength of subsequent El Nino events is presently unknown. Herring and other stocks of small pelagic fishes may be more affected by ENSO events. In particular, decreased catches, recruitment, and weight-at-age of herring are sometimes associated with ENSO events. Furthermore, a variety of seabirds which feed mostly on pelagic forage fishes or the pelagic juvenile stages of groundfish suffered widespread mortalities and breeding failures in the Gulf of Alaska during the ENSO years of 1983 and 1993. These effects on seabirds
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Alaska's Economy: What's Ahead?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Alaska Review of Social and Economic Conditions, 1987
1987-01-01
This review describes Alaska's economic boom of the early 1980s, the current recession, and economic projections for the 1990s. Alaska's economy is largely influenced by oil prices, since petroleum revenues make up 80% of the state government's unrestricted general fund revenues. Expansive state spending was responsible for most of Alaska's…
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Cooperative Alaska Forest Inventory
Thomas Malone; Jingjing Liang; Edmond C. Packee
2009-01-01
The Cooperative Alaska Forest Inventory (CAFI) is a comprehensive database of boreal forest conditions and dynamics in Alaska. The CAFI consists of field-gathered information from numerous permanent sample plots distributed across interior and south-central Alaska including the Kenai Peninsula. The CAFI currently has 570 permanent sample plots on 190 sites...
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Appellate Courts - Alaska Court System
Court Cases Appellate Case Management System Oral Argument Supreme Court Calendar, Court of Appeals , which contains the Alaska cases excerpted from P.2d and P.3d. The Pacific Reporter or the Alaska the Alaska cases excerpted from P.2d and P.3d. The Pacific Reporter or the Alaska Reporter is
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Belcher, J.
Production in Alaska has been sluggish in recent years, with activity in the Prudhoe Bay region in the North Slope on a steady decline. Alaska North Slope (ANS) production topped out in 1988 at 2.037 MMbo/d, with 1.6 MMbo/d from Prudhoe Bay. This year operators expect to produce 788 Mbo/d from Prudhoe Bay, falling to 739 Mbo/d next year. ANS production as a whole should reach 1.3 MMbo/d this year, sliding to 1.29 MMbo/d in 1998. These declining numbers had industry officials and politicians talking about the early death of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System-the vital link between ANS crude andmore » markets. But enhanced drilling technology coupled with a vastly improved relationship between the state government and industry have made development in Alaska more economical and attractive. Alaska`s Democratic Gov. Tommy Knowles is fond of telling industry {open_quotes}we`re open for business.{close_quotes} New discoveries on the North Slope and in the Cook Inlet are bringing a renewed sense of optimism to the Alaska exploration and production industry. Attempts by Congress to lift a moratorium on exploration and production activity in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) have been thwarted thus far, but momentum appears to be with proponents of ANWR drilling.« less
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Alaska Tidal Datum Portal | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Engineering Geology Alaska Tidal Datum Portal Climate and Cryosphere Hazards Coastal Hazards Program Guide to Portal Unambiguous vertical datums in the coastal environment are critical to the evaluation of natural human life, property, and the coastal environment. January 2017 - Update Summary Alaska Tidal Datum
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Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in migratory birds inhabiting remote Alaska
Ramey, Andy M.; Hernandez, Jorge; Tyrlöv, Veronica; Uher-Koch, Brian D.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Atterby, Clara; Järhult, Josef D.; Bonnedahl, Jonas
2018-01-01
We explored the abundance of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli among migratory birds at remote sites in Alaska and used a comparative approach to speculate on plausible explanations for differences in detection among species. At a remote island site, we detected antibiotic-resistant E. coli phenotypes in samples collected from glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens), a species often associated with foraging at landfills, but not in samples collected from black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), a more pelagic gull that typically inhabits remote areas year-round. We did not find evidence for antibiotic-resistant E. coli among 347 samples collected primarily from waterfowl at a second remote site in western Alaska. Our results provide evidence that glaucous-winged gulls may be more likely to be infected with antibiotic-resistant E. coli at remote breeding sites as compared to sympatric black-legged kittiwakes. This could be a function of the tendency of glaucous-winged gulls to forage at landfills where antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections may be acquired and subsequently dispersed. The low overall detection of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in migratory birds sampled at remote sites in Alaska is consistent with the premise that anthropogenic inputs into the local environment or the relative lack thereof influences the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria among birds inhabiting the area.
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Alaska Melilotus invasions: Distribution, origin, and susceptibility of plant communities
Conn, J.S.; Beattie, K.L.; Shephard, M.A.; Carlson, M.L.; Lapina, I.; Hebert, M.; Gronquist, R.; Densmore, R.; Rasy, M.
2008-01-01
Melilotus alba and M. officinalis were introduced to Alaska in 1913 as potential forage crops. These species have become naturalized and are now invading large, exotic plant-free regions of Alaska. We determined distributions of M. alba and M. officinalis in Alaska from surveys conducted each summer from 2002 to 2005. Melilotus alba and M. officinalis occurred at 721 and 205 sites, respectively (39,756 total sites surveyed). The northward limit for M. alba and M. officinalis was 67.15??N and 64.87??N, respectively. Both species were strictly associated with soil disturbance. Melilotus alba extended no farther than 15 m from road edges except where M. alba on roadsides met river floodplains and dispersed downriver (Matanuska and Nenana Rivers). Melilotus has now reached the Tanana River, a tributary of the Yukon River. Populations on floodplains were most extensive on braided sections. On the Nenana River, soil characteristics did not differ between where M. alba was growing versus similar areas where it had not yet reached. The pH of river soils (7.9-8.3) was higher than highway soils (7.3). Upland taiga plant communities grow on acid soils which may protect them from invasion by Melilotus, which prefer alkaline soils; however, early succession communities on river floodplains are susceptible because soils are alkaline. ?? 2008 Regents of the University of Colorado.
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Job Centers Toll-free in Alaska (877)724-2539 *Workshop Schedules are linked under participating Job : midtown.jobcenter@alaska.gov Employers: anchorage.employers@alaska.gov Toll free Anchorage Employer Phone: 1-888-830 -1149 Phone: 842-5579 Fax: 842-5679, Toll Free: 1-800-478-5579 Job Seekers & Employers
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Hudson, T.; Smith, James G.; Elliott, R.L.
1979-01-01
A large porphyry molybdenum deposit (Quartz Hill deposit) was recently discovered in the heart of the Coast Range batholithic complex about 70 km E of Ketchikan, SE Alaska. Intrusive rocks associated with the mineral deposit form two composite epizonal to hypabyssal stocks and many dikes in country rocks. All observed metallization and alteration is within the Quartz Hill stock. Molybdenite forms fracture coatings and occurs in veins with quartz. Alteration is widespread and includes development of secondary quartz, pyrite, K-feldspar, biotite, white mica, chlorite, and zeolite. Field relations indicate that the stocks were emplaced after regional uplift and erosion of the Coast Range batholithic complex, and K-Ar data show that intrusion and alteration took place in late Oligocene time, about 27 to 30 Ma ago. Data from the Ketchikan quadrangle indicate that porphyry molybdenum metallization in the Coast Range batholithic complex is associated with regionally extensive but spotty, middle Tertiary or younger, felsic magmatism. -from Authors
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50 CFR 679.21 - Prohibited species bycatch management.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/). (c) Salmon taken in the BS pollock fisheries... GOA groundfish species or species group. (B) Deep-water species fishery. Fishing with trawl gear... the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/): (A) The Chinook salmon PSC...
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50 CFR 679.21 - Prohibited species bycatch management.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/). (c) Salmon taken in the BS pollock fisheries... GOA groundfish species or species group. (B) Deep-water species fishery. Fishing with trawl gear... the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/): (A) The Chinook salmon PSC...
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Time-slice maps showing age, distribution, and style of deformation in Alaska north of 60° N.
Moore, Thomas E.; Box, Stephen E.
2016-08-29
The structural architecture of Alaska is the product of a complex history of tectonism that occurred along the Cordilleran and Arctic margins of North America through interactions with ancient and modern ocean plates and with continental elements derived from Laurentia, Siberia, and Baltica. To unravel the tectonic history of Alaska, we constructed maps showing the age, distribution, structural style, and kinematics of contractional and penetrative extensional deformation in Alaska north of latitude 60° N. at a scale of 1:5,000,000. These maps use the Geologic Map of the Arctic (Harrison and others, 2011) as a base map and follow the guidelines in the Tectonic Map of the Arctic project (Petrov and others, 2013) for construction, including use of the International Commission on Stratigraphy time scale (Cohen and others, 2013) divided into 20 time intervals. We find evidence for deformation in 14 of the 20 time intervals and present maps showing the known or probable extent of deformation for each time interval. Maps and descriptions of deformational style, age constraints, kinematics, and information sources for each deformational episode are discussed in the text and are reported in tabular form. This report also contains maps showing the lithologies and structural geology of Alaska, a terrane map, and the distribution of tectonically important units including post-tectonic sedimentary basins, accretionary complexes, ophiolites, metamorphic rocks.These new maps show that most deformational belts in Alaska are relatively young features, having developed during the late Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The oldest episode of deformation recognized anywhere in Alaska is found in the basement of the Farewell terrane (~1.75 Ga). Paleozoic and early Mesozoic deformational events, including Devonian deformation in the Arctic Alaska terrane, Pennsylvanian deformation in the Alexander terrane, Permian deformation in the Yukon Composite (Klondike orogeny) and Farewell terranes (Browns
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Arnold, Robert D.; And Others
Pursuant to the Native land claims within Alaska, this compilation of background data and interpretive materials relevant to a fair resolution of the Alaska Native problem seeks to record data and information on the Native peoples; the land and resources of Alaska and their uses by the people in the past and present; land ownership; and future…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
White, Karen; Baker, Barbara
This data book uses survey and census information to record social and economic changes of the past three decades and their effects upon the role of Alaska women in society. Results show Alaska women comprise 47% of the state population, an increase of 9% since 1950. Marriage continues as the predominant living arrangement for Alaska women,…
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Natural Resources / Division of Forestry Alaska Board of Forestry The nine-member Alaska Board of Forestry advises the state on forest practices issues and provides a forum for discussion and resolution of forest management issues on state land. The board also reviews all proposed changes to the Alaska Forest Resources
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Migration and wintering areas of glaucous-winged Gulls from south-central Alaska
Hatch, Shyla A.; Gill, V.A.; Mulcahy, D.M.
2011-01-01
We used satellite telemetry to investigate the migration patterns and wintering areas of Glaucouswinged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) from Middleton Island, Alaska, where this species' population increased tenfold from the 1970s to the 1990s. Fall migration spanned 11 weeks, including numerous stopovers en route, apparently for feeding. Spring migration from wintering sites to Middleton Island was shorter (4 weeks) and more direct. One juvenile spent several months in southern Prince William Sound. An adult spent several months near Craig, southeast Alaska, while three others overwintered in southern British Columbia. For all four wintering adults use of refuse-disposal sites was evident or strongly suggested. Commensalism with humans may have contributed to the increase on Middleton, but a strong case can also be made for a competing explanation-regional recruitment of gulls to high-quality nesting habitat in Alaska created after the earthquake of 1964. An analysis of band returns reveals broad overlap in the wintering grounds of gulls from different Alaska colonies and of gulls banded on the west coast from British Columbia to California. The seasonal movement of many gulls from Alaska is decidedly migratory, whereas gulls from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon disperse locally in winter. ?? The Cooper Ornithological Society 2011.
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Migration And wintering areas Of Glaucous-winged Gulls From south-central Alaska
Hatch, Scott A.; Gill, V.A.; Mulcahy, Daniel M.
2011-01-01
We used satellite telemetry to investigate the migration patterns and wintering areas of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) from Middleton Island, Alaska, where this species' population increased tenfold from the 1970s to the 1990s. Fall migration spanned 11 weeks, including numerous stopovers en route, apparently for feeding. Spring migration from wintering sites to Middleton Island was shorter (4 weeks) and more direct. One juvenile spent several months in southern Prince William Sound. An adult spent several months near Craig, southeast Alaska, while three others overwintered in southern British Columbia. For all four wintering adults use of refuse-disposal sites was evident or strongly suggested. Commensalism with humans may have contributed to the increase on Middleton, but a strong case can also be made for a competing explanation-regional recruitment of gulls to high-quality nesting habitat in Alaska created after the earthquake of 1964. An analysis of band returns reveals broad overlap in the wintering grounds of gulls from different Alaska colonies and of gulls banded on the west coast from British Columbia to California. The seasonal movement of many gulls from Alaska is decidedly migratory, whereas gulls from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon disperse locally in winter.
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Alaska Interagency Ecosystem Health Work Group
Shasby, Mark
2009-01-01
The Alaska Interagency Ecosystem Health Work Group is a community of practice that recognizes the interconnections between the health of ecosystems, wildlife, and humans and meets to facilitate the exchange of ideas, data, and research opportunities. Membership includes the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Sea Life Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Louisiana Arts and Science Center, Baton Rouge.
THE UNIT DESCRIBED IN THIS BOOKLET DEALS WITH THE GEOGRAPHY OF ALASKA. THE UNIT IS PRESENTED IN OUTLINE FORM. THE FIRST SECTION DEALS PRINCIPALLY WITH THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF ALASKA. DISCUSSED ARE (1) THE SIZE, (2) THE MAJOR LAND REGIONS, (3) THE MOUNTAINS, VOLCANOES, GLACIERS, AND RIVERS, (4) THE NATURAL RESOURCES, AND (5) THE CLIMATE. THE…
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Alaska's renewable energy potential.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Not Available
2009-02-01
This paper delivers a brief survey of renewable energy technologies applicable to Alaska's climate, latitude, geography, and geology. We first identify Alaska's natural renewable energy resources and which renewable energy technologies would be most productive. e survey the current state of renewable energy technologies and research efforts within the U.S. and, where appropriate, internationally. We also present information on the current state of Alaska's renewable energy assets, incentives, and commercial enterprises. Finally, we escribe places where research efforts at Sandia National Laboratories could assist the state of Alaska with its renewable energy technology investment efforts.
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Dinucleotide Composition in Animal RNA Viruses Is Shaped More by Virus Family than by Host Species
Di Giallonardo, Francesca; Schlub, Timothy E.; Shi, Mang
2017-01-01
ABSTRACT Viruses use the cellular machinery of their hosts for replication. It has therefore been proposed that the nucleotide and dinucleotide compositions of viruses should match those of their host species. If this is upheld, it may then be possible to use dinucleotide composition to predict the true host species of viruses sampled in metagenomic surveys. However, it is also clear that different taxonomic groups of viruses tend to have distinctive patterns of dinucleotide composition that may be independent of host species. To determine the relative strength of the effect of host versus virus family in shaping dinucleotide composition, we performed a comparative analysis of 20 RNA virus families from 15 host groupings, spanning two animal phyla and more than 900 virus species. In particular, we determined the odds ratios for the 16 possible dinucleotides and performed a discriminant analysis to evaluate the capability of virus dinucleotide composition to predict the correct virus family or host taxon from which it was isolated. Notably, while 81% of the data analyzed here were predicted to the correct virus family, only 62% of these data were predicted to their correct subphylum/class host and a mere 32% to their correct mammalian order. Similarly, dinucleotide composition has a weak predictive power for different hosts within individual virus families. We therefore conclude that dinucleotide composition is generally uniform within a virus family but less well reflects that of its host species. This has obvious implications for attempts to accurately predict host species from virus genome sequences alone. IMPORTANCE Determining the processes that shape virus genomes is central to understanding virus evolution and emergence. One question of particular importance is why nucleotide and dinucleotide frequencies differ so markedly between viruses. In particular, it is currently unclear whether host species or virus family has the biggest impact on dinucleotide
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Dinucleotide Composition in Animal RNA Viruses Is Shaped More by Virus Family than by Host Species.
Di Giallonardo, Francesca; Schlub, Timothy E; Shi, Mang; Holmes, Edward C
2017-04-15
Viruses use the cellular machinery of their hosts for replication. It has therefore been proposed that the nucleotide and dinucleotide compositions of viruses should match those of their host species. If this is upheld, it may then be possible to use dinucleotide composition to predict the true host species of viruses sampled in metagenomic surveys. However, it is also clear that different taxonomic groups of viruses tend to have distinctive patterns of dinucleotide composition that may be independent of host species. To determine the relative strength of the effect of host versus virus family in shaping dinucleotide composition, we performed a comparative analysis of 20 RNA virus families from 15 host groupings, spanning two animal phyla and more than 900 virus species. In particular, we determined the odds ratios for the 16 possible dinucleotides and performed a discriminant analysis to evaluate the capability of virus dinucleotide composition to predict the correct virus family or host taxon from which it was isolated. Notably, while 81% of the data analyzed here were predicted to the correct virus family, only 62% of these data were predicted to their correct subphylum/class host and a mere 32% to their correct mammalian order. Similarly, dinucleotide composition has a weak predictive power for different hosts within individual virus families. We therefore conclude that dinucleotide composition is generally uniform within a virus family but less well reflects that of its host species. This has obvious implications for attempts to accurately predict host species from virus genome sequences alone. IMPORTANCE Determining the processes that shape virus genomes is central to understanding virus evolution and emergence. One question of particular importance is why nucleotide and dinucleotide frequencies differ so markedly between viruses. In particular, it is currently unclear whether host species or virus family has the biggest impact on dinucleotide frequencies and
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Comparative fatty acid composition of four Sargassum species (Fucales, Phaeophyta)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wu, Xiang-Chun; Lu, Bao-Ren; Tseng, C. K.
1995-12-01
Fatty acid composition of four Sargassum species from Qingdao and Shidao, Shandong Province was investigated. 16:0 (palmitic acid) was the major saturated fatty acid. C18 and C20 were the main polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid predominated among polyenoic acids in all the algal species examined, except for Sargassum sp. which had low concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid.
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Maestre, F.T.; Castillo-Monroy, A. P.; Bowker, M.A.; Ochoa-Hueso, R.
2012-01-01
1. Recent studies have suggested that the simultaneous maintenance of multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality) is positively supported by species richness. However, little is known regarding the relative importance of other community attributes (e.g. spatial pattern, species evenness) as drivers of multifunctionality. 2. We conducted two microcosm experiments using model biological soil crust communities dominated by lichens to: (i) evaluate the joint effects and relative importance of changes in species composition, spatial pattern (clumped and random distribution of lichens), evenness (maximal and low evenness) and richness (from two to eight species) on soil functions related to nutrient cycling (β-glucosidase, urease and acid phosphatase enzymes, in situ N availability, total N, organic C, and N fixation), and (ii) assess how these community attributes affect multifunctionality. 3. Species richness, composition and spatial pattern affected multiple ecosystem functions (e.g. organic C, total N, N availability, β-glucosidase activity), albeit the magnitude and direction of their effects varied with the particular function, experiment and soil depth considered. Changes in species composition had effects on organic C, total N and the activity of β-glucosidase. Significant species richness × evenness and spatial pattern × evenness interactions were found when analysing functions such as organic C, total N and the activity of phosphatase. 4. The probability of sustaining multiple ecosystem functions increased with species richness, but this effect was largely modulated by attributes such as species evenness, composition and spatial pattern. Overall, we found that model communities with high species richness, random spatial pattern and low evenness increased multifunctionality. 5. Synthesis. Our results illustrate how different community attributes have a diverse impact on ecosystem functions related to nutrient cycling, and provide new
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Species effects on ecosystem processes are modified by faunal responses to habitat composition.
Bulling, Mark T; Solan, Martin; Dyson, Kirstie E; Hernandez-Milian, Gema; Luque, Patricia; Pierce, Graham J; Raffaelli, Dave; Paterson, David M; White, Piran C L
2008-12-01
Heterogeneity is a well-recognized feature of natural environments, and the spatial distribution and movement of individual species is primarily driven by resource requirements. In laboratory experiments designed to explore how different species drive ecosystem processes, such as nutrient release, habitat heterogeneity is often seen as something which must be rigorously controlled for. Most small experimental systems are therefore spatially homogeneous, and the link between environmental heterogeneity and its effects on the redistribution of individuals and species, and on ecosystem processes, has not been fully explored. In this paper, we used a mesocosm system to investigate the relationship between habitat composition, species movement and sediment nutrient release for each of four functionally contrasting species of marine benthic invertebrate macrofauna. For each species, various habitat configurations were generated by selectively enriching patches of sediment with macroalgae, a natural source of spatial variability in intertidal mudflats. We found that the direction and extent of faunal movement between patches differs with species identity, density and habitat composition. Combinations of these factors lead to concomitant changes in nutrient release, such that habitat composition effects are modified by species identity (in the case of NH4-N) and by species density (in the case of PO4-P). It is clear that failure to accommodate natural patterns of spatial heterogeneity in such studies may result in an incomplete understanding of system behaviour. This will be particularly important for future experiments designed to explore the effects of species richness on ecosystem processes, where the complex interactions reported here for single species may be compounded when species are brought together in multi-species combinations.
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Panayotova-Pencheva, Mariana Stancheva
2011-10-01
Lungs of 52 ruminants from different regions of Bulgaria, 16 from goats (Capra aegagrus f. domestica L.), 15 from sheep (Ovis ammon f. domestica L.), 11 from mouflons (Ovis musimon L.), and 10 from chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra L.), were investigated. The aim of the study was to determine the species composition of small lungworms in these hosts. The obtained results are summarized with those of previous studies, and a picture of the present status of the species composition of protostrongylids in ruminants from Bulgaria is forwarded. Morphometric data about the species Muellerius capillaris, Cystocaulus ocreatus, Neostrongylus linearis, Protostrongylus brevispiculum, and Protostrongylus rufescens are presented. The data on the morphology of these five species are supplied for the first time both for Bulgaria and the south-east part of the European continent.
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BOREAS TGB-3 Plant Species Composition Data over the NSA Fen
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bubier, Jill L.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Conrad, Sara K. (Editor)
2000-01-01
The BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study Trace Gas Biogeochemistry (BOREAS TGB-3) team collected several data sets that contributed to understanding the measured trace gas fluxes over sites in the Northern Study Area (NSA). This data set contains information about the composition of plant species that were within the collars used to measure Net Ecosystem Exchange of CO2 (NEE). The species composition was identified to understand the differences in NEE among the various plant communities in the NSA fen. The data were collected in July of 1994 and 1996. The data are contained in comma-delimited, ASCII files.
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Species Composition at the Sub-Meter Level in Discontinuous Permafrost in Subarctic Sweden
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Anderson, S. M.; Palace, M. W.; Layne, M.; Varner, R. K.; Crill, P. M.
2013-12-01
Northern latitudes are experiencing rapid warming. Wetlands underlain by permafrost are particularly vulnerable to warming which results in changes in vegetative cover. Specific species have been associated with greenhouse gas emissions therefore knowledge of species compositional shift allows for the systematic change and quantification of emissions and changes in such emissions. Species composition varies on the sub-meter scale based on topography and other microsite environmental parameters. This complexity and the need to scale vegetation to the landscape level proves vital in our estimation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions and dynamics. Stordalen Mire (68°21'N, 18°49'E) in Abisko and is located at the edge of discontinuous permafrost zone. This provides a unique opportunity to analyze multiple vegetation communities in a close proximity. To do this, we randomly selected 25 1x1 meter plots that were representative of five major cover types: Semi-wet, wet, hummock, tall graminoid, and tall shrub. We used a quadrat with 64 sub plots and measured areal percent cover for 24 species. We collected ground based remote sensing (RS) at each plot to determine species composition using an ADC-lite (near infrared, red, green) and GoPro (red, blue, green). We normalized each image based on a Teflon white chip placed in each image. Textural analysis was conducted on each image for entropy, angular second momentum, and lacunarity. A logistic regression was developed to examine vegetation cover types and remote sensing parameters. We used a multiple linear regression using forwards stepwise variable selection. We found statistical difference in species composition and diversity indices between vegetation cover types. In addition, we were able to build regression model to significantly estimate vegetation cover type as well as percent cover for specific key vegetative species. This ground-based remote sensing allows for quick quantification of vegetation
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gaylord, Thomas A.; Kaul, Gitanjali
Despite efforts by educators, full participation by Alaska native students in the state's colleges and universities has not yet been achieved. Alaska Natives are the state's only racial group that is underrepresented in enrollments at the University of Alaska (UA). This report examines the contribution of the Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI)…
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The role of red alder in riparian forest structure along headwater streams in southeastern Alaska
Orlikowska, E.H.; Deal, R.L.; Hennon, P.E.; Wipfli, M.S.
2004-01-01
We assessed the influence of red alder on tree species composition, stand density, tree size distribution, tree mortality, and potential for producing large conifers, in 38-42 yr old riparian forests along 13 headwater streams in the Maybeso and Harris watersheds on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Red alder ranged from 0 to 53% of the total live basal area of the stands. Tree density, basal area of live and dead trees, and mean diameter of live conifers were not significantly related to the percent of alder as a proportion of total stand live basal area within these riparian forests. The mean diameter of the 100 largest conifers per hectare (the largest trees) was similar among different sites and appeared unrelated to the amount of alder in the stands. The mean diameter of dead conifers increased slightly with increasing proportion of red alder. Most dead trees were small and died standing. Red alder was much more concentrated immediately along stream margins (within 0-1 m distance from the stream bank vs. > 1 m). The presence of red alder did not inhibit the production of large-diameter conifers, and both alder and conifers provided small woody debris for fishless headwater streams in southeastern Alaska. Red alder is an important structural component of young-growth riparian stands.
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Mitochondrial DNA phylogeography of least cisco Coregonus sardinella in Alaska.
Padula, V M; Causey, D; López, J A
2017-03-01
This study presents the first detailed analysis of the mitochondrial DNA diversity of least cisco Coregonus sardinella in Alaska using a 678 bp segment of the control region (D-loop) of the mitochondrial genome. Findings suggest that the history of C. sardinella in Alaska differs from that of other species of Coregonus present in the state and surrounding regions. The examined populations of C. sardinella are genetically diverse across Alaska. Sixty-eight distinct mitochondrial haplotypes were identified among 305 individuals sampled from nine locations. The haplotype minimum spanning network and phylogeny showed a modest level of geographic segregation among haplotypes, suggesting high levels of on-going or recent connectivity among distant populations. Observed Φ ST values and the results of homogeneity and AMOVAs indicate incipient genetic differentiation between aggregations in three broad regional groups. Sites north of the Brooks Range formed one group, sites in the Yukon and Selawik Rivers formed a second group and sites south of the Yukon drainage formed the third group. Overall, the sequence data showed that a large proportion of mtDNA genetic variation in C. sardinella is shared across Alaska, but this variation is not homogeneously distributed across all regions and for all haplotype groups. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
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The forest ecosystem of southeast Alaska: 2. Forest insects.
John S. Hard
1974-01-01
Southeast Alaska's remaining virgin forests have few insect pests. The black-headed budworm and the hemlock sawfly, both western hemlock defoliators, are the most important species. They kill some trees, kill tops in others, and cause growth loss, but stands survive their attacks. Extensive conversion of virgin stands to second growth may result in an increase in...
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DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Reinemer, V.
Alaska's diverse systems for electric power include only 4% by private utilities. Large distances and small markets make transmission impractical for the most part. Rates are variable, although the state average is low. Energy sources, except nuclear, are abundant: half the US coal reserves are in Alaska. In addition, it has geothermal, tidal, biomass, solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. Energy construction and study programs are centered in the Alaska Power Authority and include using waste heat from village diesel generators. Hydro potential is good, but access, distances, and environmental effects must be considered. The Terror Lake, Tyee Lake, Swan Lake,more » and Susitna projects are described and transmission construction, including the 345-kW Railbelt intertie, is discussed. 1 figure.« less
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Species Composition of Down Dead and Standing Live Trees: Implications for Forest Inventory Analysis
Christopher W. Woodall; Linda Nagel
2005-01-01
The assessment of species composition in most forest inventory analysis relies solely on standing live tree information characterized by current forest type. With the implementation of the third phase of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis program, the species composition of down dead trees, otherwise termed coarse...
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Canché-Escamilla, Gonzalo; Soto-Hernández, Marcos
2015-01-01
In Cactaceae, wood anatomy is related to stem morphology in terms of the conferred support. In species of cacti with dimorphic wood, a unique process occurs in which the cambium stops producing wide-band tracheids (WBTs) and produces fibers; this is associated with the aging of individuals and increases in size. Stem support and lignification have only been studied in fibrous tree-like species, and studies in species with WBTs or dimorphic wood are lacking. In this study, we approach this process with a chemical focus, emphasizing the role of wood lignification. We hypothesized that the degree of wood lignification in Cactaceae increases with height of the species and that its chemical composition varies with wood anatomy. To test this, we studied the chemical composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content) in 13 species (2 WBTs wood, 3 dimorphic, and 8 fibrous) with contrasting growth forms. We also analyzed lignification in dimorphic and fibrous species to determine the chemical features of WBTs and fibers and their relationship with stem support. The lignin contents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. We found that 11 species have a higher percentage (>35%) of lignin in their wood than other angiosperms or gymnosperms. The lignin chemical composition in fibrous species is similar to that of other dicots, but it is markedly heterogeneous in non-fibrous species where WBTs are abundant. The lignification in WBTs is associated with the resistance to high water pressure within cells rather than the contribution to mechanical support. Dimorphic wood species are usually richer in syringyl lignin, and tree-like species with lignified rays have more guaiacyl lignin. The results suggest that wood anatomy and lignin distribution play an important role in the chemical composition of wood, and further research is needed at the cellular level. PMID:25880223
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Reyes-Rivera, Jorge; Canché-Escamilla, Gonzalo; Soto-Hernández, Marcos; Terrazas, Teresa
2015-01-01
In Cactaceae, wood anatomy is related to stem morphology in terms of the conferred support. In species of cacti with dimorphic wood, a unique process occurs in which the cambium stops producing wide-band tracheids (WBTs) and produces fibers; this is associated with the aging of individuals and increases in size. Stem support and lignification have only been studied in fibrous tree-like species, and studies in species with WBTs or dimorphic wood are lacking. In this study, we approach this process with a chemical focus, emphasizing the role of wood lignification. We hypothesized that the degree of wood lignification in Cactaceae increases with height of the species and that its chemical composition varies with wood anatomy. To test this, we studied the chemical composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content) in 13 species (2 WBTs wood, 3 dimorphic, and 8 fibrous) with contrasting growth forms. We also analyzed lignification in dimorphic and fibrous species to determine the chemical features of WBTs and fibers and their relationship with stem support. The lignin contents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. We found that 11 species have a higher percentage (>35%) of lignin in their wood than other angiosperms or gymnosperms. The lignin chemical composition in fibrous species is similar to that of other dicots, but it is markedly heterogeneous in non-fibrous species where WBTs are abundant. The lignification in WBTs is associated with the resistance to high water pressure within cells rather than the contribution to mechanical support. Dimorphic wood species are usually richer in syringyl lignin, and tree-like species with lignified rays have more guaiacyl lignin. The results suggest that wood anatomy and lignin distribution play an important role in the chemical composition of wood, and further research is needed at the cellular level.
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Zhang, Heng; Yang, Sheng-Long; Meng, Hai-Xing
2012-06-01
Based on four surveys of eggs and larvae in the Yangtze estuary in 2005 (April and November) and 2006 (April and September), combined with the historical data of the wetland in 1990 (September) and 1991 (March), we analyzed seasonal changes in fish species composition and quantity of ichthyoplankton. Thirty-six species of egg and larvae were collected and marine fish species were the highest represented ecological guild. Average fish species and average abundance in spring were lower than in autumn for every survey. The total number of eggs in brackish water was higher than in fresh water, but the total number of larvae and juveniles in brackish water was lower. The abundance of eggs and larvae during from 2005 to 2006 in both spring and autumn was higher compared to those from 1990 to 1991. Obvious differences in species composition in September between 1990 and 2006 were found, especially for Erythroculter ilishaeformis and Neosalanx taihuensis. Fish species composition and quantity within the ichthyoplankton community has obviously changed in the Yangtze estuary over the last 20 years.
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Stable Isotopic Constraints on the Geographic Sources of Marijuana in Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Booth, A. L.; Wooller, M. J.; Haubenstock, N. A.; Howe, T. A.
2007-12-01
Marijuana in Alaska can have numerous sources. Confiscated plants are known to originate either from within the state (e.g., Fairbanks and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley) or from numerous areas outside the state (e.g., Latin America, Canada and the contiguous United States). Latin America reportedly supplies a large percentage of the marijuana currently distributed in the lower 48 states of the U.S.A. However, in more remote areas of the country such as Fairbanks, Alaska, the supply proportions from different geographic areas are not well known. This is due to an insufficient ability to trace source regions from which confiscated marijuana was originally grown. As such, we have analyzed multiple stable isotopes (C, N, O and H) preserved in marijuana samples to identify the likely geographic source from which the marijuana originated (Drug Enforcement Agency license # RW0324551). These samples were confiscated in Fairbanks, Alaska and supplied to us by the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Police Department. Among 36 marijuana plant samples, we found an unexpectedly large range in the stable carbon isotope compositions (‰13C = -62.2‰ to -24.4‰), with twelve of the 36 samples exhibiting exceedingly low δ13C (-36.1‰ to -62.2‰) relative to typical δ13C of other C3 plants. Interior growing conditions (e.g., hydroponics and/or greenhouses) and a variety of CO2 sources (e.g., CO2 from tanks and fermentation CO2 generators) frequently supplied to growing marijuana to improve yields may account for these exceptionally low δ13C values. Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope compositions (δ18O and δD vs. V-SMOW) of the marijuana samples were found to range from 10.0‰ to 27.6‰ and -197.1‰ to -134.9‰ respectively. The large range of values suggests that the samples originated from multiple sources ranging from low to high latitudes. δ15N of the marijuana samples also exhibited a large range (-7.0‰ to 14.8‰). This project has implications for the
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The cestode community in northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) on St. Paul Island, Alaska
Kuzmina, Tetiana A.; Hernández-Orts, Jesús S.; Lyons, Eugene T.; Spraker, Terry R.; Kornyushyn, Vadym V.; Kuchta, Roman
2015-01-01
The diversity and ecology of cestodes from the northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus (NFS), were examined using newly collected material from 756 humanely harvested subadult males between 2011 and 2014. NFSs were collected from five different haul-outs on St. Paul Island, Alaska. A total of 14,660 tapeworms were collected with a prevalence of 98.5% and intensity up to 107 cestodes per host (mean intensity 19.7 ± 16.5 SD). Three species of tapeworms were found: Adenocephalus pacificus (Diphyllobothriidea) was the most prevalent (prevalence 97.4%), followed by Diplogonoporus tetrapterus (49.7%), and 5 immature specimens of Anophryocephalus cf. ochotensis (Tetrabothriidea) (0.5%). Most of the cestodes found in the NFS were immature (69.7%). However, only 0.9% of cestodes were in larval (plerocercoid) stages. The species composition, prevalence and intensity of cestodes from these NFSs were not statistically different between the five separate haul-outs. Significant increases in the intensity of NFS infections were observed during the study period. PMID:26101743
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Status review of the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in Alaska and British Columbia
Piatt, John F.; Kuletz, K.J.; Burger, A.E.; Hatch, Shyla A.; Friesen, Vicki L.; Birt, T.P.; Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Drew, G.S.; Harding, A.M.A.; Bixler, K.S.
2007-01-01
The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a small, diving seabird inhabiting inshore waters of the Northeastern Pacific Ocean. This species feeds on small, schooling fishes and zooplankton, and nests primarily on the moss-covered branches of large, old-growth conifers, and also, in some parts of its range, on the ground. We reviewed existing information on this species to evaluate its current status in the northern part of its range-Alaska (U.S.) and British Columbia (Canada). Within the southern part of its range (Washington, Oregon, and California, U.S.), the Marbled Murrelet was listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1993, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) needed information on the species throughout its range for ESA deliberations. We compiled published information on the conservation status, population biology, foraging ecology, population genetics, population status and trends, demography, marine and nesting habitat characteristics, threats, and ongoing conservation efforts for Marbled Murrelets in Alaska and British Columbia. We conducted a new genetic study using samples from a segment of the range that had not been included in previous studies (Washington, Oregon) and additional nuclear intron and microsatellite markers. We also analyzed available at-sea survey data from several locations for trend. To understand the reasonableness of the empirical trend data, we developed demographic models incorporating stochasticity to discern what population trends were possible by chance. The genetic studies substantially confirmed previous findings on population structure in the Marbled Murrelet. Our present work finds three populations: (1) one comprising birds in the central and western Aleutian Islands; (2) one comprising birds in central California; and (3) one comprising birds within the center of the range from the eastern Aleutians to northern California. Our knowledge of genetic structure within this
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Emsian (late Early Devonian) sponges from west-central and south-central Alaska
Rigby, J.K.; Blodgett, R.B.; Anderson, N.K.
2009-01-01
Relatively common specimens of the hypercalcified agelasiid sponge Hormospongia labyrinthica Rigby and Blodgett, 1983 and specimens of associated species of Hormospongia have been previously reported from Emsian and Eifelian stratigraphic units at several localities in south-central and southeastern Alaska (Rigby and Blodgett, 1983). Those sponges were first described from the type section of the Eifelian Cheeneetnuk Limestone in the McGrath A-5 quadrangle. Since then several additional specimens of Hormospongia labyrinthica have also been collected from a new locality in the Talkeetna C-6 quadrangle in southcentral Alaska (Figs. 1, 2.1), and are documented here.
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Pearce, John M; Reeves, Andrew B; Ramey, Andrew M; Hupp, Jerry W; Ip, Hon S; Bertram, Mark; Petrula, Michael J; Scotton, Bradley D; Trust, Kimberly A; Meixell, Brandt W; Runstadler, Jonathan A
2011-03-01
The movement and transmission of avian influenza viral strains via wild migratory birds may vary by host species as a result of migratory tendency and sympatry with other infected individuals. To examine the roles of host migratory tendency and species sympatry on the movement of Eurasian low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) genes into North America, we characterized migratory patterns and LPAI viral genomic variation in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) of Alaska in comparison with LPAI diversity of northern pintails (Anas acuta). A 50-year band-recovery data set suggests that unlike northern pintails, mallards rarely make trans-hemispheric migrations between Alaska and Eurasia. Concordantly, fewer (14.5%) of 62 LPAI isolates from mallards contained Eurasian gene segments compared to those from 97 northern pintails (35%), a species with greater inter-continental migratory tendency. Aerial survey and banding data suggest that mallards and northern pintails are largely sympatric throughout Alaska during the breeding season, promoting opportunities for interspecific transmission. Comparisons of full-genome isolates confirmed near-complete genetic homology (>99.5%) of seven viruses between mallards and northern pintails. This study found viral segments of Eurasian lineage at a higher frequency in mallards than previous studies, suggesting transmission from other avian species migrating inter-hemispherically or the common occurrence of endemic Alaskan viruses containing segments of Eurasian origin. We conclude that mallards are unlikely to transfer Asian-origin viruses directly to North America via Alaska but that they are likely infected with Asian-origin viruses via interspecific transfer from species with regular migrations to the Eastern Hemisphere. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
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Pearce, John M.; Reeves, A.B.; Ramey, A.M.; Hupp, Jerry W.; Ip, Hon S.; Bertram, M.; Petrula, M.J.; Scotton, B.D.; Trust, K.A.; Meixell, Brandt W.; Runstadler, J.A.
2011-01-01
The movement and transmission of avian influenza viral strains via wild migratory birds may vary by host species as a result of migratory tendency and sympatry with other infected individuals. To examine the roles of host migratory tendency and species sympatry on the movement of Eurasian low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) genes into North America, we characterized migratory patterns and LPAI viral genomic variation in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) of Alaska in comparison with LPAI diversity of northern pintails (Anas acuta). A 50-year band-recovery data set suggests that unlike northern pintails, mallards rarely make trans-hemispheric migrations between Alaska and Eurasia. Concordantly, fewer (14.5%) of 62 LPAI isolates from mallards contained Eurasian gene segments compared to those from 97 northern pintails (35%), a species with greater inter-continental migratory tendency. Aerial survey and banding data suggest that mallards and northern pintails are largely sympatric throughout Alaska during the breeding season, promoting opportunities for interspecific transmission. Comparisons of full-genome isolates confirmed near-complete genetic homology (>99.5%) of seven viruses between mallards and northern pintails. This study found viral segments of Eurasian lineage at a higher frequency in mallards than previous studies, suggesting transmission from other avian species migrating inter-hemispherically or the common occurrence of endemic Alaskan viruses containing segments of Eurasian origin. We conclude that mallards are unlikely to transfer Asian-origin viruses directly to North America via Alaska but that they are likely infected with Asian-origin viruses via interspecific transfer from species with regular migrations to the Eastern Hemisphere.
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Seabird bycatch in Alaska demersal longline fishery trials: a demographic summary
Phillips, Elizabeth M.; Nevins, HannahRose M.; Hatch, Scott A.; Ramey, Andy M.; Miller, Melissa A.; Harvey, James T.
2010-01-01
The seasonal and spatial demographics are summarized for seabirds killed incidentally during gear modification trials for a demersal longline fishery in the Bering Sea. We examined 417 carcasses, including Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis (n = 205), Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens (n = 103), Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris (n = 48), Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus (n = 23), Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus (n = 4), Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (n = 1), Laysan Albatross Diomedea immutabilis (n = 1), and unidentified gull species Larus spp. (n = 32). There was a significant male bias in the sex ratio of fulmars but not of gulls or shearwaters. For the top three species killed, the age composition of resident species was dominated numerically by adults (Northern Fulmar—86%; Glaucous-winged Gull—63%), whereas migrant species were primarily immature birds (Short-tailed Shearwater—71%). The majority of migratory Short-tailed Shearwaters (88%) were caught in July and August, whereas 70% of resident fulmars and gulls were caught in October and November. Age-class frequencies did not differ by month of capture, indicating that adult mortality is substantial. Eighty percent of the fulmars caught during July and August were within 200 km of two colonies in the Bering Sea, whereas only 7% of fulmars were caught in the same area during September to November. This is one of the first demographic summaries of seabird bycatch in Alaska longline fisheries. Additional studies of the species, age and sex of seabirds subject to fisheries-related mortality will provide data necessary to evaluate population-level impacts.
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Publications - GMC 193 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical materials: Alaska State F #1, washed cuttings (13,980' - 13,990'); West Mikkelsen State #1, Canning River
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Iturrate-Garcia, Maitane; O'Brien, Michael J; Khitun, Olga; Abiven, Samuel; Niklaus, Pascal A; Schaepman-Strub, Gabriela
2016-11-01
Plant communities are coupled with abiotic factors, as species diversity and community composition both respond to and influence climate and soil characteristics. Interactions between vegetation and abiotic factors depend on plant functional types (PFT) as different growth forms will have differential responses to and effects on site characteristics. However, despite the importance of different PFT for community assembly and ecosystem functioning, research has mainly focused on vascular plants. Here, we established a set of observational plots in two contrasting habitats in northeastern Siberia in order to assess the relationship between species diversity and community composition with soil variables, as well as the relationship between vegetation cover and species diversity for two PFT (nonvascular and vascular). We found that nonvascular species diversity decreased with soil acidity and moisture and, to a lesser extent, with soil temperature and active layer thickness. In contrast, no such correlation was found for vascular species diversity. Differences in community composition were found mainly along soil acidity and moisture gradients. However, the proportion of variation in composition explained by the measured soil variables was much lower for nonvascular than for vascular species when considering the PFT separately. We also found different relationships between vegetation cover and species diversity according the PFT and habitat. In support of niche differentiation theory, species diversity and community composition were related to edaphic factors. The distinct relationships found for nonvascular and vascular species suggest the importance of considering multiple PFT when assessing species diversity and composition and their interaction with edaphic factors. Synthesis : Identifying vegetation responses to edaphic factors is a first step toward a better understanding of vegetation-soil feedbacks under climate change. Our results suggest that incorporating
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Juvenile groundfish habitat in Kachemak Bay, Alaska, during late summer
Abookire, Alisa A.; Piatt, John F.; Norcross, Brenda L.
2001-01-01
We investigated the habitat of juvenile groundfishes in relation to depth, water temperature, and salinity in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Stations ranging in depth from 10 to 70 m and with sand or mud-sand substrates were sampled with a small-meshed beam trawl in August-September of 1994 to 1999. A total of 8,201 fishes were captured, comprising at least 52 species. Most fishes (91%) had a total length 5% of the total catch) were flathead sole Hippoglossoides elassodon, slim sculpin Radulinus asprellus, Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis, and arrowtooth flounder Atheresthes stomias. Depth accounted for most of the spatial variability in juvenile groundfish abundance, and neither temperature nor salinity was correlated with fish abundance. Juvenile groundfishes concentrated in either shallow (less than or equal to 20 m) or deep (50-70 m) water, with co-occurrence of some species between 30-40 m. Shallow fishes were the rock soles, Pacific halibut, and great sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus. Deep species were flathead sole, slim sculpin, spinycheek starsnout Bathyagonus infraspinatus, rex sole Glyptocephalus zachirus, tadpole sculpin Psychrolutes paradoxus, and whitebarred prickleback Poroclinus rothrocki. This 6-year study provides baseline data on relative abundance and distribution of juvenile groundfishes in Kachemak Bay and may provide a useful tool for predicting the presence of species in similar habitats in other areas of Alaska.
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Abookire, Alisa A.; Piatt, John F.
2005-01-01
Forage fishes were sampled with a mid-water trawl in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA, from late July to early August 1996 to 1999. We sampled 3 oceanographically distinct areas of lower Cook Inlet: waters adjacent to Chisik Island, in Kachemak Bay, and near the Barren Islands. In 163 tows using a mid-water trawl, 229437 fishes with fork length <200 mm were captured. More than 39 species were captured in lower Cook Inlet, but Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus, juvenile Pacific herring Clupea pallasi, and juvenile walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma comprised 97.5% of the total individuals. Both species richness and species diversity were highest in warm, low-salinity, weakly stratified waters near Chisik Island. Kachemak Bay, which had thermohaline values between those found near Chisik Island and the Barren Islands, had an intermediate value of species richness. Species richness was lowest at the Barren Islands, an exposed region that regularly receives oceanic, upwelled water from the Gulf of Alaska. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to compute axes of species composition based on an ordination of pairwise site dissimilarities. Each axis was strongly rank-correlated with unique groups of species and examined separately as a function of environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, depth), area, and year. Oceanographic parameters accounted for 41 and 12% of the variability among forage fishes indicated by Axis 1 and Axis 2, respectively. Axis 1 also captured the spatial variability in the upwelled area of lower Cook Inlet and essentially contrasted the distribution of species among shallow, nearshore (sand lance, herring) and deep, offshore (walleye pollock) habitats. Axis 2 captured the spatial variability in forage fish communities from the north (Chisik Island) to the south (Barren Islands) of lower Cook Inlet and essentially contrasted a highly diverse community dominated by salmonids and osmerids (warmer, less saline) with a fish
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Dispersal rates affect species composition in metacommunities of Sarracenia purpurea inquilines.
Kneitel, Jamie M; Miller, Thomas E
2003-08-01
Dispersal among local communities can have a variety of effects on species composition and diversity at local and regional scales. Local conditions (e.g., resource and predator densities) can have independent effects, as well as interact with dispersal, to alter these patterns. Based on metacommunity models, we predicted that local diversity would show a unimodal relationship with dispersal frequency. We manipulated dispersal frequencies, resource levels, and the presence of predators (mosquito larvae) among communities found in the water-filled leaves of the pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea. Diversity and abundance of species of the middle trophic level, protozoa and rotifers, were measured. Increased dispersal frequencies significantly increased regional species richness and protozoan abundance while decreasing the variance among local communities. Dispersal frequency interacted with predation at the local community scale to produce patterns of diversity consistent with the model. When predators were absent, we found a unimodal relationship between dispersal frequency and diversity, and when predators were present, there was a flat relationship. Intermediate dispersal frequencies maintained some species in the inquiline communities by offsetting extinction rates. Local community composition and the degree of connectivity between communities are both important for understanding species diversity patterns at local and regional scales.
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Conservation Education Timber Management Wildland Fire & Aviation Burn Permits Firewise Alaska Brochure (PDF) Fire Management Plans Fire Assignments Annual Fire Statistics Fire Terms Glossary Incident Business Management Grants Become an Alaska Firewise Community Community Wildland Fire Protection Plans
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Madison, Erica N.; Piatt, John F.; Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Romano, Marc D.; van Pelt, Thomas I.; Nelson, S. Kim; Williams, Jeffrey C.; DeGange, Anthony R.
2011-01-01
The Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris is adapted for life in glacial-marine ecosystems, being concentrated in the belt of glaciated fjords in the northern Gulf of Alaska from Glacier Bay to Cook Inlet. Most of the remaining birds are scattered along coasts of the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands, where they reside in protected bays and inlets, often in proximity to remnant glaciers or recently deglaciated landscapes. We summarize existing information on Kittlitz's Murrelet in this mainly unglaciated region, extending from Kodiak Island in the east to the Near Islands in the west. From recent surveys, we estimated that ~2400 Kittlitz's Murrelets were found in several large embayments along the Alaska Peninsula, where adjacent ice fields feed silt-laden water into the bays. On Kodiak Island, where only remnants of ice remain today, observations of Kittlitz's Murrelets at sea were uncommon. The species has been observed historically around the entire Kodiak Archipelago, however, and dozens of nest sites were found in recent years. We found Kittlitz's Murrelets at only a few islands in the Aleutian chain, notably those with long complex shorelines, high mountains and remnant glaciers. The largest population (~1600 birds) of Kittlitz's Murrelet outside the Gulf of Alaska was found at Unalaska Island, which also supports the greatest concentration of glacial ice in the Aleutian Islands. Significant populations were found at Atka (~1100 birds), Attu (~800) and Adak (~200) islands. Smaller numbers have been reported from Unimak, Umnak, Amlia, Kanaga, Tanaga, Kiska islands, and Agattu Island, where dozens of nest sites have been located in recent years. Most of those islands have not been thoroughly surveyed, and significant pockets of Kittlitz's Murrelets may yet be discovered. Our estimate of ~6000 Kittlitz's Murrelets along the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands is also likely to be conservative because of the survey protocols we employed (i.e. early
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Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Alaska zone. 71.11 Section 71.11 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation STANDARD TIME ZONE BOUNDARIES § 71.11 Alaska zone. The sixth zone, the Alaska standard time zone, includes the entire State of Alaska, except as provided in § 71.12...
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Weckworth, Byron V; Dawson, Natalie G; Talbot, Sandra L; Flamme, Melanie J; Cook, Joseph A
2011-05-04
Many coastal species occupying the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest in North America comprise endemic populations genetically and ecologically distinct from interior continental conspecifics. Morphological variation previously identified among wolf populations resulted in recognition of multiple subspecies of wolves in the Pacific Northwest. Recently, separate genetic studies have identified diverged populations of wolves in coastal British Columbia and coastal Southeast Alaska, providing support for hypotheses of distinct coastal subspecies. These two regions are geographically and ecologically contiguous, however, there is no comprehensive analysis across all wolf populations in this coastal rainforest. By combining mitochondrial DNA datasets from throughout the Pacific Northwest, we examined the genetic relationship between coastal British Columbia and Southeast Alaska wolf populations and compared them with adjacent continental populations. Phylogenetic analysis indicates complete overlap in the genetic diversity of coastal British Columbia and Southeast Alaska wolves, but these populations are distinct from interior continental wolves. Analyses of molecular variation support the separation of all coastal wolves in a group divergent from continental populations, as predicted based on hypothesized subspecies designations. Two novel haplotypes also were uncovered in a newly assayed continental population of interior Alaska wolves. We found evidence that coastal wolves endemic to these temperate rainforests are diverged from neighbouring, interior continental wolves; a finding that necessitates new international strategies associated with the management of this species.
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Evidence and implications of recent and projected climate change in Alaska's forest ecosystems
Wolken, Jane M.; Hollingsworth, Teresa N.; Rupp, T. Scott; Chapin, Stuart III; Trainor, Sarah F.; Barrett, Tara M.; Sullivan, Patrick F.; McGuire, A. David; Euskirchen, Eugénie S.; Hennon, Paul E.; Beever, Erik A.; Conn, Jeff S.; Crone, Lisa K.; D'Amore, David V.; Fresco, Nancy; Hanley, Thomas A.; Kielland, Knut; Kruse, James J.; Patterson, Trista; Schuur, Edward A.G.; Verbyla, David L.; Yarie, John
2011-01-01
The structure and function of Alaska's forests have changed significantly in response to a changing climate, including alterations in species composition and climate feedbacks (e.g., carbon, radiation budgets) that have important regional societal consequences and human feedbacks to forest ecosystems. In this paper we present the first comprehensive synthesis of climate-change impacts on all forested ecosystems of Alaska, highlighting changes in the most critical biophysical factors of each region. We developed a conceptual framework describing climate drivers, biophysical factors and types of change to illustrate how the biophysical and social subsystems of Alaskan forests interact and respond directly and indirectly to a changing climate. We then identify the regional and global implications to the climate system and associated socio-economic impacts, as presented in the current literature. Projections of temperature and precipitation suggest wildfire will continue to be the dominant biophysical factor in the Interior-boreal forest, leading to shifts from conifer- to deciduous-dominated forests. Based on existing research, projected increases in temperature in the Southcentral- and Kenai-boreal forests will likely increase the frequency and severity of insect outbreaks and associated wildfires, and increase the probability of establishment by invasive plant species. In the Coastal-temperate forest region snow and ice is regarded as the dominant biophysical factor. With continued warming, hydrologic changes related to more rapidly melting glaciers and rising elevation of the winter snowline will alter discharge in many rivers, which will have important consequences for terrestrial and marine ecosystem productivity. These climate-related changes will affect plant species distribution and wildlife habitat, which have regional societal consequences, and trace-gas emissions and radiation budgets, which are globally important. Our conceptual framework facilitates
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Species composition of developing Central Appalachian hardwood stands following clearcutting
Lance A. Vickers; Thomas Fox
2015-01-01
This study examined the species composition of 47 paired stands on submesic sites on the Appalachian Plateau of West Virginia. Paired stands consisted of a mature stand adjacent to a young clearcut that was
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Outdoor recreation in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska: trends in activity participation
Troy E. Hall; Heather Heaton; Linda E. Kruger
2009-01-01
Population growth in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska is expected to increase demand for outdoor recreation on public land. This trend will be tempered by changes in the sociodemographic composition of the population. Among sociodemographic characteristics, different ages and incomes correspond to different participation rates. Although older Americans are participating...
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[Species composition and spatial structure of plants in urban parks of Beijing].
Zhao, Juan-Juan; Ouyang, Zhi-Yun; Zheng, Hua; Xu, Wei-Hua; Wang, Xiao-Ke
2009-02-01
By the method of stratified random sampling, the species composition and spatial structure of the plants in 53 parks in Beijing urban area were investigated, aimed to provide basic information for the protection of plant diversity in the parks and the management of the parks. A total of 492 plant species belong to 96 families and 283 genera were recorded. Based on the data of 21 investigation items about the trees, shrubs, and grasses in the study area and related statistical analyses, the plant structural patterns commonly seen in the green space of the parks of Beijing urban area were introduced. Among the plants in the parks, native species occupied 53.86% of the total. The chorological composition of the genera embraced broad kinds of geographical elements in China, and the predominance of dominant plants was remarkable. In most green patches of the parks, herbaceous species were more abundant and had higher coverage, shrubs had relatively low coverage and were less beneath tree canopy, and trees and shrubs had lower species richness and density. The canopy breadth and the diameter of breast height of trees as well as the breadth of shrubs and the heights of trees and shrubs were basically at the second grade, but the canopy structure of the trees were better, with good conditions of sunlight and growth. The crown missing of the shrubs was relatively low. It was suggested from correlation analyses and document survey of Beijing parks construction history that park landscape design, alien species introduction; and cultivation management were the main factors affecting the species composition and spatial structure of the plants in Beijing urban parks.
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The ghosts of trees past: savanna trees create enduring legacies in plant species composition.
Stahlheber, Karen A; Crispin, Kimberly L; Anton, Cassidy; D'Antonio, Carla M
2015-09-01
Isolated trees in savannas worldwide are known to modify their local environment and interact directly with neighboring plants. Less is known about how related tree species differ in their impacts on surrounding communities, how the effects of trees vary between years, and how composition might change following loss of the tree. To address these knowledge gaps, we explored the following questions: How do savanna trees influence the surrounding composition of herbaceous plants? Is the influence of trees consistent across different species and years? How does this change following the death of the tree? We surveyed herbaceous species composition and environmental attributes surrounding living and dead evergreen and deciduous Quercus trees in California (USA) savannas across several years that differed in their total precipitation. Oak trees of all species created distinct, homogenous understory communities dominated by exotic grasses across several sites. The composition of the low-diversity understory communities showed less interannual variation than open grassland, despite a two-fold difference in precipitation between the driest and wettest year. Vegetation composition was correlated with variation in soil properties, which were strongly affected by trees. Oaks also influenced the communities beyond the edge of the crown, but this depended on site and oak species. Low-diversity understory communities persisted up to 43 years following the death of the tree. A gradual decline in the effect of trees on the physical, environment following death did not result in vegetation becoming more similar to open grassland over time. The presence of long-lasting legacies of past tree crowns highlights the difficulty of assigning control of the current distribution of herbaceous species in grassland to their contemporary environment.
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Jamil, Norsyarizan; Ismail, Wan Nurainie Wan; Abidin, Siti Shamimi; Amaran, Mazdan Ali; Hazali, Ratnawati
2017-01-01
A survey on termite species composition was conducted in Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak in February 2015. Overall 19 species of termite belonging to 13 genera and 8 subfamilies was found in the sanctuary. It was recorded the subfamily of Termitinae had the highest number of species (6 species, equal to 31.58% of total species), followed by Nasutermitinae (3 species, 15.79%), Macrotermitinae, Amitermitinae, Rhinotermitinae, Coptotermitinae, (2 species, 10.53% respectively), and Heterotermitinae, Termitogetoninae (1 species, 5.26% respectively). Since this rapid survey is the first termite assemblage representation in Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, the preliminary result may serve as the baseline data for termite composition in the area. Therefore, a whole coverage for the area within this sanctuary would definitely increase the number of termite species found in the sanctuary. PMID:28890771
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Jamil, Norsyarizan; Ismail, Wan Nurainie Wan; Abidin, Siti Shamimi; Amaran, Mazdan Ali; Hazali, Ratnawati
2017-07-01
A survey on termite species composition was conducted in Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak in February 2015. Overall 19 species of termite belonging to 13 genera and 8 subfamilies was found in the sanctuary. It was recorded the subfamily of Termitinae had the highest number of species (6 species, equal to 31.58% of total species), followed by Nasutermitinae (3 species, 15.79%), Macrotermitinae, Amitermitinae, Rhinotermitinae, Coptotermitinae, (2 species, 10.53% respectively), and Heterotermitinae, Termitogetoninae (1 species, 5.26% respectively). Since this rapid survey is the first termite assemblage representation in Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary, the preliminary result may serve as the baseline data for termite composition in the area. Therefore, a whole coverage for the area within this sanctuary would definitely increase the number of termite species found in the sanctuary.
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Frog species richness, composition and beta-diversity in coastal Brazilian restinga habitats.
Rocha, C F D; Hatano, F H; Vrcibradic, D; Van Sluys, M
2008-02-01
We studied the species richness and composition of frogs in 10 restinga habitats (sand dune environments dominated by herbaceous and shrubby vegetation) along approximately 1500 km of coastal areas of three Brazilian States: Rio de Janeiro (Grumari, Maricá, Massambaba, Jurubatiba and Grussaí), Espírito Santo (Praia das Neves and Setiba) and Bahia (Prado and Trancoso). We estimated beta-diversity and similarity among areas and related these parameters to geographic distance between areas. All areas were surveyed with a similar sampling procedure. We found 28 frog species belonging to the families Hylidae, Microhylidae, Leptodactylidae and Bufonidae. Frogs in restingas were in general nocturnal with no strictly diurnal species. The richest restinga was Praia das Neves (13 species), followed by Grussaí and Trancoso (eight species in each). The commonest species in the restingas was Scinax alter (found in eight restingas), followed by Aparasphenodon brunoi (seven areas). Our data shows that richness and composition of frog communities vary consistently along the eastern Brazilian coast and, in part, the rate of species turnover is affected by the distance among areas. Geographic distance explained approximately 12% of species turnover in restingas and about 9.5% of similarity among frog assemblages. Although geographic distance somewhat affects frog assemblages, other factors (e.g. historical factors, disturbances) seem to be also involved in explaining present frog assemblage composition in each area and species turnover among areas. The frog fauna along restinga habitats was significantly nested (matrix community temperature = 26.13 degrees; p = 0.007). Our data also showed that the most hospitable restinga was Praia das Neves and indicated that this area should be protected as a conservation unit. Frog assemblage of each area seems to partially represent a nested subset of the original assemblage, although we should not ignore the importance of historical
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Publications - RDF 2015-5 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska
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Publications - RI 2009-2 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska
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Publications - RDF 2016-3 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska
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Publications - RDF 2016-5 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska
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Publications - RDF 2014-22 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska
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Publications - RDF 2015-8 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
from the Tonsina area, Valdez Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Factors associated with long-term species composition in dry tropical forests of Central India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Agarwala, M.; DeFries, R. S.; Qureshi, Q.; Jhala, Y. V.
2016-10-01
The long-term future of species composition in forests depends on regeneration. Many factors can affect regeneration, including human use, environmental conditions, and species’ traits. This study examines the influence of these factors in a tropical deciduous forest of Central India, which is heavily used by local, forest-dependent residents for livestock grazing, fuel-wood extraction, construction and other livelihood needs. We measure size-class proportions (the ratio of abundance of a species at a site in a higher size class to total abundance in both lower and higher size classes) for 39 tree species across 20 transects at different intensities of human use. The size-class proportions for medium to large trees and for small to medium-sized trees were negatively associated with species that are used for local construction, while size class proportions for saplings to small trees were positively associated with those species that are fire resistant and negatively associated with livestock density. Results indicate that grazing and fire prevent non-fire resistant species from reaching reproductive age, which can alter the long term composition and future availability of species that are important for local use and ecosystem services. Management efforts to reduce fire and forest grazing could reverse these impacts on long-term forest composition.
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Publications - RDF 2015-16 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
rocks collected in 2015 in the Wrangellia mineral assessment area, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - RDF 2015-9 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
samples from the Zane Hills, Hughes and Shungnak quadrangles, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Leaf Mass Area, Leaf Carbon and Nitrogen Content, Barrow, Alaska, 2012-2016
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Rogers, Alistair; Ely, Kim; Serbin, Shawn
Carbon, Nitrogen and Leaf Mass Area of leaves sampled from the Barrow Environmental Observatory, Barrow, Alaska. Species measured; Arctophila fulva, Arctagrostis latifolia, Carex aquatilis, Dupontia fisheri, Eriophorum angustifolium, Petasites frigidus, Salix pulchra, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Salix rotundifolia, Luzula arctica, Saxifraga punctata and Potentilla hyparctica.
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Wilson, Frederic H.; Labay, Keith A.
2016-11-09
This map shows the generalized geology of Alaska, which helps us to understand where potential mineral deposits and energy resources might be found, define ecosystems, and ultimately, teach us about the earth history of the State. Rock units are grouped in very broad categories on the basis of age and general rock type. A much more detailed and fully referenced presentation of the geology of Alaska is available in the Geologic Map of Alaska (http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3340). This product represents the simplification of thousands of individual rock units into just 39 broad groups. Even with this generalization, the sheer complexity of Alaskan geology remains evident.
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Phylogeography above the species level for perennial species in a composite genus
Tremetsberger, Karin; Ortiz, María Ángeles; Terrab, Anass; Balao, Francisco; Casimiro-Soriguer, Ramón; Talavera, María; Talavera, Salvador
2016-01-01
In phylogeography, DNA sequence and fingerprint data at the population level are used to infer evolutionary histories of species. Phylogeography above the species level is concerned with the genealogical aspects of divergent lineages. Here, we present a phylogeographic study to examine the evolutionary history of a western Mediterranean composite, focusing on the perennial species of Helminthotheca (Asteraceae, Cichorieae). We used molecular markers (amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), internal transcribed spacer and plastid DNA sequences) to infer relationships among populations throughout the distributional range of the group. Interpretation is aided by biogeographic and molecular clock analyses. Four coherent entities are revealed by Bayesian mixture clustering of AFLP data, which correspond to taxa previously recognized at the rank of subspecies. The origin of the group was in western North Africa, from where it expanded across the Strait of Gibraltar to the Iberian Peninsula and across the Strait of Sicily to Sicily. Pleistocene lineage divergence is inferred within western North Africa as well as within the western Iberian region. The existence of the four entities as discrete evolutionary lineages suggests that they should be elevated to the rank of species, yielding H. aculeata, H. comosa, H. maroccana and H. spinosa, whereby the latter two necessitate new combinations. PMID:26644340
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Publications - PDF 96-17 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska the Fairbanks Mining District, Alaska, scale 1:63,360 (15.0 M) Digital Geospatial Data Digital © 2010 Webmaster State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State
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Publications - MP 156 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska /29446 Publication Products Report Report Information mp156.pdf (126.0 K) Digital Geospatial Data Digital State of Alaska © 2010 Webmaster State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska
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Search the Division of Finance site DOF State of Alaska Finance Home Content Area Accounting Charge Cards Administrative Manual Table of Contents Contains State of Alaska accounting/payroll policies and information clarifying accounting and payroll procedures. Policies are carried out through standard statewide procedures
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Geologic studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1997
Kelley, Karen D.
1999-01-01
Geologic Framework studies provide background information that is the scientific basis for present and future studies of the environment, mineral and energy resources, paleoclimate, and hazards in Alaska. One paper presents the results of sedimentologic and paleontologic comparisons of lower Paleozoic, deep-water-facies rock units in central Alaska (Dumoulin and others). The authors show which of these units are likely to correlate with one another, suggest likely source regions, and provide a structural restoration of units that have been fragmented by large fault motions. A second framework paper provides a map, rock descriptions, and chemical compositions of volcanic rocks in a newly recognized, geologically young volcanic center in the Aleutian volcanic arc (Hildreth and others). A third paper presents an interesting summary of gravity changes that occurred in south-central Alaska during the great earthquake of 1964 and for the following 25 years (Barnes). Gravity changes correlate with land-elevation changes in some cases, but not in others, which means that different processes are responsible for the gravity changes.
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Publications - GMC 410 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
) Keywords Geochemistry; Rare Earth Elements Top of Page Department of Natural Resources, Division of Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - GMC 409 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
) Keywords Geochemistry; Rare Earth Elements Top of Page Department of Natural Resources, Division of Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - GMC 183 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical materials: AK State C #1, Bush Federal #1, Echooka Unit #1, Fin Creek Unit #1, E. De K. Leffingwell #1, Nora
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Zhou, Yonghong; Peisker, Helga
2016-01-01
Cardiolipin (CL), an anionic phospholipid of the inner mitochondrial membrane, provides essential functions for stabilizing respiratory complexes and is involved in mitochondrial morphogenesis and programmed cell death in animals. The role of CL and its metabolism in plants are less well understood. The measurement of CL in plants, including its molecular species composition, is hampered by the fact that CL is of extremely low abundance, and that plants contain large amounts of interfering compounds including galactolipids, neutral lipids, and pigments. We used solid phase extraction by anion exchange chromatography to purify CL from crude plant lipid extracts. LC/MS was used to determine the content and molecular species composition of CL. Thus, up to 23 different molecular species of CL were detected in different plant species, including Arabidopsis, mung bean, spinach, barley, and tobacco. Similar to animals, plant CL is dominated by highly unsaturated species, mostly containing linoleic and linolenic acid. During phosphate deprivation or exposure to an extended dark period, the amount of CL decreased in Arabidopsis, accompanied with an increased degree in unsaturation. The mechanism of CL remodeling during stress, and the function of highly unsaturated CL molecular species, remains to be defined. PMID:27179363
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Composition of precipitation in remote areas of the world
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Galloway, J.N.; Likens, G.E.; Keene, W.C.
1982-10-20
The Global Precipitation Chemistry Project collects precipitation by event to determine composition and processes controlling it in five remote areas. Compositions (excluding seasalt) at St. Georges, Bermuda, were primarily controlled by anthropogenic processes; compositions and acidities at San Carlos, Venezuela, Katherine, Australia, Poker, Flat, Alaska, and Amsterdam Island were controlled by unknown mixtures of natural or anthropogenic processes. Precipitation was acidic; average volume-weighted pH values were 4.8 for Bermuda; 5.0, Alaska; 4.9, Amsterdam Island; 4.8, Australia; 4.8, Venezuela. Acidities at Bermuda and Alaska were from long-range transport of sulfate aerosol; at Venezuela, Australia, and Amsterdam Island, from mixtures of weakmore » organic and strong mineral acids, primarily H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. Relative proportions of weak to strong acids were largest at Venezuela and lowest at Amsterdam Island. Weak and strong acids were from mixtures of natural and anthropogenic processes. Once contributions from human activities were removed, the lower limit of natural contributions was probably > or =pH 5.« less
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Composition of precipitation in remote areas of the world
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Galloway, J.N.; Likens, G.E.; Keene, W.C.
1982-10-20
The Global Precipitation Chemistry Project collects precipitation by event to determine composition and processes controlling it in five remote areas. Compositions (excluding sea-salt) at St. Georges, Bermuda, were primarily controlled by anthropogenic processes; composition and acidities at San Carlos, Venezuela, Katherine, Australia, Poker Flat, Alaska, and Amsterdam Island were controlled by unknown mixtures of natural or anthropogenic processes. Precipitation was acidic; average volume-weighted pH values were 4.8 for Bermuda; 5.0, Alaska; 4.9, Amsterdam Island; 4.8, Australia; 4.8, Venezuela. Acidities at Bermuda and Alaska were from long-range transport of sulfate aerosol; at Venezuela, Australia, and Amsterdam Island, from mixtures of weakmore » organic and strong mineral acids, primarily H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/. Relative proportions of weak to strong acids were largest at Venezuela and lowest at Amsterdam Island. Weak and strong acids were from mixtures of natural and anthropogenic processes. Once contributions from human activities were removed, the lower limit of natural contributions was probably greater than or equal to pH 5.« less
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Alaska Native Education: Issues in the Nineties. Alaska Native Policy Papers.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kleinfeld, Judith
This booklet identifies several crucial problems in Alaska Native education, for example: (1) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) occur in Alaska Native populations at relatively high rates and can produce mental retardation, hyperactivity, attention deficits, and learning disabilities; (2) while many Native rural school…
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Heather T. Root; Bruce McCune; Sarah Jovan
2014-01-01
Because of their unique physiology, lichen communities are highly sensitive to climatic conditions,making them ideal bioindicators for climate change. Southeast and south-central Alaska host diverse and abundant lichen communities and are faced with a more rapidly changing climate than many more southerly latitudes. We develop sensitive lichen-based indicators for...
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Implications of research on lodgepole pine introduction in interior Alaska.
John N. Alden
1988-01-01
Growth, winter injury, and mortality were evaluated for 12-year-old trees of 11 subarctic lodgepole pine provenances and a jack pine provenance at Fairbanks, Alaska. Provenances from northeast British Columbia grew more than 0.003 cubic meter of wood per tree annually from 9 to 12 years after outplanting. The species sustained snow damage and winter injury, however,...
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Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Piatt, John F.; Romano, Marc D.; van Pelt, Thomas I.
2011-01-01
The Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris is a candidate species for listing under the US Endangered Species Act because of its apparent declines within core population areas of coastal Alaska. During the summers of 2006-2008, we conducted surveys in marine waters adjacent to Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, to estimate the current population size of Kittlitz's and Marbled murrelets B. marmoratus and examine seasonal variability in distribution within coastal fjords. We also evaluated historical data to estimate trend. Based on an average of point estimates, we find the recent population (95% CI) of Kittlitz's Murrelet to be 716 (353-1080) individuals, that of Marbled Murrelet to be 6690 (5427-7953) individuals, and all Brachyramphus murrelets combined to number 8186 (6978-9393) birds. Within-season density estimates showed Kittlitz's Murrelets generally increased between June and July, but dispersed rapidly by August, while Marbled Murrelets generally increased throughout the summer. Trends in Kittlitz's and Marbled murrelet populations were difficult to assess with confidence. Methods for counting or sampling murrelets varied in early decades of study, while in later years there is uncertainty due to highly variable counts among years, which may be due in part to timing of surveys relative to the spring bloom in coastal waters of the Gulf of Alaska.
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Alaska Public Offices Commission, Department of Administration, State of
Visiting Alaska State Employees State of Alaska Department of Administration Alaska Public Offices Commission Alaska Department of Administration, Alaska Public Offices Commission APOC Home Commission Filer ; AO's Contact Us Administration > Alaska Public Offices Commission Alaska Public Offices Commission
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Wilson, Frederic H.; Weber, Florence R.; Rennick, Penny
1994-01-01
Many Alaskans know the dynamic nature of Alaska’s landscape firsthand. The 1964 earthquake, the 1989 eruption of Mount Redoubt volcano, the frequent earthquakes in the Aleutians and the ever-shifting meanders of the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers remind them of constant changes to the land. These changes are part of the continuing story of the geologic growth and development of Alaska during hundreds of millions of years. By geologic time, Alaska has only recently come into existence and the dynamic processes that formed it continue to affect it. The landscape we see today has been shaped by glacier and stream erosion or their indirect effects, and to a lesser extent by volcanoes. Most prominently, if less obviously, Alaska has been built by slow movements of the Earth’s crust we call tectonic or mountain-building.During 5 billion years of geologic time, the Earth’s crust has repeatedly broken apart into plates. These plates have recombined, and have shifted positions relative to each other, to the Earth’s rotational axis and to the equator. Large parts of the Earth’s crust, including Alaska, have been built and destroyed by tectonic forces. Alaska is a collage of transported and locally formed fragments of crusts As erosion and deposition reshape the land surface, climatic changes, brought on partly by changing ocean and atmospheric circulation patterns, alter the location and extent of tropical, temperate and arctic environments. We need to understand the results of these processes as they acted upon Alaska to understand the formation of Alaska. Rocks can provide hints of previous environments because they contain traces of ocean floor and lost lands, bits and pieces of ancient history.
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Physiographic position, disturbance and species composition in North Carolina coastal plain forests
James G. Wyant; Ralph J. Alig; William A. Bechtold
1991-01-01
Relations among physiographic heterogeneity, disturbance and temporal change in forest composition were analyzed on 765 forest stands in the southern coastal plain of North Carolina. Physiographic position strongly restricted the species composition of forest stands, though broad overlap of some physiographic classes was noted. Forest stands in different physiographic...
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Publications - GMC 370 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
(249.0 K) Keywords Rare Earth Elements Top of Page Department of Natural Resources, Division of Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - GMC 159 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical State #1, Kuparuk Unit #1, Mikkelsen Bay State 13-09-19, Ravik State #1, Pt. Thomson Unit #2, West
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ESS (Employee Self Service) E-Travel Online Login IRIS FIN/PROC Login IRIS HRM Login LearnAlaska SFOA SharePoint Site TRIPS (Traveler Integrated Profile System) Vendor Self Service (VSS) Resources Alaska & Resources Manuals Payment Detail Report Salary Schedules SFOA SharePoint Site (SOA Only) Training
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Fatty Acid Compositions of Six Wild Edible Mushroom Species
Günç Ergönül, Pelin; Akata, Ilgaz; Kalyoncu, Fatih; Ergönül, Bülent
2013-01-01
The fatty acids of six wild edible mushroom species (Boletus reticulatus, Flammulina velutipes var. velutipes, Lactarius salmonicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus, Polyporus squamosus, and Russula anthracina) collected from different regions from Anatolia were determined. The fatty acids were identified and quantified by gas chromatography and studied using fruit bodies. Fatty acid composition varied among species. The dominant fatty acid in fruit bodies of all mushrooms was cis-linoleic acid (18 : 2). Percentage of cis-linoleic acid in species varied from 22.39% to 65.29%. The other major fatty acids were, respectively, cis-oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Fatty acids analysis of the mushrooms showed that the unsaturated fatty acids were at higher concentrations than saturated fatty acids. PMID:23844377
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Newman, S. D.; Clague, J. J.; Rabus, B.; Stead, D.
2013-12-01
Multiple, active, deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSD) are present near the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and Richardson Highway in the east-central Alaska Range, Alaska, USA. We documented spatial and temporal variations in rates of surface movement of the DSGSDs between 2003 and 2011 using RADARSAT-1 and RADARSAT-2 D-InSAR images. Deformation rates exceed 10 cm/month over very large areas (>1 km2) of many rock slopes. Recent climatic change and strong seismic shaking, especially during the 2002 M 7.9 Denali Fault earthquake, appear to have exacerbated slope deformation. We also mapped DSGSD geological and morphological characteristics using field- and GIS-based methods, and constructed a conceptual 2D distinct-element numerical model of one of the DSGSDs. Preliminary results indicate that large-scale buckling or kink-band slumping may be occurring. The DSGSDs are capable of generating long-runout landslides that might impact the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and Richardson Highway. They could also block tributary valleys, thereby impounding lakes that might drain suddenly. Wrapped 24-day RADARSAT-2 descending spotlight interferogram showing deformation north of Fels Glacier. The interferogram is partially transparent and is overlaid on a 2009 WorldView-1 panchromatic image. Acquisition interval: August 2 - August 26, 2011. UTM Zone 6N.
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A stable isotope record of late Cenozoic surface uplift of southern Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bill, Nicholas S.; Mix, Hari T.; Clark, Peter U.; Reilly, Sean P.; Jensen, Britta J. L.; Benowitz, Jeffrey A.
2018-01-01
Although the timing of an acceleration in late-Cenozoic exhumation of southern Alaska is reasonably well constrained as beginning ∼5-∼6 Ma, the surface uplift history of this region remains poorly understood. To assess the extent of surface uplift relative to rapid exhumation, we developed a stable isotope record using the hydrogen isotope composition (δD) of paleo-meteoric water over the last ∼7 Ma from interior basins of Alaska and Yukon Territory. Our record, which is derived from authigenic clays (δDclay) in silicic tephras, documents a ∼50-60‰ increase in δD values from the late Miocene (∼6-∼7 Ma) through the Plio-Pleistocene transition (∼2-∼3 Ma), followed by near-constant values over at least the last ∼2 Ma. Although this enrichment trend is opposite that of a Rayleigh distillation model typically associated with surface uplift, we suggest that it is consistent with indirect effects of surface uplift on interior Alaska, including changes in aridity, moisture source, and seasonality of moisture. We conclude that the δDclay record documents the creation of a topographic barrier and the associated changes to the climate of interior Alaska and Yukon Territory.
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50 CFR 92.22 - Subsistence migratory bird species.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Subsistence migratory bird species. 92.22... (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS MIGRATORY BIRD SUBSISTENCE HARVEST IN ALASKA General Regulations Governing Subsistence Harvest § 92.22 Subsistence migratory bird species. You may harvest birds or gather...
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50 CFR 92.22 - Subsistence migratory bird species.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Subsistence migratory bird species. 92.22... (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS MIGRATORY BIRD SUBSISTENCE HARVEST IN ALASKA General Regulations Governing Subsistence Harvest § 92.22 Subsistence migratory bird species. You may harvest birds or gather...
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Khlifa, Rim; Paquette, Alain; Messier, Christian; Reich, Peter B; Munson, Alison D
2017-10-01
Studies of biodiversity-ecosystem function in treed ecosystems have generally focused on aboveground functions. This study investigates intertrophic links between tree diversity and soil microbial community function and composition. We examined how microbial communities in surface mineral soil responded to experimental gradients of tree species richness (SR), functional diversity (FD), community-weighted mean trait value (CWM), and tree identity. The site was a 4-year-old common garden experiment near Montreal, Canada, consisting of deciduous and evergreen tree species mixtures. Microbial community composition, community-level physiological profiles, and respiration were evaluated using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and the MicroResp ™ system, respectively. The relationship between tree species richness and glucose-induced respiration (GIR), basal respiration (BR), metabolic quotient (qCO 2 ) followed a positive but saturating shape. Microbial communities associated with species mixtures were more active (basal respiration [BR]), with higher biomass (glucose-induced respiration [GIR]), and used a greater number of carbon sources than monocultures. Communities associated with deciduous tree species used a greater number of carbon sources than those associated with evergreen species, suggesting a greater soil carbon storage capacity. There were no differences in microbial composition (PLFA) between monocultures and SR mixtures. The FD and the CWM of several functional traits affected both BR and GIR. In general, the CWM of traits had stronger effects than did FD, suggesting that certain traits of dominant species have more effect on ecosystem processes than does FD. Both the functions of GIR and BR were positively related to aboveground tree community productivity. Both tree diversity (SR) and identity (species and functional identity-leaf habit) affected soil microbial community respiration, biomass, and composition. For the first time, we identified
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Alaska Volcano Observatory Seismic Network Data Availability
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dixon, J. P.; Haney, M. M.; McNutt, S. R.; Power, J. A.; Prejean, S. G.; Searcy, C. K.; Stihler, S. D.; West, M. E.
2009-12-01
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) established in 1988 as a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, monitors active volcanoes in Alaska. Thirty-three volcanoes are currently monitored by a seismograph network consisting of 193 stations, of which 40 are three-component stations. The current state of AVO’s seismic network, and data processing and availability are summarized in the annual AVO seismological bulletin, Catalog of Earthquake Hypocenters at Alaska Volcanoes, published as a USGS Data Series (most recent at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/467). Despite a rich seismic data set for 12 VEI 2 or greater eruptions, and over 80,000 located earthquakes in the last 21 years, the volcanic seismicity in the Aleutian Arc remains understudied. Initially, AVO seismic data were only provided via a data supplement as part of the annual bulletin, or upon request. Over the last few years, AVO has made seismic data more available with the objective of increasing volcano seismic research on the Aleutian Arc. The complete AVO earthquake catalog data are now available through the annual AVO bulletin and have been submitted monthly to the on-line Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) composite catalog since 2008. Segmented waveform data for all catalog earthquakes are available upon request and efforts are underway to make this archive web accessible as well. Continuous data were first archived using a tape backup, but the availability of low cost digital storage media made a waveform backup of continuous data a reality. Currently the continuous AVO waveform data can be found in several forms. Since late 2002, AVO has burned all continuous waveform data to DVDs, as well as storing these data in Antelope databases at the Geophysical Institute. Beginning in 2005, data have been available through a Winston Wave Server housed at the USGS in
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Zhang, Qian; Zhong, Jin-Xin
2013-05-01
Based on the related published papers, and by using Geographic Information System (ArcGIS 9.3), this paper analyzed the species composition and geographical distribution of threatened fishes in Yunnan Province of Southwest China. There were 83 threatened species living in the Province, belonging to 5 orders, 13 families, and 47 genera. Cypriniformes was absolutely dominant, with 64 species, followed by Siluriformes, with 16 species. Cyprinidae fishes had 51 species, accounting for 79.7% of Cypriniformes. The most species of Cyprinid fishes were of Barbinae (14 species), Cyprininae (10 species), and Cultrinae (10 species). The threatened fishes could be divided into two zoogeographical regions, i. e., Tibetan Plateau region and Oriental region, and their species composition and geographical distribution were resulted from the historical evolution adapted to the related environments. Whatever in rivers and in lakes, the Cyprinid fishes were both absolutely dominant, occupying 36.1% and 31.3% of the total, respectively. The Cyprinid fishes in rivers were mostly of endangered species, while those in lakes were mostly of vulnerable species. The factors affecting the threatened fishes in the Province were discussed from the two aspects of geodynamic evolution and present situation.
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Publications - MP 142 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Home Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska Tidal Datum
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Publications - SR 70 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Home Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska Tidal Datum
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Publications - MP 38 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Home Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska Tidal Datum
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Publications - SR 45 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Home Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska Tidal Datum
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Publications - MP 43 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Home Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska Tidal Datum
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Publications - MP 149 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Home Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska Tidal Datum
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Presentations - Wypych, Alicja and others, 2015 | Alaska Division of
Geological & Geophysical Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem
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Aboveground tree biomass on productive forest land in Alaska.
John Yarie; Delbert Mead
1982-01-01
Total aboveground woody biomass of trees on forest land that can produce 1.4 cubic m eters per hectare per year of industrial wood in Alaska is 1.33 billion metric tons green weight. The estimated energy value of the standing woody biomass is 11.9 x 10'5 Btu's. Statewide tables of biomass and energy values for softwoods, hardwoods, and species groups are...
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Evidence of Emperor Geese breeding in Russia and staging in Alaska
Schmutz, Joel A.; Kondratyev, Alexander V.
1995-01-01
Emperor Geese (Chen canagica) breed primarily on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska (Eisenhauer and Kirkpatrick 1977), but a small, poorly quantified proportion of the world's population is known to breed in the Russia Far East (Kistchinski 1976, 1988, Portenko 1981). Eisenhauer and Kirkpatrick (1977) stated that 80 to 90% of all Emperor Geese breed on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, and current estimates for numbers of breeding pairs in this area are 20,000 to 25,000 (R. A. Stehn, National Biological Service, Anchorage, Alaska, unpubl. data). In Russia, Emperor Geese are distributed primarily along the north coast of the Chukotka Peninsula between Kolyuchin Bay and Cape Shmidt, and in the Anadyr Lowlands along the coast of Anadyr Bay (Fig. 1; Kistchinski 1988, Kondratyev 1992, 1993), Kistchinski (1976) noted that up to 80% of these geese are nonbreeding birds. Recent aerial surveys of Emperor Goose habitats along the eastern coast of Russia indicated a minimum of 3,000 to 5,000 geese, although very few were on nests or with young, and only 127 total broods were seen during these surveys (J. I. Hodges, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Juneau, Alaska, unpubl. data) It is not known if these two continental distributions of breeding Emperor Geese commingle and use similar areas during migration and for winter. Aerial surveys of the Alaska Peninsula during spring and fall indicate that lagoons on the northern coast are the primary staging areas for this species, and it is presumed that virtually all Emperor Geese use the Alaska Peninsula during migration (Petersen and Gill 1982). Emperor Geese winter throughout the Aleutian and Kommandorsky islands (Byrd et al., 1974). In the late fall, geese arrive in the western and eastern Aleutian Islands before arriving in the central Aleutians, thus suggesting that geese may be coming to this wintering area from both continents (G. V. Byrd pers, comm.). Speculations of previous investigators that Emperor Geese breeding in
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Sections | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological & Communications Alaska Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates Sponsors' Proposals STATEMAP
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Schumacher, Catherine; Ferucci, Elizabeth D; Lanier, Anne P; Slattery, Martha L; Schraer, Cynthia D; Raymer, Terry W; Dillard, Denise; Murtaugh, Maureen A; Tom-Orme, Lillian
2008-12-01
Metabolic syndrome occurs commonly in the United States. The purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among American Indian and Alaska Native people. We measured the prevalence rates of metabolic syndrome, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program, among four groups of American Indian and Alaska Native people aged 20 years and older. One group was from the southwestern United States (Navajo Nation), and three groups resided within Alaska. Prevalence rates were age-adjusted to the U.S. adult 2000 population and compared to rates for U.S. whites (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] 1988-1994). Among participants from the southwestern United States, metabolic syndrome was found among 43.2% of men and 47.3% of women. Among Alaska Native people, metabolic syndrome was found among 26.5% of men and 31.2% of women. In Alaska, the prevalence rate varied by region, ranging among men from 18.9% (western Alaska) to 35.1% (southeast), and among women from 22.0% (western Alaska) to 38.4 % (southeast). Compared to U.S. whites, American Indian/Alaska Native men and women from all regions except western Alaska were more likely to have metabolic syndrome; men in western Alaska were less likely to have metabolic syndrome than U.S. whites, and the prevalence among women in western Alaska was similar to that of U.S. whites. The prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome varies widely among different American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Differences paralleled differences in the prevalence rates of diabetes.
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Publications - RDF 2015-7 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
, Geochemical reanalysis of historical U.S. Geological Survey sediment samples from the northeastern Alaska Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Introduced northern pike predation on salmonids in southcentral Alaska
Sepulveda, Adam J.; Rutz, David S.; Ivey, Sam S.; Dunker, Kristine J.; Gross, Jackson A.
2013-01-01
Northern pike (Esox lucius) are opportunistic predators that can switch to alternative prey species after preferred prey have declined. This trophic adaptability allows invasive pike to have negative effects on aquatic food webs. In Southcentral Alaska, invasive pike are a substantial concern because they have spread to important spawning and rearing habitat for salmonids and are hypothesised to be responsible for recent salmonid declines. We described the relative importance of salmonids and other prey species to pike diets in the Deshka River and Alexander Creek in Southcentral Alaska. Salmonids were once abundant in both rivers, but they are now rare in Alexander Creek. In the Deshka River, we found that juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (O. kisutch) dominated pike diets and that small pike consumed more of these salmonids than large pike. In Alexander Creek, pike diets reflected the distribution of spawning salmonids, which decrease with distance upstream. Although salmonids dominated pike diets in the lowest reach of the stream, Arctic lamprey (Lampetra camtschatica) and slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) dominated pike diets in the middle and upper reaches. In both rivers, pike density did not influence diet and pike consumed smaller prey items than predicted by their gape-width. Our data suggest that (1) juvenile salmonids are a dominant prey item for pike, (2) small pike are the primary consumers of juvenile salmonids and (3) pike consume other native fish species when juvenile salmonids are less abundant. Implications of this trophic adaptability are that invasive pike can continue to increase while driving multiple species to low abundance.
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Hu, Yanqiu; Su, Zhiyao; Li, Wenbin; Li, Jingpeng; Ke, Xiandong
2015-01-01
We assessed the impact of species composition and stand structure on the spatial variation of forest carbon density using data collected from a 4-ha plot in a subtropical forest in southern China. We found that 1) forest biomass carbon density significantly differed among communities, reflecting a significant effect of community structure and species composition on carbon accumulation; 2) soil organic carbon density increased whereas stand biomass carbon density decreased across communities, indicating that different mechanisms might account for the accumulation of stand biomass carbon and soil organic carbon in the subtropical forest; and 3) a small number of tree individuals of the medium- and large-diameter class contributed predominantly to biomass carbon accumulation in the community, whereas a large number of seedlings and saplings were responsible for a small proportion of the total forest carbon stock. These findings demonstrate that both biomass carbon and soil carbon density in the subtropical forest are sensitive to species composition and community structure, and that heterogeneity in species composition and stand structure should be taken into account to ensure accurate forest carbon accounting. PMID:26317523
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Hu, Yanqiu; Su, Zhiyao; Li, Wenbin; Li, Jingpeng; Ke, Xiandong
2015-01-01
We assessed the impact of species composition and stand structure on the spatial variation of forest carbon density using data collected from a 4-ha plot in a subtropical forest in southern China. We found that 1) forest biomass carbon density significantly differed among communities, reflecting a significant effect of community structure and species composition on carbon accumulation; 2) soil organic carbon density increased whereas stand biomass carbon density decreased across communities, indicating that different mechanisms might account for the accumulation of stand biomass carbon and soil organic carbon in the subtropical forest; and 3) a small number of tree individuals of the medium- and large-diameter class contributed predominantly to biomass carbon accumulation in the community, whereas a large number of seedlings and saplings were responsible for a small proportion of the total forest carbon stock. These findings demonstrate that both biomass carbon and soil carbon density in the subtropical forest are sensitive to species composition and community structure, and that heterogeneity in species composition and stand structure should be taken into account to ensure accurate forest carbon accounting.
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Recruiting first generation college students into the Geosciences: Alaska's EDGE project
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Prakash, A.; Connor, C.
2008-12-01
Funded in 2005-2008, by the National Science Foundation's Geoscience Education Division, the Experiential Discoveries in Geoscience Education (EDGE) project was designed to use glacier and watershed field experiences as venues for geospatial data collected by Alaska's grade 6-12 middle and high school teachers and their students. EDGE participants were trained in GIS and learned to analyze geospatial data to answer questions about the warming Alaska environment and to determine rates of ongoing glacier recession. Important emphasis of the program was the recruitment of Alaska Native students of Inupiat, Yup'ik, Athabascan, and Tlingit populations, living in both rural and urban areas around the state. Twelve of Alaska's 55 school districts have participated in the EDGE program. To engage EDGE students in the practice of scientific inquiry, each was required to carry out a semester scale research project using georeferenced data, guided by their EDGE teacher and mentor. Across Alaska students investigated several Earth systems processes including freezing conditions of lake ice; the changes in water quality in storm drains after rainfall events; movements of moose, bears, and bison across Alaskan landscapes; changes in permafrost depth in western Alaska; and the response of migrating waterfowl to these permafrost changes. Students correlated the substrate beneath their schools with known earthquake intensities; measured cutbank and coastal erosion on northern rivers and southeastern shorelines; tracked salmon infiltration of flooded logging roads; noted the changing behavior of eagles during late winter salmon runs; located good areas for the use of tidal power for energy production; tracked the extent and range of invasive plant species with warming; and the change of forests following deglaciation. Each cohort of EDGE students and teachers finished the program by attended a 3-day EDGE symposium at which students presented their research projects first in a
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Presentations - Twelker, Evan and others, 2014 | Alaska Division of
magmatic Ni-Cu-Co-PGE system in the Talkeetna Mountains, central Alaska (poster): Society of Economic Geological & Geophysical Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of
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Stork, N E; Srivastava, D S; Eggleton, P; Hodda, M; Lawson, G; Leakey, R R B; Watt, A D
2017-08-01
Lawton et al. (1998) found, in a highly cited study, that the species richness of 8 taxa each responds differently to anthropogenic disturbance in Cameroon forests. Recent developments in conservation science suggest that net number of species is an insensitive measure of change and that understanding which species are affected by disturbance is more important. It is also recognized that all disturbance types are not equal in their effect on species and that grouping species according to function rather than taxonomy is more informative of responses of biodiversity to change. In a reanalysis of most of the original Cameroon data set (canopy and ground ants, termites, canopy beetles, nematodes, and butterflies), we focused on changes in species and functional composition rather than richness and used a more inclusive measure of forest disturbance based on 4 component drivers of change: years since disturbance, tree cover, soil compaction, and degree of tree removal. Effects of disturbance on compositional change were largely concordant between taxa. Contrary to Lawton et al.'s findings, species richness for most groups did not decline with disturbance level, providing support for the view that trends in species richness at local scales do not reflect the resilience of ecosystems to disturbance. Disturbance affected species composition more strongly than species richness for butterflies, canopy beetles, and litter ants. For these groups, disturbance caused species replacements rather than just species loss. Only termites showed effects of disturbance on species richness but not composition, indicating species loss without replacement. Although disturbance generally caused changes in composition, the strength of this relationship depended on the disturbance driver. Butterflies, litter ants, and nematodes were correlated with amount of tree cover, canopy beetles were most strongly correlated with time since disturbance, and termites were most strongly correlated with
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Bedrock geologic map of the northern Alaska Peninsula area, southwestern Alaska
Wilson, Frederic H.; Blodgett, Robert B.; Blome, Charles D.; Mohadjer, Solmaz; Preller, Cindi C.; Klimasauskas, Edward P.; Gamble, Bruce M.; Coonrad, Warren L.
2017-03-03
The northern Alaska Peninsula is a region of transition from the classic magmatic arc geology of the Alaska Peninsula to a Proterozoic and early Paleozoic carbonate platform and then to the poorly understood, tectonically complex sedimentary basins of southwestern Alaska. Physiographically, the region ranges from the high glaciated mountains of the Alaska-Aleutian Range to the coastal lowlands of Cook Inlet on the east and Bristol Bay on the southwest. The lower Ahklun Mountains and finger lakes on the west side of the map area show strong effects from glaciation. Structurally, a number of major faults cut the map area. Most important of these are the Bruin Bay Fault that parallels the coast of Cook Inlet, the Lake Clark Fault that cuts diagonally northeast to southwest across the eastern part of the map area, and the presently active Holitna Fault to the northwest that cuts surficial deposits.Distinctive rock packages assigned to three provinces are overlain by younger sedimentary rocks and intruded by widely dispersed latest Cretaceous and (or) early Tertiary granitic rocks. Much of the east half of the map area lies in the Alaska-Aleutian Range province; the Jurassic to Tertiary Alaska-Aleutian Range batholith and derivative Jurassic sedimentary rocks form the core of this province, which is intruded and overlain by the Aleutian magmatic arc. The Lime Hills province, the carbonate platform, occurs in the north-central part of the map area. The Paleozoic and Mesozoic Ahklun Mountains province in the western part of the map area includes abundant chert, argillite, and graywacke and lesser limestone, basalt, and tectonic mélange. The Kuskokwim Group, an Upper Cretaceous turbidite sequence, is extensively exposed and bounds all three provinces in the west-central part of the map area.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-12-27
... Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish of... Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Amendment 88 AGENCY: National Marine... conservation, management, safety, and economic gains realized under the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-02-21
...-management process involving the Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and Alaska Native... developed under a co-management process involving the Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and... Fish and Game's request to expand the Fairbanks North Star Borough excluded area to include the Central...
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Gong, W-C; Chen, G; Vereecken, N J; Dunn, B L; Ma, Y-P; Sun, W-B
2015-01-01
Traditionally, plant-pollinator interactions have been interpreted as pollination syndrome. However, the validity of pollination syndrome has been widely doubted in modern studies of pollination ecology. The pollination ecology of five Asian Buddleja species, B. asiatica, B. crispa, B. forrestii, B. macrostachya and B. myriantha, in the Sino-Himalayan region in Asia, flowering in different local seasons, with scented inflorescences were investigated during 2011 and 2012. These five species exhibited diverse floral traits, with narrow and long corolla tubes and concealed nectar. According to their floral morphology, larger bees and Lepidoptera were expected to be the major pollinators. However, field observations showed that only larger bees (honeybee/bumblebee) were the primary pollinators, ranging from 77.95% to 97.90% of total visits. In this study, floral scents of each species were also analysed using coupled gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Although the five Buddleja species emitted differentiated floral scent compositions, our results showed that floral scents of the five species are dominated by substances that can serve as attractive signals to bees, including species-specific scent compounds and principal compounds with larger relative amounts. This suggests that floral scent compositions are closely associated with the principal pollinator assemblages in these five species. Therefore, we conclude that floral scent compositions rather than floral morphology traits should be used to interpret plant-pollinator interactions in these Asian Buddleja species. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.
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Wu, Naicheng; Qu, Yueming; Guse, Björn; Makarevičiūtė, Kristė; To, Szewing; Riis, Tenna; Fohrer, Nicola
2018-03-01
There has been increasing interest in algae-based bioassessment, particularly, trait-based approaches are increasingly suggested. However, the main drivers, especially the contribution of hydrological variables, of species composition, trait composition, and beta diversity of algae communities are less studied. To link species and trait composition to multiple factors (i.e., hydrological variables, local environmental variables, and spatial factors) that potentially control species occurrence/abundance and to determine their relative roles in shaping species composition, trait composition, and beta diversities of pelagic algae communities, samples were collected from a German lowland catchment, where a well-proven ecohydrological modeling enabled to predict long-term discharges at each sampling site. Both trait and species composition showed significant correlations with hydrological, environmental, and spatial variables, and variation partitioning revealed that the hydrological and local environmental variables outperformed spatial variables. A higher variation of trait composition (57.0%) than species composition (37.5%) could be explained by abiotic factors. Mantel tests showed that both species and trait-based beta diversities were mostly related to hydrological and environmental heterogeneity with hydrological contributing more than environmental variables, while purely spatial impact was less important. Our findings revealed the relative importance of hydrological variables in shaping pelagic algae community and their spatial patterns of beta diversities, emphasizing the need to include hydrological variables in long-term biomonitoring campaigns and biodiversity conservation or restoration. A key implication for biodiversity conservation was that maintaining the instream flow regime and keeping various habitats among rivers are of vital importance. However, further investigations at multispatial and temporal scales are greatly needed.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zador, S.; Ormseth, O.; Renner, H.
2016-02-01
A comprehensive suite of ecosystem indicators, defined simply here as time-series of data that measure some component of an ecosystem, can provide a holistic and long-term view of ecosystem status and response to change. In Alaska, marine ecosystem indicators are tracked in the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands and eastern Bering Sea to inform annual ecosystem assessments for managers and scientists, and in particular, to inform ecosystem-based fisheries management. We will present the most recent indicator-based assessments of these three large marine ecosystems (LMEs) that integrate data from climate and oceanographic indicators through lower and upper-trophic biological indicators and highlight regional and species-specific apparent responses to the recent warm anomalies in the North Pacific. We will use comparisons among the three LMEs to illustrate how the effects of the anomalies may propagate through ecosystems and food webs. In general, we expect to see more changes in indicators' status that may be attributed to the Warm Blob in the Gulf of Alaska relative to the other LMEs, as a result of the proximity of the Gulf of Alaska to the areas where the temperature anomalies originated. In the eastern Bering Sea, which is separated from the North Pacific by the Aleutian Island chain, we expect to see more modulated responses. We will discuss the types of biological indicators that are expected to show direct responses to temperatures, such as changes in species distribution, compared to those that may show lagged effects.
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Weckworth, B.V.; Dawson, N.G.; Talbot, S.L.; Flamme, M.J.; Cook, J.A.
2011-01-01
Background: Many coastal species occupying the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest in North America comprise endemic populations genetically and ecologically distinct from interior continental conspecifics. Morphological variation previously identified among wolf populations resulted in recognition of multiple subspecies of wolves in the Pacific Northwest. Recently, separate genetic studies have identified diverged populations of wolves in coastal British Columbia and coastal Southeast Alaska, providing support for hypotheses of distinct coastal subspecies. These two regions are geographically and ecologically contiguous, however, there is no comprehensive analysis across all wolf populations in this coastal rainforest. Methodology/Principal Findings: By combining mitochondrial DNA datasets from throughout the Pacific Northwest, we examined the genetic relationship between coastal British Columbia and Southeast Alaska wolf populations and compared them with adjacent continental populations. Phylogenetic analysis indicates complete overlap in the genetic diversity of coastal British Columbia and Southeast Alaska wolves, but these populations are distinct from interior continental wolves. Analyses of molecular variation support the separation of all coastal wolves in a group divergent from continental populations, as predicted based on hypothesized subspecies designations. Two novel haplotypes also were uncovered in a newly assayed continental population of interior Alaska wolves. Conclusions/Significance: We found evidence that coastal wolves endemic to these temperate rainforests are diverged from neighbouring, interior continental wolves; a finding that necessitates new international strategies associated with the management of this species. ?? 2011 This is an open-access article.
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Changing arctic ecosystems—What is causing the rapid increase of snow geese in northern Alaska?
Hupp, Jerry W.; Ward, David H.; Whalen, Mary E.; Pearce, John M.
2015-09-10
Through the Changing Arctic Ecosystems (CAE) initiative, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) informs key resource management decisions for Arctic Alaska by providing scientific information on current and future ecosystem response to a warming climate. The Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of northern Alaska is a key study area within the USGS CAE initiative. This region has experienced a warming trend over the past decades, leading to decreased sea ice, permafrost thaw, and an advancement of spring phenology. The number of birds on the ACP also is changing, marked by increased populations of the four species of geese that nest in the region. The Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) is the most rapidly increasing of these species. USGS CAE research is quantifying these changes and their implications for management agencies.
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Wood and fish residuals composting in Alaska
David Nicholls; Thomas Richard; Jesse A. Micales
2002-01-01
The unique climates and industrial mix in southeast and south central Alaska are challenges being met by the region's organics recyclers. OMPOSTING wood residuals in Alaska has become increasingly important in recent years as wood processors and other industrial waste managers search for environmentally sound and profitable outlets. Traditionally, Alaska?s...
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50 CFR 679.26 - Prohibited Species Donation Program.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... ALASKA Management Measures § 679.26 Prohibited Species Donation Program. (a) Authorized species. The PSD... maintain adequate funding for the distribution of fish under the PSD program. (vii) A copy of the applicant... received under the PSD program, including sufficient liability insurance to cover public interests relating...
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50 CFR 679.26 - Prohibited Species Donation Program.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... ALASKA Management Measures § 679.26 Prohibited Species Donation Program. (a) Authorized species. The PSD... maintain adequate funding for the distribution of fish under the PSD program. (vii) A copy of the applicant... received under the PSD program, including sufficient liability insurance to cover public interests relating...
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50 CFR 679.26 - Prohibited Species Donation Program.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... ALASKA Management Measures § 679.26 Prohibited Species Donation Program. (a) Authorized species. The PSD... maintain adequate funding for the distribution of fish under the PSD program. (vii) A copy of the applicant... received under the PSD program, including sufficient liability insurance to cover public interests relating...
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50 CFR 679.26 - Prohibited Species Donation Program.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... ALASKA Management Measures § 679.26 Prohibited Species Donation Program. (a) Authorized species. The PSD... distribution of fish under the PSD program. (vii) A copy of the applicant's articles of incorporation and... full responsibility for the documentation and disposition of fish received under the PSD program...
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Dental caries in rural Alaska Native children--Alaska, 2008.
2011-09-23
In April 2008, the Arctic Investigations Program (AIP) of CDC was informed by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) of a large number of Alaska Native (AN) children living in a remote region of Alaska who required full mouth dental rehabilitations (FMDRs), including extractions and/or restorations of multiple carious teeth performed under general anesthesia. In this remote region, approximately 400 FMDRs were performed in AN children aged <6 years in 2007; the region has approximately 600 births per year. Dental caries can cause pain, which can affect children's normal growth and development. AIP and Alaska DHSS conducted an investigation of dental caries and associated risk factors among children in the remote region. A convenience sample of children aged 4-15 years in five villages (two with fluoridated water and three without) was examined to estimate dental caries prevalence and severity. Risk factor information was obtained by interviewing parents. Among children aged 4-5 years and 12-15 years who were evaluated, 87% and 91%, respectively, had dental caries, compared with 35% and 51% of U.S. children in those age groups. Among children from the Alaska villages, those aged 4-5 years had a mean of 7.3 dental caries, and those aged 12-15 years had a mean of 5.0, compared with 1.6 and 1.8 dental caries in same-aged U.S. children. Of the multiple factors assessed, lack of water fluoridation and soda pop consumption were significantly associated with dental caries severity. Collaborations between tribal, state, and federal agencies to provide effective preventive interventions, such as water fluoridation of villages with suitable water systems and provision of fluoride varnishes, should be encouraged.
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Tephrochronolgical Studies of Late Neogene Sediments in Interior Alaska and the Yukon Territory
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Westgate, J. A.; Preece, S. J.; Froese, D. G.; Schweger, C. E.
2004-12-01
Our tephra studies of Late Neogene sediments in interior Alaska and Yukon are motivated by the need to provide a reliable time-stratigraphic framework for on-going palaeoenvironmental projects. Key sites are located in the Fairbanks, Chicken (Alaska) and Klondike (Yukon) goldfields, Old Crow Basin (Yukon), and the numerous bluffs along the Yukon River in Canada and eastern Alaska. Tephra beds are characterized by their field setting, petrography, geochemical composition of glass (majors and traces) and mineral phases (especially FeTi oxides), palaeomagnetic properties, and age (determined mostly by glass-fission-track methods). Two compositional groups are recognized. Type I beds have abundant bubble-wall glass shards and a small crop of crystals with pyroxene > hornblende. Its glass has a rhyolitic to dacitic composition with relatively high FeOt, Cs, Hf and low Al2O3, CaO, and Sr. REE profiles have a well-developed Eu anomaly with La/Yb < 13. Volcanics with this chemical signature are common throughout the Aleutian Alaska Peninsula arc (AAPA), which is, therefore, the presumed source of the type I distal beds. In contrast, type II beds have more abundant crystals (hornblende > > pyroxene) and the rhyolitic glass is mainly in the form of highly inflated pumice with high Al2O3, CaO, and Sr. REE profiles are steep with low heavy REE content along with a very weakly developed Eu anomaly, if present. The type II beds are unusual and have many of the characteristics of adakites, known to occur at Mount Drum and Mount Churchill in the Wrangell volcanic field (WVF), and at Hayes volcano at the northeastern end of the Alaska Peninsula arc. It is likely, therefore, that the source vents for the type II beds in interior Alaska and Yukon are located in or near the WVF. Twenty-five distinctive tephra beds have been recognized in the Gold Hill Loess at Fairbanks and a comparable number have been discovered in the Klondike goldfields, although few beds are common to both
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Publications - GMC 53C | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska Paleozoic through Tertiary sandstones, North Slope, Alaska Authors: Alaska Research Associates Publication through Tertiary sandstones, North Slope, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
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Schnoor, Tim; Bruun, Hans Henrik; Olsson, Pål Axel
2015-01-01
Soil disturbance is recognized as an important driver of biodiversity in dry grasslands, and can therefore be implemented as a restoration measure. However, because community re-assembly following disturbance includes stochastic processes, a focus only on species richness or establishment success of particular species will not inform on how plant communities respond ecologically to disturbance. We therefore evaluated vegetation development following disturbance by quantifying species richness, species composition and functional trait composition. Degraded calcareous sandy grassland was subjected to experimental disturbance treatments (ploughing or rotavation), and the vegetation was surveyed during four subsequent years of succession. Treated plots were compared with control plots representing untreated grassland, as well as nearby plots characterized by plant communities representing the restoration target. Species richness and functional diversity both increased in response to soil disturbance, and rotavation, but not ploughing, had a persistent positive effect on the occurrence of specialist species of calcareous sandy grassland. However, no type of soil disturbance caused the plant species composition to develop towards the target vegetation. The disturbance had an immediate and large impact on the vegetation, but the vegetation developed rapidly back towards the control sites. Plant functional composition analysis indicated that the treatments created habitats different both from control sites and target sites. Community-weighted mean Ellenberg indicator values suggested that the observed plant community response was at least partially due to an increase in nitrogen and water availability following disturbance. This study shows that a mild type of disturbance, such as rotavation, may be most successful in promoting specialist species in calcareous sandy grassland, but that further treatments are needed to reduce nutrient availability. We conclude that a
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Schnoor, Tim; Bruun, Hans Henrik; Olsson, Pål Axel
2015-01-01
Soil disturbance is recognized as an important driver of biodiversity in dry grasslands, and can therefore be implemented as a restoration measure. However, because community re-assembly following disturbance includes stochastic processes, a focus only on species richness or establishment success of particular species will not inform on how plant communities respond ecologically to disturbance. We therefore evaluated vegetation development following disturbance by quantifying species richness, species composition and functional trait composition. Degraded calcareous sandy grassland was subjected to experimental disturbance treatments (ploughing or rotavation), and the vegetation was surveyed during four subsequent years of succession. Treated plots were compared with control plots representing untreated grassland, as well as nearby plots characterized by plant communities representing the restoration target. Species richness and functional diversity both increased in response to soil disturbance, and rotavation, but not ploughing, had a persistent positive effect on the occurrence of specialist species of calcareous sandy grassland. However, no type of soil disturbance caused the plant species composition to develop towards the target vegetation. The disturbance had an immediate and large impact on the vegetation, but the vegetation developed rapidly back towards the control sites. Plant functional composition analysis indicated that the treatments created habitats different both from control sites and target sites. Community-weighted mean Ellenberg indicator values suggested that the observed plant community response was at least partially due to an increase in nitrogen and water availability following disturbance. This study shows that a mild type of disturbance, such as rotavation, may be most successful in promoting specialist species in calcareous sandy grassland, but that further treatments are needed to reduce nutrient availability. We conclude that a
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Publications - MP 150 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska larger work. Please see DDS 3 for more information. Digital Geospatial Data Digital Geospatial Data Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees
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Publications - RI 2011-4 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska district, Circle Quadrangle, Alaska, scale 1:50,000 (16.0 M) Digital Geospatial Data Digital Geospatial Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees
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Evaluation of blown down Alaska spruce and hemlock trees for pulp.
Donald J. Fahey; James M. Cahill
1983-01-01
Chips from Alaska hemlock and spruce trees blown down more than 10 years produced usable grades of viscose pulp. Yields of pulp from both species were about 2 percent lower for blowdown material than for control trees. Ash content was slightly higher in the pulp manufactured from blowdown timber than in pulp from control trees.
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Publications - AR 2010 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical DGGS AR 2010 Publication Details Title: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual Report Authors: DGGS Staff Publication Date: Jan 2011 Publisher: Alaska Division of Geological &
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International board-foot volume tables for trees in the Susitna River Basin, Alaska.
Frederic R. Larson
1990-01-01
International 1/4-inch board-foot volume equations and tables were derived from fall, buck, and scale data for 374 trees at 78 locations in the Susitna River Basin, Alaska. Tree species included white and black spruce, paper birch, black cottonwood, and quaking aspen.
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Publications - RI 2009-3 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska , northeastern Brooks Range, Alaska, scale 1:63,360 (129.0 M) Digital Geospatial Data Digital Geospatial Data Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees
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Regional variation in Caribbean dry forest tree species composition
Janet Franklin; Julie Ripplinger; Ethan H. Freid; Humfredo Marcano-Vega; David W. Steadman
2015-01-01
How does tree species composition vary in relation to geographical and environmental gradients in a globally rare tropical/subtropical broadleaf dry forest community in the Caribbean? We analyzed data from 153 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), along with 42 plots that we sampled in the Bahamian Archipelago (...
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The Alaska State Legislature search menu Home Senate Current Members Past Members By Session search Home Get Started About the Legislative Branch Legislative Branch The Legislative Branch is responsible for enacting the laws of the State of Alaska and appropriating the money necessary to operate the
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Fire severity filters regeneration traits to shape community assembly in Alaska's boreal forest
Teresa N. Hollingsworth; Jill F. Johnstone; Emily L. Bernhardt; F. Stuart Chapin
2013-01-01
Disturbance can both initiate and shape patterns of secondary succession by affecting processes of community assembly. Thus, understanding assembly rules is a key element of predicting ecological responses to changing disturbance regimes. We measured the composition and trait characteristics of plant communities early after widespread wildfires in Alaska to assess how...
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Estuarine Ecology of Juvenile Salmon in Western Alaska: a Review
Zimmerman, Christian E.; Hillgruber, Nicola
2009-01-01
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, large declines in numbers of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta and Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha returning to the Arctic-YukonKuskokwim (AYK) region (Alaska, USA) illuminated the need for an improved understanding of the variables controlling salmon abundance at all life stages. In addressing questions about salmon abundance, large gaps in our knowledge of basic salmon life history and the critical early marine life stage were revealed. In this paper, results from studies conducted on the estuarine ecology of juvenile salmon in western Alaska are summarized and compared, emphasizing timing and distribution during outmigration, environmental conditions, age and growth, feeding, and energy content of salmon smolts. In western Alaska, water temperature dramatically changes with season, ranging from 0°C after ice melt in late spring/early summer to 19°C in July. Juvenile salmon were found in AYK estuaries from early May until August or September, but to date no information is available on their residence duration or survival probability. Chum salmon were the most abundant juvenile salmon reported, ranging in percent catch from <0.1% to 4.7% and most research effort has focused on this species. Abundances of Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon O. nerka, and pink salmon O. gorbuscha varied among estuaries, while coho salmon O. kisutch juveniles were consistently rare, never amounting to more than 0.8% of the catch. Dietary composition of juvenile salmon was highly variable and a shift was commonly reported from epibenthic and neustonic prey in lower salinity water to pelagic prey in higher salinity water. Gaps in the knowledge of AYK salmon estuarine ecology are still evident. For example, data on outmigration patterns and residence timing and duration, rearing conditions and their effect on diet, growth, and survival are often completely lacking or available only for few selected years and sites. Filling gaps in knowledge concerning salmon
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Alaska Workforce Investment Board
! Looking for a job? Click here. About Us Board Member Documents Phone: (907) 269-7485 Toll Free: (888) 412 : 907-269-7485 Toll Free: 888-412-4742 Fax: 907-269-7489 State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident
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The evolving Alaska mapping program.
Brooks, P.D.; O'Brien, T. J.
1986-01-01
This paper describes the development of mapping in Alaska, the current status of the National Mapping Program, and future plans for expanding and improving the mapping coverage. Research projects with Landsat Multispectral Scanner and Return Vidicon imagery and real- and synthetic-aperture radar; image mapping programs; digital mapping; remote sensing projects; the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act; and the Alaska High-Altitude Aerial Photography Program are also discussed.-from Authors
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Publications - GMC 16 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a
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Publications - RDF 2010-2 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Prospect; Trace Elements; Trace Metals; Triassic; Wrangellia Terrane; geoscientificInformation Top of Page Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - RDF 2015-6 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Sediments; Trace Elements; Trace Geochemical; Trace Metals; geoscientificInformation Top of Page Department Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Alaska birch crafts and gifts: marketing practices and demographics.
Rosemarie Braden; David Nicholls
2004-01-01
Craft and gift producers in Alaska who use birch as a primary species were surveyed via mail, telephone calls, and site visits. Forty-two usable mail surveys were obtained for a response rate of 38.5 percent. Firms were in business an average of 13 years and utilized an average of 4,778 board feet of birch per year to produce a variety of craft items, including turned...
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Alaska Natives assessing the health of their environment.
Garza, D
2001-11-01
The changes in Alaska's ecosystems caused by pollution, contaminants and global climate change are negatively impacting Alaska Natives and rural residents who rely on natural resources for food, culture and community identity. While Alaska commerce has contributed little to these global changes and impacts, Alaska and its resources are nonetheless affected by the changes. While Alaska Natives have historically relied on Alaska's land, water and animals for survival and cultural identity, today their faith in the safety and quality of these resources has decreased. Alaska Natives no longer believe that these wild resources are the best and many are turning to alternative store-bought foods. Such a change in diet and activity may be contributing to a decline in traditional activities and a decline in general health. Contaminants are showing up in the animals, fish and waters that Alaska Natives use. Efforts need to be expanded to empower Alaska Native Tribes to collect and analyze local wild foods for various contaminants. In addition existing information on contaminants and pollution should be made readily available to Alaska residents. Armed with this type of information Alaska Native residents will be better prepared to make informed decisions on using wild foods and materials.
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LaManna, Joseph A; Martin, Thomas E
2017-08-01
Understanding the causes underlying changes in species diversity is a fundamental pursuit of ecology. Animal species richness and composition often change with decreased forest structural complexity associated with logging. Yet differences in latitude and forest type may strongly influence how species diversity responds to logging. We performed a meta-analysis of logging effects on local species richness and composition of birds across the world and assessed responses by different guilds (nesting strata, foraging strata, diet, and body size). This approach allowed identification of species attributes that might underlie responses to this anthropogenic disturbance. We only examined studies that allowed forests to regrow naturally following logging, and accounted for logging intensity, spatial extent, successional regrowth after logging, and the change in species composition expected due to random assembly from regional species pools. Selective logging in the tropics and clearcut logging in temperate latitudes caused loss of species from nearly all forest strata (ground to canopy), leading to substantial declines in species richness (up to 27% of species). Few species were lost or gained following any intensity of logging in lower-latitude temperate forests, but the relative abundances of these species changed substantially. Selective logging at higher-temperate latitudes generally replaced late-successional specialists with early-successional specialists, leading to no net changes in species richness but large changes in species composition. Removing less basal area during logging mitigated the loss of avian species from all forests and, in some cases, increased diversity in temperate forests. This meta-analysis provides insights into the important role of habitat specialization in determining differential responses of animal communities to logging across tropical and temperate latitudes. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.
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Publications - GMC 171 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Arco Alaska Inc. Delta State #2 well Authors: Pawlewicz, Mark Publication Date: 1990 Publisher: Alaska , Vitrinite reflectance data of cuttings (3270'-10760') from the Arco Alaska Inc. Delta State #2 well: Alaska
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Publications - RDF 2012-3 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Assessment Project; Trace Elements; geoscientificInformation Top of Page Department of Natural Resources Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - RDF 2005-4 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
District; Trace Elements; Trace Metals; Tungsten; Uranium; Vanadium; Yttrium; Zinc; Zirconium Top of Page Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - RDF 2016-2 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
, Major-oxide and trace-element geochemistry of mafic rocks in the Carboniferous Lisburne Group, Ivishak Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - RDF 2000-4 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Oxides; Palladium; Platinum; Rare Earth Elements; STATEMAP Project; Trace Metals Top of Page Department Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Trends in Alaska's People and Economy.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Leask, Linda; Killorin, Mary; Martin, Stephanie
This booklet provides data on Alaska's population, economy, health, education, government, and natural resources, including specific information on Alaska Natives. Since 1960, Alaska's population has tripled and become more diverse, more stable, older, less likely to be male or married, and more concentrated. About 69 percent of the population…
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Temporal and geographic variation in fish communities of lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Robards, Martin D.; Piatt, John F.; Kettle, Arthur B.; Abookire, Alisa A.
1999-01-01
Nearshore and shelf fish communities were studied in three areas of lower Cook Inlet, Alaska: the Barren Islands (oceanic and well-mixed waters), Kachemak Bay (mixed oceanic waters with significant freshwater runoff), and Chisik Island (estuarine waters). Fish were sampled with beach seines (n=413 sets) and midwater trawls (n=39 sets). We found that lower Cook Inlet supported a diverse nearshore fish community of at least 52 species. Fifty of these species were caught in Kachemak Bay, 24 at Chisik Island, and 12 at the Barren Islands. Pacific sand lance dominated Barren Islands and Kachemak Bay nearshore habitats, comprising 99% and 71% of total individuals, respectively. The nearshore Chisik Island fish community was not dominated by any one species; instead it exhibited higher diversity. These spatial differences appeared linked to local oceanographic regimes and sediment influx. Analysis of historical data revealed that the nearshore Kachemak Bay fish community changed significantly between 1976 and 1996, showing increased diversity and abundance in several taxa, notably gadids, salmonids, pleuronectids, and sculpins. Decadal differences appeared to be related to large-scale climate changes in the North Pacific. Catches of most taxa peaked in May-August, and were low during other months of the year. Several species were present for only part of the summer. Species composition of seine catches differed significantly between consecutive high and low tides, but not between consecutive sets or years. Midwater trawls took 26 species, 14 of which were present in Kachemak Bay, 19 near Chisik Island, and 7 at the Barren Islands. Community structures in shelf and nearshore waters were similar: diversity was high and abundance low at Chisik Island, whereas a few abundant species dominated at both Kachemak Bay and the Barren Islands. In addition, the low fish abundance near Chisik Island appeared to be related to declining seabird numbers at this colony.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sorensen, Connor; And Others
The report is a finding aid to the sources which document the 1937 federal policy decision mandating that 50% of the enrollees in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Alaska must be Alaska Natives and provides a list of the Native CCC projects in Alaska. The finding aid section is organized according to the location of the collections and…
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Ice-age megafauna in Arctic Alaska: extinction, invasion, survival
Mann, Daniel H.; Groves, Pamela; Kunz, Michael L.; Reanier, Richard E.; Gaglioti, Benjamin V.
2013-01-01
Radical restructuring of the terrestrial, large mammal fauna living in arctic Alaska occurred between 14,000 and 10,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. Steppe bison, horse, and woolly mammoth became extinct, moose and humans invaded, while muskox and caribou persisted. The ice age megafauna was more diverse in species and possibly contained 6× more individual animals than live in the region today. Megafaunal biomass during the last ice age may have been 30× greater than present. Horse was the dominant species in terms of number of individuals. Lions, short-faced bears, wolves, and possibly grizzly bears comprised the predator/scavenger guild. The youngest mammoth so far discovered lived ca 13,800 years ago, while horses and bison persisted on the North Slope until at least 12,500 years ago during the Younger Dryas cold interval. The first people arrived on the North Slope ca 13,500 years ago. Bone-isotope measurements and foot-loading characteristics suggest megafaunal niches were segregated along a moisture gradient, with the surviving species (muskox and caribou) utilizing the warmer and moister portions of the vegetation mosaic. As the ice age ended, the moisture gradient shifted and eliminated habitats utilized by the dryland, grazing species (bison, horse, mammoth). The proximate cause for this change was regional paludification, the spread of organic soil horizons and peat. End-Pleistocene extinctions in arctic Alaska represent local, not global extinctions since the megafaunal species lost there persisted to later times elsewhere. Hunting seems unlikely as the cause of these extinctions, but it cannot be ruled out as the final blow to megafaunal populations that were already functionally extinct by the time humans arrived in the region.
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Ice-age megafauna in Arctic Alaska: extinction, invasion, survival
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mann, Daniel H.; Groves, Pamela; Kunz, Michael L.; Reanier, Richard E.; Gaglioti, Benjamin V.
2013-06-01
Radical restructuring of the terrestrial, large mammal fauna living in arctic Alaska occurred between 14,000 and 10,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. Steppe bison, horse, and woolly mammoth became extinct, moose and humans invaded, while muskox and caribou persisted. The ice age megafauna was more diverse in species and possibly contained 6× more individual animals than live in the region today. Megafaunal biomass during the last ice age may have been 30× greater than present. Horse was the dominant species in terms of number of individuals. Lions, short-faced bears, wolves, and possibly grizzly bears comprised the predator/scavenger guild. The youngest mammoth so far discovered lived ca 13,800 years ago, while horses and bison persisted on the North Slope until at least 12,500 years ago during the Younger Dryas cold interval. The first people arrived on the North Slope ca 13,500 years ago. Bone-isotope measurements and foot-loading characteristics suggest megafaunal niches were segregated along a moisture gradient, with the surviving species (muskox and caribou) utilizing the warmer and moister portions of the vegetation mosaic. As the ice age ended, the moisture gradient shifted and eliminated habitats utilized by the dryland, grazing species (bison, horse, mammoth). The proximate cause for this change was regional paludification, the spread of organic soil horizons and peat. End-Pleistocene extinctions in arctic Alaska represent local, not global extinctions since the megafaunal species lost there persisted to later times elsewhere. Hunting seems unlikely as the cause of these extinctions, but it cannot be ruled out as the final blow to megafaunal populations that were already functionally extinct by the time humans arrived in the region.
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Brucella species survey in polar bears (ursus maritimus) of northern Alaska.
O'Hara, Todd M; Holcomb, Darce; Elzer, Philip; Estepp, Jessica; Perry, Quinesha; Hagius, Sue; Kirk, Cassandra
2010-07-01
We report on the presence of specific antibodies to Brucella spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from northern Alaska (southern Beaufort Sea) during 2003-2006. Based on numerous known stressors (e.g., climate change and loss of sea ice habitat, contaminants), there is increased concern regarding the status of polar bears. Considering these changes, it is important to assess exposure to potentially pathogenic organisms and to improve understanding of transmission pathways. Brucella or specific antibodies to Brucella spp. has been reported in marine mammals. Various assays were used to elucidate the pathway or source of exposure (e.g., "marine" vs. "terrestrial" Brucella spp.) of northern Alaska polar bears to Brucella spp. The standard plate test (SPT) and the buffered Brucella antigen card test (BBA) were used for initial screening for antibodies specific to Brucella. We then evaluated positive reactors (presence of serum antibody specific for Brucella spp.) using immunoblots and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA; based on pinniped-derived Brucella spp. antigen). Annual prevalence of antibody (BBA and SPT) for Brucella spp. ranged from 6.8% to 18.5% over 2003-2006, with an overall prevalence of 10.2%. Prevalence of Brucella spp. antibody did vary by age class. Western blot analyses indicated 17 samples were positive for Brucella spp. antibody; of these, 13 were negative by marine (pinniped) derived Brucella antigen cELISA and four were positive by marine cELISA. Of the four samples positive for Brucella antibody by marine cELISA, three cross-reacted with Y. enterocolitica and Brucella spp. (one sample was Brucella negative and Y. enterocolitica positive). It appears the polar bear antibody does not react with the antigens used on the marine cELISA assay, potentially indicating a terrestrial (nonpinniped) source of Brucella spp.
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-01-22
... Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is publishing this notice to explain why the BLM Director is rejecting... Director's Response to the Alaska Governor's Appeal of the BLM Alaska State Director's Governor's... the BLM Alaska State Director. The State Director determined the Governor's Finding was outside the...
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Baltensperger, A. P.; Huettmann, F.
2015-01-01
Climate change is acting to reallocate biomes, shift the distribution of species, and alter community assemblages in Alaska. Predictions regarding how these changes will affect the biodiversity and interspecific relationships of small mammals are necessary to pro-actively inform conservation planning. We used a set of online occurrence records and machine learning methods to create bioclimatic envelope models for 17 species of small mammals (rodents and shrews) across Alaska. Models formed the basis for sets of species-specific distribution maps for 2010 and were projected forward using the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) A2 scenario to predict distributions of the same species for 2100. We found that distributions of cold-climate, northern, and interior small mammal species experienced large decreases in area while shifting northward, upward in elevation, and inland across the state. In contrast, many southern and continental species expanded throughout Alaska, and also moved down-slope and toward the coast. Statewide community assemblages remained constant for 15 of the 17 species, but distributional shifts resulted in novel species assemblages in several regions. Overall biodiversity patterns were similar for both time frames, but followed general species distribution movement trends. Biodiversity losses occurred in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and Seward Peninsula while the Beaufort Coastal Plain and western Brooks Range experienced modest gains in species richness as distributions shifted to form novel assemblages. Quantitative species distribution and biodiversity change projections should help land managers to develop adaptive strategies for conserving dispersal corridors, small mammal biodiversity, and ecosystem functionality into the future. PMID:26207828
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Publications - SR 37 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska Section; Resource Assessment; Tyonek Formation; Type Section Top of Page Department of Natural Resources State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Home
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Presentations - Twelker, Evan and others, 2014 | Alaska Division of
Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Details Title: Preliminary results from 2014 geologic mapping in the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska Lande, Lauren, 2014, Preliminary results from 2014 geologic mapping in the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska
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Publications - RDF 2004-2 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
; Trace Elements; Trace Metals; Tungsten; Vanadium; Yttrium; Zinc; Zirconium Top of Page Department of Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - SR 32 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
DGGS SR 32 Publication Details Title: Oil and gas basins map of Alaska Authors: Ehm, Arlen Publication ): Alaska Statewide Bibliographic Reference Ehm, Arlen, 1983, Oil and gas basins map of Alaska: Alaska Sheets Sheet 1 Oil and gas basins map of Alaska, scale 1:2,500,000 (21.0 M) Keywords Alaska Statewide
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Composition and species diversity of pine-wiregrass savannas of the Green Swamp, North Carolina
Joan Walker; Robert K. Peet
1983-01-01
Fire-maintained, species-rich pines wiregrass savannas in the Green Swamp, North Carolina were sampled over their natural range of environmental conditions and fire frequencies. Species composition, species richness, diversity (Exp H', I/ C), and aboveground production were documented and fertilization experiments conducted to assess possible mechanisms for the...
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Tara M. Barrett; Greg Latta; Paul E. Hennon; Bianca N.I. Eskelson; Hailemariam. Temesgen
2012-01-01
Dwarf mistletoes (Arceuthobium species) influence many processes within forested ecosystems, but few studies have examined their distribution in relation to climate. An analysis of 1549 forested plots within a 14.5 million ha region of southeast Alaska provided strong indications that climate currently limits hemlock dwarf mistletoe (...
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Changes in the fatty acid composition in bitter Lupinus species depend on the debittering process.
Curti, Carolina A; Curti, Ramiro N; Bonini, Norberto; Ramón, Adriana N
2018-10-15
The evaluation of changes in the fatty acid composition in Lupinus species after the debittering process is crucial to determine their nutritional implications. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the fatty acid composition in Lupinus albus and L. mutabilis after the debittering process. Lupinus species showed different fatty acid compositions which changed depending on the debittering process applied. The debittering process changed the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in L. albus, whereas in L. mutabilis it changed the w-6/w-3 ratio. However, the total saturated fatty acid content remained stable in both species after the debittering process. The changes in L. albus were associated with the fatty acid desaturation and a conversion into unsaturated fatty acids, whereas in L. mutabilis with the lipid peroxidation by decreasing the linoleic acid content. Nutritional implications of these changes in the fatty acid composition are discussed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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A conceptual model for the impact of climate change on fox rabies in Alaska, 1980-2010.
Kim, B I; Blanton, J D; Gilbert, A; Castrodale, L; Hueffer, K; Slate, D; Rupprecht, C E
2014-02-01
The direct and interactive effects of climate change on host species and infectious disease dynamics are likely to initially manifest\\ at latitudinal extremes. As such, Alaska represents a region in the United States for introspection on climate change and disease. Rabies is enzootic among arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) throughout the northern polar region. In Alaska, arctic and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are reservoirs for rabies, with most domestic animal and wildlife cases reported from northern and western coastal Alaska. Based on passive surveillance, a pronounced seasonal trend in rabid foxes occurs in Alaska, with a peak in winter and spring. This study describes climatic factors that may be associated with reported cyclic rabies occurrence. Based upon probabilistic modelling, a stronger seasonal effect in reported fox rabies cases appears at higher latitudes in Alaska, and rabies in arctic foxes appear disproportionately affected by climatic factors in comparison with red foxes. As temperatures continue a warming trend, a decrease in reported rabid arctic foxes may be expected. The overall epidemiology of rabies in Alaska is likely to shift to increased viral transmission among red foxes as the primary reservoir in the region. Information on fox and lemming demographics, in addition to enhanced rabies surveillance among foxes at finer geographic scales, will be critical to develop more comprehensive models for rabies virus transmission in the region. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
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Publications - GMC 395 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
investigations of the diatom stratigraphy of Borehole TA8, Portage Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical DGGS GMC 395 Publication Details Title: Preliminary investigations of the diatom stratigraphy of
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-07-28
..., management, safety, and economic gains realized under the Rockfish Pilot Program and viability of the Gulf of...-BA97 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program... available for public review and comment. The groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of Alaska...
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Yongfu; Chen, Na; Harmon, Mark E.; Li, Yuan; Cao, Xiaoyan; Chappell, Mark A.; Mao, Jingdong
2015-10-01
A feedback between decomposition and litter chemical composition occurs with decomposition altering composition that in turn influences the decomposition rate. Elucidating the temporal pattern of chemical composition is vital to understand this feedback, but the effects of plant species and climate on chemical changes remain poorly understood, especially over multiple years. In a 10-year decomposition experiment with litter of four species (Acer saccharum, Drypetes glauca, Pinus resinosa, and Thuja plicata) from four sites that range from the arctic to tropics, we determined the abundance of 11 litter chemical constituents that were grouped into waxes, carbohydrates, lignin/tannins, and proteins/peptides using advanced 13C solid-state NMR techniques. Decomposition generally led to an enrichment of waxes and a depletion of carbohydrates, whereas the changes of other chemical constituents were inconsistent. Inconsistent convergence in chemical compositions during decomposition was observed among different litter species across a range of site conditions, whereas one litter species converged under different climate conditions. Our data clearly demonstrate that plant species rather than climate greatly alters the temporal pattern of litter chemical composition, suggesting the decomposition-chemistry feedback varies among different plant species.
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Li, Yongfu; Chen, Na; Harmon, Mark E.; Li, Yuan; Cao, Xiaoyan; Chappell, Mark A.; Mao, Jingdong
2015-01-01
A feedback between decomposition and litter chemical composition occurs with decomposition altering composition that in turn influences the decomposition rate. Elucidating the temporal pattern of chemical composition is vital to understand this feedback, but the effects of plant species and climate on chemical changes remain poorly understood, especially over multiple years. In a 10-year decomposition experiment with litter of four species (Acer saccharum, Drypetes glauca, Pinus resinosa, and Thuja plicata) from four sites that range from the arctic to tropics, we determined the abundance of 11 litter chemical constituents that were grouped into waxes, carbohydrates, lignin/tannins, and proteins/peptides using advanced 13C solid-state NMR techniques. Decomposition generally led to an enrichment of waxes and a depletion of carbohydrates, whereas the changes of other chemical constituents were inconsistent. Inconsistent convergence in chemical compositions during decomposition was observed among different litter species across a range of site conditions, whereas one litter species converged under different climate conditions. Our data clearly demonstrate that plant species rather than climate greatly alters the temporal pattern of litter chemical composition, suggesting the decomposition-chemistry feedback varies among different plant species. PMID:26515033
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Geochemical evidence for the origin of late Quaternary loess in central Alaska
Muhs, D.R.; Budahn, J.R.
2006-01-01
Loess is extensive in central Alaska, but there are uncertainties about its source and the direction of paleo-winds that deposited it. Both northerly and southerly winds have been inferred. The most likely sources of loess are the Tanana River (south), the Nenana River (southeast), and the Yukon River (north). Late Quaternary loess in central Alaska has immobile trace-element compositions (Cr/Sc, Th/Ta, Th/ Sc, Th/U, Eu/Eu*, GdN/YbN) that indicate derivation mostly from the Tanana River. However, other ratios (As/Sb, Zr/Hf, LaN/YbN) and quantitative modeling indicate that the Yukon River was also a source. During the last glacial period, there may have been a longer residence time of the Siberian and Canadian high-pressure cells, along with a strengthened Aleutian low-pressure cell. This would have generated regional-scale northeasterly winds and explains derivation of loess from the Yukon River. However, superim-posed upon this synoptic-scale circulation, there may have been strong, southerly katabatic winds from expanded glaciers on the northern flank of the Alaska Range. These winds could have provided eolian silt from the Tanana River. Yukon River and Tanana River sediments are highly calcareous, whereas Fairbanks-area loess is not. This suggests that carbonate leaching in loess kept ahead of sedimentation and that late Quaternary loess in central Alaska was deposited relatively slowly. ?? 2006 NRC Canada.
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Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Market Information Alaska Job Centers Hot Topics Get Paid to Learn a Trade! Apprenticeship Alaska Career USAJOBS - Federal Gov. Jobs Apprenticeship Alaska Career Information System Veterans' Services Youth
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Temporal Decay in Timber Species Composition and Value in Amazonian Logging Concessions.
Richardson, Vanessa A; Peres, Carlos A
2016-01-01
Throughout human history, slow-renewal biological resource populations have been predictably overexploited, often to the point of economic extinction. We assess whether and how this has occurred with timber resources in the Brazilian Amazon. The asynchronous advance of industrial-scale logging frontiers has left regional-scale forest landscapes with varying histories of logging. Initial harvests in unlogged forests can be highly selective, targeting slow-growing, high-grade, shade-tolerant hardwood species, while later harvests tend to focus on fast-growing, light-wooded, long-lived pioneer trees. Brazil accounts for 85% of all native neotropical forest roundlog production, and the State of Pará for almost half of all timber production in Brazilian Amazonia, the largest old-growth tropical timber reserve controlled by any country. Yet the degree to which timber harvests beyond the first-cut can be financially profitable or demographically sustainable remains poorly understood. Here, we use data on legally planned logging of ~17.3 million cubic meters of timber across 314 species extracted from 824 authorized harvest areas in private and community-owned forests, 446 of which reported volumetric composition data by timber species. We document patterns of timber extraction by volume, species composition, and monetary value along aging eastern Amazonian logging frontiers, which are then explained on the basis of historical and environmental variables. Generalized linear models indicate that relatively recent logging operations farthest from heavy-traffic roads are the most selective, concentrating gross revenues on few high-value species. We find no evidence that the post-logging timber species composition and total value of forest stands recovers beyond the first-cut, suggesting that the commercially most valuable timber species become predictably rare or economically extinct in old logging frontiers. In avoiding even more destructive land-use patterns, managing
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Temporal Decay in Timber Species Composition and Value in Amazonian Logging Concessions
Peres, Carlos A.
2016-01-01
Throughout human history, slow-renewal biological resource populations have been predictably overexploited, often to the point of economic extinction. We assess whether and how this has occurred with timber resources in the Brazilian Amazon. The asynchronous advance of industrial-scale logging frontiers has left regional-scale forest landscapes with varying histories of logging. Initial harvests in unlogged forests can be highly selective, targeting slow-growing, high-grade, shade-tolerant hardwood species, while later harvests tend to focus on fast-growing, light-wooded, long-lived pioneer trees. Brazil accounts for 85% of all native neotropical forest roundlog production, and the State of Pará for almost half of all timber production in Brazilian Amazonia, the largest old-growth tropical timber reserve controlled by any country. Yet the degree to which timber harvests beyond the first-cut can be financially profitable or demographically sustainable remains poorly understood. Here, we use data on legally planned logging of ~17.3 million cubic meters of timber across 314 species extracted from 824 authorized harvest areas in private and community-owned forests, 446 of which reported volumetric composition data by timber species. We document patterns of timber extraction by volume, species composition, and monetary value along aging eastern Amazonian logging frontiers, which are then explained on the basis of historical and environmental variables. Generalized linear models indicate that relatively recent logging operations farthest from heavy-traffic roads are the most selective, concentrating gross revenues on few high-value species. We find no evidence that the post-logging timber species composition and total value of forest stands recovers beyond the first-cut, suggesting that the commercially most valuable timber species become predictably rare or economically extinct in old logging frontiers. In avoiding even more destructive land-use patterns, managing
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A 16-year time series of 1 km AVHRR satellite data of the conterminous United States and Alaska
Eidenshink, Jeff
2006-01-01
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed a 16-year time series of vegetation condition information for the conterminous United States and Alaska using 1 km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data. The AVHRR data have been processed using consistent methods that account for radiometric variability due to calibration uncertainty, the effects of the atmosphere on surface radiometric measurements obtained from wide field-of-view observations, and the geometric registration accuracy. The conterminous United States and Alaska data sets have an atmospheric correction for water vapor, ozone, and Rayleigh scattering and include a cloud mask derived using the Clouds from AVHRR (CLAVR) algorithm. In comparison with other AVHRR time series data sets, the conterminous United States and Alaska data are processed using similar techniques. The primary difference is that the conterminous United States and Alaska data are at 1 km resolution, while others are at 8 km resolution. The time series consists of weekly and biweekly maximum normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) composites.
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Abookire, Alisa A.; Piatt, John F.
2005-01-01
Forage fishes were sampled with a mid-water trawl in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA, from late July to early August 1996 to 1999. We sampled 3 oceanographically distinct areas of lower Cook Inlet: waters adjacent to Chisik Island, in Kachemak Bay, and near the Barren Islands. In 163 tows using a mid-water trawl, 229 437 fishes with fork length < 200 mm were captured. More than 39 species were captured in lower Cook Inlet, but Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus, juvenile Pacific herring Clupea pallasi, and juvenile walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma comprised 97.5% of the total individuals. Both species richness and species diversity were highest in warm, low-salinity, weakly stratified waters near Chisik Island. Kachemak Bay, which had thermohaline values between those found near Chisik Island and the Barren Islands, had an intermediate value of species richness. Species richness was lowest at the Barren Islands, an exposed region that regularly receives oceanic, upwelled water from the Gulf of Alaska. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to compute axes of species composition based on an ordination of pairwise site dissimilarities. Each axis was strongly rank-correlated with unique groups of species and examined separately as a function of environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, depth), area, and year. Oce??anographie parameters accounted for 41 and 12% of the variability among forage fishes indicated by Axis 1 and Axis 2, respectively. Axis 1 also captured the spatial variability in the upwelled area of lower Cook Inlet and essentially contrasted the distribution of species among shallow, nearshore (sand lance, herring) and deep, offshore (walleye pollock) habitats. Axis 2 captured the spatial variability in forage fish communities from the north (Chisik Island) to the south (Barren Islands) of lower Cook Inlet and essentially contrasted a highly diverse community dominated by salmonids and osmerids (warmer, less saline) with a fish
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Katrina Church-Chmielowski
2007-01-01
Tourism in rural Alaska is an education curriculum with worldwide relevance. Students have started small businesses, obtained employment in the tourism industry and gotten in touch with their people. The Developing Alaska Rural Tourism collaborative project has resulted in student scholarships, workshops on website development, marketing, small...
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76 FR 270 - Alaska: Adequacy of Alaska Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Permit Program
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-01-04
...] Alaska: Adequacy of Alaska Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Permit Program AGENCY: Environmental Protection... approved Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (MSWLF) permit program. The approved modification allows the State..., EPA issued a final rule (69 FR 13242) amending the Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (MSWLF) criteria in...
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Biology and behavior of a larch bud moth, Zeiraphera sp., in Alaska.
Richard A. Werner
1980-01-01
A possibly new species or subspecies of larch bud moth of the genus Zeiraphera, closely related to Z. improbana (Walker), was found associated with tamarack, Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch, stands in interior Alaska. An outbreak occurred during 1975 and 1976 over an area of 240 000 ha (590,000 acres)....
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A decade of predatory control of zooplankton species composition of Lake Michigan
Makarewicz, Joseph C.; Bertram, Paul; Lewis, Theodore; Brown, Edward H.
1995-01-01
From 1983 to 1992, 71 species representing 38 genera from the Calanoida, Cladocera, Cyclopoida, Mysidacea, Rotifera, Mollusca and Harpacticoida comprised the offshore zooplankton community of Lake Michigan. Our data demonstrate that the composition and abundance of the calanoid community after 1983 is not unlike that of 1960s and that species diversity of the calanoid community is more diverse than the cladoceran community in the 1990s as compared to the early 1980s. Even though the relative biomass of the cladocerans has remained similar over the 1983-1993 period, the species diversity and evenness of the Cladocera community in the early 1990s is unlike anything that has been previously reported for Lake Michigan. Cladocera dominance is centered in one species, Daphnia galeata mendotae, and only three species of Cladocera were observed in the pelagic region of the lake in 1991 and 1992. Nutrient levels, phytoplankton biomass, and the abundance of planktivorous alewife and bloater chub and Bythotrephes are examined as possible causes of these changes in zooplankton species composition. The increase in Rotifera biomass, but not Crustacea, was correlated with an increase in relative biomass of unicellular algae. Food web models suggest Bythotrephes will cause Lake Michigan's plankton to return to a community similar to that of the 1970s; that is Diaptomus dominated. Such a change has occurred. However, correlational analysis suggest that alewife and bloater chubs (especially juveniles) are affecting size and biomass of larger species of zooplankton as well as Bythotrephes.
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Presentations - Twelker, Evan and Lande, Lauren, 2015 | Alaska Division of
Geological & Geophysical Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem
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U.S. Global Climate Change Impacts Report, Alaska Region
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McGuire, D.
2009-12-01
Alaska. Public infrastructure at risk for damage includes roads, runways, and water and sewer systems. It is estimated that thawing permafrost would add between 3.6 billion and 6.1 billion (10 to 20 percent) to future costs for publicly owned infrastructure by 2030 and between 5.6 billion and 7.6 billion (10 to 12 percent) by 2080. High-wind events have become more frequent along the western and northern coasts. Shifts in marine species are affecting fisheries. Alaska leads the United States in the value of its commercial fishing catch. Most of the nation’s salmon, crab, halibut, and herring come from Alaska. Over the course of this century, changes already observed on the shallow shelf of the northern Bering Sea are likely to affect a much broader portion of the Pacific-influenced sector of the Arctic Ocean. As such changes occur, the most productive commercial fisheries are likely to become more distant from existing fishing ports and processing infrastructure, requiring either relocation or greater investment in transportation time and fuel costs.
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Contaminants and sea ducks in Alaska and the circumpolar region
Henny, Charles J.; Rudis, Deborah D.; Roffe, Thomas J.; Robinson-Wilson, Everett
1995-01-01
We review nesting sea duck population declines in Alaska during recent decades and explore the possibility that contaminants may be implicated. Aerial surveys of the surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata), white-winged scoter (M. fusca), black scoter (M. nigra), oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis), spectacled eider (Somateria fischeri), and Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) show long-term breeding population declines, especially the latter three species. The spectacled eider was recently classified threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In addition, three other diving ducks, which commonly winter in coastal areas, have declined from unknown causes. Large die-offs of all three species of scoters during molt, a period of high energy demand, were documented in August 1990, 1991, and 1992 at coastal reefs in southeastern Alaska. There was no evidence of infectious diseases in those scoters. The die-offs may or may not be associated with the long-term declines. Many scoters had elevated renal concentrations of cadmium (high of 375 μg/g dry weight [dw]). Effects of cadmium in sea ducks are not well understood. Selenium concentrations in livers of nesting white-winged scoters were high; however, the eggs they laid contained less selenium than expected based on relationships for freshwater bird species. Histological evaluation found a high prevalence of hepatocellular vacuolation (49%), a degenerative change frequently associated with sublethal toxic insult. Cadmium and selenium mean liver concentrations were generally higher in those birds with more severe vacuolation; however, relationships were not statistically significant. We do not know if sea duck population declines are related to metals or other contaminants.
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Contaminants and sea ducks in Alaska and the circumpolar region
Henny, C.J.; Rudis, D.D.; Roffe, T.J.; Robinson-Wilson, E.
1995-01-01
We review nesting sea duck population declines in Alaska during recent decades and explore the possibility that contaminants may be implicated. Aerial surveys of the surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) , white-winged scoter (M. fusca) , black scoter (M. nigra) , oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis) , spectacled eider (Somateria fischeri) , and Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) show long-term breeding population declines, especially the latter three species. The spectacled eider was recently classified threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In addition, three other diving ducks, which commonly winter in coastal areas, have declined from unknown causes. Large die-offs of all three species of scoters during molt, a period of high energy demand, were documented in August 1990, 1991, and 1992 at coastal reefs in southeastern Alaska. There was no evidence of infectious diseases in those scoters. The die-offs may or may not be associated with the long-term declines. Many scoters had elevated renal concentrations of cadmium (high of 375 ?g/g dry weight [dw]). Effects of cadmium in sea ducks are not well understood. Selenium concentrations in livers of nesting white-winged scoters were high ; however, the eggs they laid contained less selenium than expected based on relationships for freshwater bird species. Histological evaluation found a high prevalence of hepatocellular vacuolation (49%) , a degenerative change frequently associated with sublethal toxic insult. Cadmium and selenium mean liver concentrations were generally higher in those birds with more severe vacuolation ; however, relationships were not statistically significant. We do not know if sea duck population declines are related to metals or other contaminants.
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Ocean acidification risk assessment for Alaska's fishery sector
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mathis, J. T.; Cooley, S. R.; Lucey, N.; Colt, S.; Ekstrom, J.; Hurst, T.; Hauri, C.; Evans, W.; Cross, J. N.; Feely, R. A.
2015-08-01
The highly productive fisheries of Alaska are located in seas projected to experience strong global change, including rapid transitions in temperature and ocean acidification-driven changes in pH and other chemical parameters. Many of the marine organisms that are most intensely affected by ocean acidification (OA) contribute substantially to the state's commercial fisheries and traditional subsistence way of life. Prior studies of OA's potential impacts on human communities have focused only on possible direct economic losses from specific scenarios of human dependence on commercial harvests and damages to marine species. However, other economic and social impacts, such as changes in food security or livelihoods, are also likely to result from climate change. This study evaluates patterns of dependence on marine resources within Alaska that could be negatively impacted by OA and current community characteristics to assess the potential risk to the fishery sector from OA. Here, we used a risk assessment framework based on one developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to analyze earth-system global ocean model hindcasts and projections of ocean chemistry, fisheries harvest data, and demographic information. The fisheries examined were: shellfish, salmon and other finfish. The final index incorporates all of these data to compare overall risk among Alaska's federally designated census areas. The analysis showed that regions in southeast and southwest Alaska that are highly reliant on fishery harvests and have relatively lower incomes and employment alternatives likely face the highest risk from OA. Although this study is an intermediate step toward our full understanding, the results presented here show that OA merits consideration in policy planning, as it may represent another challenge to Alaskan communities, some of which are already under acute socio-economic strains.
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76 FR 303 - Alaska: Adequacy of Alaska's Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Permit Program
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-01-04
...] Alaska: Adequacy of Alaska's Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Permit Program AGENCY: Environmental... modification of its approved Municipal Solid Waste Landfill (MSWLF) permit program. On March 22, 2004, EPA..., Waste, and Toxics, U.S. EPA, Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, Mailstop: AWT-122, Seattle, WA...
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Tracing biogeochemical subsidies from glacier runoff into Alaska's coastal marine food webs.
Arimitsu, Mayumi L; Hobson, Keith A; Webber, D'Arcy N; Piatt, John F; Hood, Eran W; Fellman, Jason B
2018-01-01
Nearly half of the freshwater discharge into the Gulf of Alaska originates from landscapes draining glacier runoff, but the influence of the influx of riverine organic matter on the trophodynamics of coastal marine food webs is not well understood. We quantified the ecological impact of riverine organic matter subsidies to glacier-marine habitats by developing a multi-trophic level Bayesian three-isotope mixing model. We utilized large gradients in stable (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 2 H) and radiogenic (Δ 14 C) isotopes that trace riverine and marine organic matter sources as they are passed from lower to higher trophic levels in glacial-marine habitats. We also compared isotope ratios between glacial-marine and more oceanic habitats. Based on isotopic measurements of potential baseline sources, ambient water and tissues of marine consumers, estimates of the riverine organic matter source contribution to upper trophic-level species including fish and seabirds ranged from 12% to 44%. Variability in resource use among similar taxa corresponded to variation in species distribution and life histories. For example, riverine organic matter assimilation by the glacier-nesting seabirds Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) was greater than that of the forest-nesting marbled murrelet (B. marmoratus). The particulate and dissolved organic carbon in glacial runoff and near surface coastal waters was aged (12100-1500 years BP 14 C-age) but dissolved inorganic carbon and biota in coastal waters were young (530 years BP 14 C-age to modern). Thus terrestrial-derived subsidies in marine food webs were primarily composed of young organic matter sources released from glacier ecosystems and their surrounding watersheds. Stable isotope compositions also revealed a divergence in food web structure between glacial-marine and oceanic sites. This work demonstrates linkages between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and facilitates a greater understanding of how climate
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Tracing biogeochemical subsidies from glacier runoff into Alaska's coastal marine food webs
Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Hobson, Keith A.; Webber, D'Arcy N.; Piatt, John F.; Hood, Eran W.; Fellman, Jason B.
2018-01-01
Nearly half of the freshwater discharge into the Gulf of Alaska originates from landscapes draining glacier runoff, but the influence of the influx of riverine organic matter on the trophodynamics of coastal marine food webs is not well understood. We quantified the ecological impact of riverine organic matter subsidies to glacier-marine habitats by developing a multi-trophic level Bayesian three-isotope mixing model. We utilized large gradients in stable (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) and radiogenic (Δ14C) isotopes that trace riverine and marine organic matter sources as they are passed from lower to higher trophic levels in glacial-marine habitats. We also compared isotope ratios between glacial-marine and more oceanic habitats. Based on isotopic measurements of potential baseline sources, ambient water and tissues of marine consumers, estimates of the riverine organic matter source contribution to upper trophic-level species including fish and seabirds ranged from 12% to 44%. Variability in resource use among similar taxa corresponded to variation in species distribution and life histories. For example, riverine organic matter assimilation by the glacier-nesting seabirds Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) was greater than that of the forest-nesting marbled murrelet (B. marmoratus). The particulate and dissolved organic carbon in glacial runoff and near surface coastal waters was aged (12100–1500 years BP 14C-age) but dissolved inorganic carbon and biota in coastal waters were young (530 years BP 14C-age to modern). Thus terrestrial-derived subsidies in marine food webs were primarily composed of young organic matter sources released from glacier ecosystems and their surrounding watersheds. Stable isotope compositions also revealed a divergence in food web structure between glacial-marine and oceanic sites. This work demonstrates linkages between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and facilitates a greater understanding of how climate-driven changes
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Evaluation of the stability of gas hydrates in Northern Alaska
Kamath, A.; Godbole, S.P.; Ostermann, R.D.; Collett, T.S.
1987-01-01
The factors which control the distribution of in situ gas hydrate deposits in colder regions such as Northern Alaska include; mean annual surface temperatures (MAST), geothermal gradients above and below the base of permafrost, subsurface pressures, gas composition, pore-fluid salinity and the soil condition. Currently existing data on the above parameters for the forty-six wells located in Northern Alaska were critically examined and used in calculations of depths and thicknesses of gas hydrate stability zones. To illustrate the effect of gas hydrate stability zones, calculations were done for a variable gas composition using the thermodynamic model of Holder and John (1982). The hydrostatic pressure gradient of 9.84 kPa/m (0.435 lbf/in2ft), the salinity of 10 parts per thousand (ppt) and the coarse-grained soil conditions were assumed. An error analysis was performed for the above parameters and the effect of these parameters on hydrate stability zone calculations were determined. After projecting the hydrate stability zones for the forty-six wells, well logs were used to identify and to obtain values for the depth and thickness of hydrate zones. Of the forty-six wells, only ten wells showed definite evidence of the presence of gas hydrates. ?? 1987.
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Publications - Geospatial Data | Alaska Division of Geological &
from rocks collected in the Richardson mining district, Big Delta Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division , 40Ar/39Ar data, Alaska Highway corridor from Delta Junction to Canada border, parts of Mount Hayes
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Publications - DDS 7 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Portal Climate and Cryosphere Hazards Coastal Hazards Program Guide to Geologic Hazards in Alaska DGGS DDS 7 Publication Details Title: Alaska Coastal Profile Tool (ACPT) Authors: DGGS Staff ): Alaska Statewide Bibliographic Reference DGGS Staff, 2014, Alaska Coastal Profile Tool (ACPT): Alaska
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Equisetum species show uniform epicuticular wax structures but diverse composition patterns
Brune, Thomas; Haas, Klaus
2011-01-01
Background and aims Only few data on the epicuticular waxes (EWs) of horsetails are available. This contribution therefore focuses on the wax micromorphology and chemical composition of Equisetum species of the subgenera Equisetum and Hippochaete. Methodology Distribution patterns and structural details of EW on the shoots were studied by scanning electron microscopy. After extraction with chloroform, the chemical composition of wax isolates was analysed by gas chromatography. Principal results Epicuticular wax crystals were non-oriented platelets or membraneous platelets. They were usually located on subsidiary cells of stomata and adjacent cells. Other parts of the shoots were covered mainly with a smooth wax film or small granules only. The chemical constituents found were alkanes, esters, aldehydes, primary alcohols and free fatty acids in a range of C20–C36 (in esters C36–C56). All species of the subgenus Hippochaete showed a similar pattern of fractions with high percentages of alkanes and aldehydes, whereas the subgenus Equisetum species had distinctly different wax compositions. Extracts from the internodes—surfaces without well-developed EW crystals and only few stomata—showed the lowest contents of aldehydes. Conclusions The covering with EW crystals will provide unhindered gas exchange and, combined with intracuticular wax, may prevent excess water loss during winter in the evergreen shoots of the subgenus Hippochaete. The results indicate that the Equisetum wax micromorphology and biosynthesis are comparable to EW of other pteridophyte classes and mosses. PMID:22476480
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Landbird species composition and relative abundance during migration along the Rio Grande
Wang Yong; Deborah M. Finch
1996-01-01
In this paper, we report species composition and relative abundances of stopover migrants during spring and fall migration along the middle Rio Grande in 1994. We recorded 157 landbird species using mist-netting and survey methods at two sites on the Rio Grande, the Bosque del Apache and the Rio Grande Nature Center. A total of 6,509 birds was captured during spring...
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Harvesting morels after wildfire in Alaska.
Tricia L. Wurtz; Amy L. Wiita; Nancy S. Weber; David Pilz
2005-01-01
Morels are edible, choice wild mushrooms that sometimes fruit prolifically in the years immediately after an area has been burned by wildfire. Wildfires are common in interior Alaska; an average of 708,700 acres burned each year in interior Alaska between 1961 and 2000, and in major fire years, over 2 million acres burned. We discuss Alaska's boreal forest...
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The State of Alaska Agency Directory
State Government Jobs Federal Jobs Starting a Small Business Living Get a Driver License Get a Hunting /Fishing License Get a Birth Certificate, Marriage License, etc. Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend Statewide Highway Conditions Take a University Class Look up Alaska Laws Recreation Find a Recreational Area Alaska
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Publications - AR 2006 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2006 main content DGGS AR 2006 Publication Details Title: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual
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Publications - AR 2000 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2000 main content DGGS AR 2000 Publication Details Title: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual
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Publications - AR 2003 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2003 main content DGGS AR 2003 Publication Details Title: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual
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Publications - AR 2004 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2004 main content DGGS AR 2004 Publication Details Title: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual
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Alaska Community Forest Council
Conservation Education Timber Management Wildland Fire & Aviation Burn Permits Firewise Alaska Brochure (PDF) Fire Management Plans Fire Assignments Annual Fire Statistics Fire Terms Glossary Incident Business Management Grants Become an Alaska Firewise Community Community Wildland Fire Protection Plans
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Tsunamis 406 EPIRB's National Weather Service Marine Forecasts ALASKA MARINE VHF VOICE Marine Forecast greater danger near shore or any shallow waters? NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PRODUCTS VIA ALASKA MARINE VHF VOICE NOAA broadcasts offshore forecasts, nearshore forecasts and storm warnings on marine VHF channels
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Hyperspectral surveying for mineral resources in Alaska
Kokaly, Raymond F.; Graham, Garth E.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Kelley, Karen D.; Johnson, Michaela R.; Hubbard, Bernard E.
2016-07-07
Alaska is a major producer of base and precious metals and has a high potential for additional undiscovered mineral resources. However, discovery is hindered by Alaska’s vast size, remoteness, and rugged terrain. New methods are needed to overcome these obstacles in order to fully evaluate Alaska’s geology and mineral resource potential. Hyperspectral surveying is one method that can be used to rapidly acquire data about the distributions of surficial materials, including different types of bedrock and ground cover. In 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey began the Alaska Hyperspectral Project to assess the applicability of this method in Alaska. The primary study area is a remote part of the eastern Alaska Range where porphyry deposits are exposed. In collaboration with the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey is collecting and analyzing hyperspectral data with the goals of enhancing geologic mapping and developing methods to identify and characterize mineral deposits elsewhere in Alaska.
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Project report: Alaska Iways architecture
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2005-01-01
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) is continually looking at ways to improve the efficiency, safety, and reliability of Alaskas transportation system. This effort includes the application of advanced communicat...
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Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students.
Sivarajah, Sivajanani; Smith, Sandy M; Thomas, Sean C
2018-01-01
Human exposure to green space and vegetation is widely recognized to result in physical and mental health benefits; however, to date, the specific effects of tree cover, diversity, and species composition on student academic performance have not been investigated. We compiled standardized performance scores in Grades 3 and 6 for the collective student body in 387 schools across the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), and examined variation in relation to tree cover, tree diversity, and tree species composition based on comprehensive inventories of trees on school properties combined with aerial-photo-based assessments of tree cover. Analyses accounted for variation due to socioeconomic factors using the learning opportunity index (LOI), a regional composite index of external challenges to learning that incorporates income and other factors, such as students with English as a second language. As expected, LOI had the greatest influence on student academic performance; however, the proportion of tree cover, as distinct from other types of "green space" such as grass, was found to be a significant positive predictor of student performance, accounting for 13% of the variance explained in a statistical model predicting mean student performance assessments. The effects of tree cover and species composition were most pronounced in schools that showed the highest level of external challenges, suggesting the importance of urban forestry investments in these schools.
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Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students
Smith, Sandy M.; Thomas, Sean C.
2018-01-01
Human exposure to green space and vegetation is widely recognized to result in physical and mental health benefits; however, to date, the specific effects of tree cover, diversity, and species composition on student academic performance have not been investigated. We compiled standardized performance scores in Grades 3 and 6 for the collective student body in 387 schools across the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), and examined variation in relation to tree cover, tree diversity, and tree species composition based on comprehensive inventories of trees on school properties combined with aerial-photo-based assessments of tree cover. Analyses accounted for variation due to socioeconomic factors using the learning opportunity index (LOI), a regional composite index of external challenges to learning that incorporates income and other factors, such as students with English as a second language. As expected, LOI had the greatest influence on student academic performance; however, the proportion of tree cover, as distinct from other types of “green space” such as grass, was found to be a significant positive predictor of student performance, accounting for 13% of the variance explained in a statistical model predicting mean student performance assessments. The effects of tree cover and species composition were most pronounced in schools that showed the highest level of external challenges, suggesting the importance of urban forestry investments in these schools. PMID:29474503
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Agostini, Kayna; Sazima, Marlies; Galetto, Leonardo
2011-11-01
Nectar is secreted in particular rhythms throughout the lifespan of a flower, which allows determining the nectar production dynamics. This paper compares nectar features in Mucuna japira and Mucuna urens describing: dynamics of nectar production, floral response to nectar removal, resorption, nectar sugar composition, and variation in nectar sugar composition. M. japira inflorescence bears 12-21 yellow flowers, which are in anthesis for 7 days, whereas M. urens inflorescence bears 36-54 greenish flowers, but only 1-3 flowers are in anthesis simultaneously that last one night. Nectar volume and sugar concentration were measured, and the amount of sugar was estimated. Qualitative and quantitative nectar sugar composition was determined. Both species had a constant nectar sugar concentration (ca. 10% for M. japira and ca. 16% for M. urens) and secreted high volumes of nectar (ca. 340 μl per flower for M. japira and 310 μl per flower for M. urens), during 5 days for M. japira and 6 h for M. urens, but after the first removal, i.e., when flower opening mechanism is triggered, nectar production stops immediately. Nectar resorption occurred in both species. Nectar sugar composition showed some similarities between the species. Variation in nectar sugar composition occurred in both species. The Mucuna species are dependent on their pollinators to produce fruits and seeds, and they have different strategies to promote the necessary interaction with birds or bats, especially related to nectar and flower characteristics.
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Agostini, Kayna; Sazima, Marlies; Galetto, Leonardo
2011-11-01
Nectar is secreted in particular rhythms throughout the lifespan of a flower, which allows determining the nectar production dynamics. This paper compares nectar features in Mucuna japira and Mucuna urens describing: dynamics of nectar production, floral response to nectar removal, resorption, nectar sugar composition, and variation in nectar sugar composition. M. japira inflorescence bears 12-21 yellow flowers, which are in anthesis for 7 days, whereas M. urens inflorescence bears 36-54 greenish flowers, but only 1-3 flowers are in anthesis simultaneously that last one night. Nectar volume and sugar concentration were measured, and the amount of sugar was estimated. Qualitative and quantitative nectar sugar composition was determined. Both species had a constant nectar sugar concentration (ca. 10% for M. japira and ca. 16% for M. urens) and secreted high volumes of nectar (ca. 340 μl per flower for M. japira and 310 μl per flower for M. urens), during 5 days for M. japira and 6 h for M. urens, but after the first removal, i.e., when flower opening mechanism is triggered, nectar production stops immediately. Nectar resorption occurred in both species. Nectar sugar composition showed some similarities between the species. Variation in nectar sugar composition occurred in both species. The Mucuna species are dependent on their pollinators to produce fruits and seeds, and they have different strategies to promote the necessary interaction with birds or bats, especially related to nectar and flower characteristics.
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Kim, Mi Young; Kim, Eun Jin; Kim, Young-Nam; Choi, Changsun
2012-01-01
Pumpkins have considerable variation in nutrient contents depending on the cultivation environment, species, or part. In this study, the general chemical compositions and some bioactive components, such as tocopherols, carotenoids, and β-sitosterol, were analyzed in three major species of pumpkin (Cucurbitaceae pepo, C. moschata, and C. maxima) grown in Korea and also in three parts (peel, flesh, and seed) of each pumpkin species. C. maxima had significantly more carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fiber than C. pepo or C. moschata (P < 0.05). The moisture content as well as the amino acid and arginine contents in all parts of the pumpkin was highest in C. pepo. The major fatty acids in the seeds were palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. C. pepo and C. moschata seeds had significantly more γ-tocopherol than C. maxima, whose seeds had the highest β-carotene content. C. pepo seeds had significantly more β-sitosterol than the others. Nutrient compositions differed considerably among the pumpkin species and parts. These results will be useful in updating the nutrient compositions of pumpkin in the Korean food composition database. Additional analyses of various pumpkins grown in different years and in different areas of Korea are needed. PMID:22413037
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Successional change in species composition alters climate sensitivity of grassland productivity.
Shi, Zheng; Lin, Yang; Wilcox, Kevin R; Souza, Lara; Jiang, Lifen; Jiang, Jiang; Jung, Chang Gyo; Xu, Xia; Yuan, Mengting; Guo, Xue; Wu, Liyou; Zhou, Jizhong; Luo, Yiqi
2018-05-31
Succession theory predicts altered sensitivity of ecosystem functions to disturbance (i.e., climate change) due to the temporal shift in plant community composition. However, empirical evidence in global change experiments is lacking to support this prediction. Here, we present findings from an 8-year long-term global change experiment with warming and altered precipitation manipulation (double and halved amount). First, we observed a temporal shift in species composition over 8 years, resulting in a transition from an annual C 3 -dominant plant community to a perennial C 4 -dominant plant community. This successional transition was independent of any experimental treatments. During the successional transition, the response of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) to precipitation addition magnified from neutral to +45.3%, while the response to halved precipitation attenuated substantially from -17.6% to neutral. However, warming did not affect ANPP in either state. The findings further reveal that the time-dependent climate sensitivity may be regulated by successional change in species composition, highlighting the importance of vegetation dynamics in regulating the response of ecosystem productivity to precipitation change. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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A conceptual model for the impact of climate change on fox rabies in Alaska, 1980–2010
Kim, Bryan I.; Blanton, Jesse D.; Gilbert, Amy; Castrodale, Louisa; Hueffer, Karsten; Slate, Dennis; Rupprecht, Charles E.
2013-01-01
The direct and interactive effects of climate change on host species and infectious disease dynamics are likely to initially manifest at latitudinal extremes. As such, Alaska represents a region in the United States for introspection on climate change and disease. Rabies is enzootic among arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) throughout the northern polar region. In Alaska, arctic and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are reservoirs for rabies, with most domestic animal and wildlife cases reported from northern and western coastal Alaska. Based on passive surveillance, a pronounced seasonal trend in rabid foxes occurs in Alaska, with a peak in winter and spring. This study describes climatic factors that may be associated with reported cyclic rabies occurrence. Based upon probabilistic modeling, a stronger seasonal effect in reported fox rabies cases appears at higher latitudes in Alaska, and rabies in arctic foxes appear disproportionately affected by climatic factors in comparison to red foxes. As temperatures continue a warming trend a decrease in reported rabid arctic foxes may be expected. The overall epidemiology of rabies in Alaska is likely to shift to increased viral transmission among red foxes as the primary reservoir in the region. Information on fox and lemming demographics, in addition to enhanced rabies surveillance among foxes at finer geographic scales, will be critical to develop more comprehensive models for rabies virus transmission in the region. PMID:23452510
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Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-04-01
... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Are Alaska reindeer trust assets maintained by the U.S. Government for the benefit of Alaska Natives? 243.12 Section 243.12 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FISH AND WILDLIFE REINDEER IN ALASKA § 243.12 Are Alaska reindeer trust assets maintained by the U.S. Government for the...
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Publications - GMC 222 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. Malguk #1 well Authors: Unknown Publication Date: 1994 Publisher: Alaska reflectance data from cuttings (440-11,375') of the BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. Malguk #1 well: Alaska
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Law Library - Alaska Court System
, Federal Info, US Supreme Court, State Links, 9th Circuit Links Library Databases & eBooks WestlawNext state agencies Alaska Supreme Court briefs (1960-current) Alaska Court of Appeals briefs (1980-current
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Rooper, Chris; Stone, Robert P.; Etnoyer, Peter; Conrath, Christina; Reynolds, Jennifer; Greene, H. Gary; Williams, Branwen; Salgado, Enrique; Morrison, Cheryl L.; Waller, Rhian G.; Demopoulos, Amanda W.J.
2017-01-01
Deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems are widespread throughout most of Alaska’s marine waters. In some places, such as the central and western Aleutian Islands, deep-sea coral and sponge resources can be extremely diverse and may rank among the most abundant deep-sea coral and sponge communities in the world. Many different species of fishes and invertebrates are associated with deep-sea coral and sponge communities in Alaska. Because of their biology, these benthic invertebrates are potentially impacted by climate change and ocean acidification. Deepsea coral and sponge ecosystems are also vulnerable to the effects of commercial fishing activities. Because of the size and scope of Alaska’s continental shelf and slope, the vast majority of the area has not been visually surveyed for deep-sea corals and sponges. NOAA’s Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program (DSCRTP) sponsored a field research program in the Alaska region between 2012–2015, referred to hereafter as the Alaska Initiative. The priorities for Alaska were derived from ongoing data needs and objectives identified by the DSCRTP, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), and Essential Fish Habitat-Environmental Impact Statement (EFH-EIS) process.This report presents the results of 15 projects conducted using DSCRTP funds from 2012-2015. Three of the projects conducted as part of the Alaska deep-sea coral and sponge initiative included dedicated at-sea cruises and fieldwork spread across multiple years. These projects were the eastern Gulf of Alaska Primnoa pacifica study, the Aleutian Islands mapping study, and the Gulf of Alaska fish productivity study. In all, there were nine separate research cruises carried out with a total of 109 at-sea days conducting research. The remaining projects either used data and samples collected by the three major fieldwork projects or were piggy-backed onto existing research programs at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC).
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bristol, E. M.; Dabrowski, J. S.; Jimmie, J. A.; Peter, D. L.; Holmes, R. M.; Mann, P. J.; Natali, S.; Schade, J. D.
2017-12-01
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in southwest, Alaska is characterized by discontinuous permafrost, which is vulnerable to thaw induced by climate change. Recent fires in the delta have caused dramatic changes in the landscape, likely changing carbon dynamics, and potentially altering dissolved organic carbon (DOC) composition and DOC concentrations in aquatic ecosystems. These changes, in turn, likely affect microbial respiration and hydrologic C export from watersheds in the delta. In this study, we investigated how landscape position and fire history drive changes in DOC composition and reactivity in aquatic ecosystems. We surveyed soil pore waters, ponds, fens, and streams at varying landscape positions in burned and unburned landscapes. We also conducted a laboratory experiment to compare the role of photooxidation, photodegradation, and microbial respiration in altering DOC composition and concentration. Surface waters in burned regions were higher in temperature and inorganic nitrogen concentrations. Higher conductivity in burned areas suggests that fire is deepening the water table, causing water to flow through a more mineral soil horizon. While DOC concentrations did not vary significantly by landscape position or fire history, optical properties of DOC suggest that DOC molecular weight is lower in burned regions and decreases along flow paths. Similarly, our incubation experiment indicated that changes in DOC composition are driven by exposure to light more than bacterial respiration, and that photochemical reactivity declines along flow paths. Percent DOC loss was greatest in waters exposed to both light and bacterial, and percent DOC loss from burned watershed waters was correlated with optical properties. Based on our findings, we predict that the combination of increased surface water temperatures, increased inorganic nitrogen concentrations, and lower molecular weight DOC will increase bacterial respiration of DOC in watersheds burned by wildfire. Further
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Volcanic activity in Alaska: summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory 1993
Neal, Christina A.; McGimsey, Robert G.; Doukas, Michael P.
1996-01-01
During 1993, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) responded to episodes of eruptive activity or false alarms at nine volcanic centers in the state of Alaska. Additionally, as part of a formal role in KVERT (the Kamchatkan Volcano Eruption Response Team), AVO staff also responded to eruptions on the Kamchatka Peninsula, details of which are summarized in Miller and Kurianov (1993). In 1993, AVO maintained seismic instrumentation networks on four volcanoes of the Cook Inlet region--Spurr, Redoubt, Iliamna, and Augustine--and two stations at Dutton Volcano near King Cove on the Alaska Peninsula. Other routine elements of AVO's volcano monitoring program in Alaska include periodic airborne measurement of volcanic SO2 and CO2 at Cook Inlet volcanoes (Doukas, 1995) and maintenance of a lightning detection system in Cook Inlet (Paskievitch and others, 1995).
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LaManna, Joseph A.; Martin, Thomas E.
2017-01-01
Understanding the causes underlying changes in species diversity is a fundamental pursuit of ecology. Animal species richness and composition often change with decreased forest structural complexity associated with logging. Yet differences in latitude and forest type may strongly influence how species diversity responds to logging. We performed a meta-analysis of logging effects on local species richness and composition of birds across the world and assessed responses by different guilds (nesting strata, foraging strata, diet, and body size). This approach allowed identification of species attributes that might underlie responses to this anthropogenic disturbance. We only examined studies that allowed forests to regrow naturally following logging, and accounted for logging intensity, spatial extent, successional regrowth after logging, and the change in species composition expected due to random assembly from regional species pools. Selective logging in the tropics and clearcut logging in temperate latitudes caused loss of species from nearly all forest strata (ground to canopy), leading to substantial declines in species richness (up to 27% of species). Few species were lost or gained following any intensity of logging in lower-latitude temperate forests, but the relative abundances of these species changed substantially. Selective logging at higher-temperate latitudes generally replaced late-successional specialists with early-successional specialists, leading to no net changes in species richness but large changes in species composition. Removing less basal area during logging mitigated the loss of avian species from all forests and, in some cases, increased diversity in temperate forests. This meta-analysis provides insights into the important role of habitat specialization in determining differential responses of animal communities to logging across tropical and temperate latitudes.
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Wang, Ming Li; Morris, Brad; Tonnis, Brandon; Davis, Jerry; Pederson, Gary A
2012-07-04
The Hibiscus genus encompasses more than 300 species, but kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) are the two most economically important species within the genus. Seeds from these two Hibiscus species contain a relatively high amount of oil with two unusual fatty acids: dihydrosterculic and vernolic acids. The fatty acid composition in the oil can directly affect oil quality and its utilization. However, the variability in oil content and fatty acid composition for these two species is unclear. For these two species, 329 available accessions were acquired from the USDA germplasm collection. Their oil content and fatty acid composition were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography (GC), respectively. Using NMR and GC analyses, we found that Hibiscus seeds on average contained 18% oil and seed oil was composed of six major fatty acids (each >1%) and seven minor fatty acids (each <1%). Hibiscus cannabinus seeds contained significantly higher amounts of oil (18.14%), palmitic (20.75%), oleic (28.91%), vernolic acids (VA, 4.16%), and significantly lower amounts of stearic (3.96%), linoleic (39.49%), and dihydrosterculic acids (DHSA, 1.08%) than H. sabdariffa seeds (17.35%, 18.52%, 25.16%, 3.52%, 4.31%, 44.72%, and 1.57%, respectively). For edible oils, a higher oleic/linoleic (O/L) ratio and lower level of DHSA are preferred, and for industrial oils a high level of VA is preferred. Our results indicate that seeds from H. cannabinus may be of higher quality than H. sabdariffa seeds for these reasons. Significant variability in oil content and major fatty acids was also detected within both species. The variability in oil content and fatty acid composition revealed from this study will be useful for exploring seed utilization and developing new cultivars in these Hibiscus species.
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Tables and equations for estimating volumes of trees in the Susitna River Basin, Alaska.
Frederic R. Larson; Kenneth C. Winterberger
1988-01-01
Scribner board-foot, merchantable cubic-foot, and total cubic-foot volume equations were derived from fall, buck, and scale data for 441 trees at 78 locations in the Susitna River basin, Alaska. Tree species included white and black spruce, paper birch, black cottonwood, and quaking aspen.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kholis, N.; Patria, M. P.; Soedjiarti, T.
2017-07-01
Research of composition and diversity of fish species in seagrass bed ecosystem at Muara Binuangeun, Lebak, Banten, had been conducted in May and November 2015. Catch per Unit of Effort (CPUE) was used as a method with push net and boat net as fishing gear. Fishing was conducted during low tide. Collected samples were preserved with 10 % Formalin Solution and then being identified in the laboratory. In total, 286 fishes were collected from 17 families and 38 species. Moolgarda sp. was the most relative abundant species (17,13 %) and Istiblennius edentulus was a fish species with the highest relative frequency. Diversity index value of seagrass bed ecosystem was 2,973. Different sampling time showed the different composition of fish, in an example of Arothron immaculatus.
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Publications - NL 2002-1 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical 2002 Publisher: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Ordering Info: Download below Reference DGGS Staff, and Werdon, M.B., 2002, Alaska GeoSurvey News - Geologic Investigations in the Salcha
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Geologic Map of Central (Interior) Alaska
Wilson, Frederic H.; Dover, James H.; Bradley, Dwight C.; Weber, Florence R.; Bundtzen, Thomas K.; Haeussler, Peter J.
1998-01-01
Introduction: This map and associated digital databases are the result of a compilation and reinterpretation of published and unpublished 1:250,000- and limited 1:125,000- and 1:63,360-scale mapping. The map area covers approximately 416,000 sq km (134,000 sq mi) and encompasses 25 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in central Alaska. The compilation was done as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Surveys and Analysis project, whose goal is nationwide assemble geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and other data. This map is an early product of an effort that will eventually encompass all of Alaska, and is the result of an agreement with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil And Gas, to provide data on interior basins in Alaska. A paper version of the three map sheets has been published as USGS Open-File Report 98-133. Two geophysical maps that cover the identical area have been published earlier: 'Bouguer gravity map of Interior Alaska' (Meyer and others, 1996); and 'Merged aeromagnetic map of Interior Alaska' (Meyer and Saltus, 1995). These two publications are supplied in the 'geophys' directory of this report.
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Publications - GMC 167 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a Arco Alaska W. Mikkelsen Unit #2 well Authors: Pawlewicz, Mark Publication Date: 1990 Publisher: Alaska , Vitrinite reflectance data of cuttings (6160'-11030') from the Arco Alaska W. Mikkelsen Unit #2 well: Alaska
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Publications - GMC 257 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a ARCO Alaska Inc. Colville River #1 well Authors: Unknown Publication Date: 1995 Publisher: Alaska reflectance data from cuttings (1,470-7,300') of the ARCO Alaska Inc. Colville River #1 well: Alaska Division
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Publications - GMC 258 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a ARCO Alaska Inc. Kuukpik #3 well Authors: Unknown Publication Date: 1995 Publisher: Alaska Division of from cuttings (3,220-6,570') of the ARCO Alaska Inc. Kuukpik #3 well: Alaska Division of Geological
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Oliveira, G F; Rohde, C; Garcia, A C L; Montes, M A; Valente, V L S
2016-10-01
In this study, semi-arid environments were tested to see if they support insect diversity. This was evaluated through the structure of the composition of assemblies of drosophilids in three conservation units placed in three different ecoregions in the dryland forests, Caatinga. This is a unique biome in northeast Brazil, comprising approximately 10% of the country. Species richness was investigated over 2 years during a prolonged drought, considered the worst affliction the Caatinga ecosystem had experienced in the last 50 years. Alpha diversity indices and the ecological similarity between the samples were calculated to determine how the environments drive the composition of Drosophilidae in such semi-arid places. A total of 7352 specimens were sampled. They were classified into 20 species belonging to four genera: Drosophila, Rhinoleucophenga, Scaptodrosophila, and Zaprionus. Drosophila nebulosa Sturtevant (44.5%) and Drosophila cardini Sturtevant (12.5%) were the most abundant species. The occurrences and abundances of all the species differed greatly between sites. These results and other ecological analyses indicate that although placed in the same biome, there are great variability in the drosophilid species and abundance among the three protected and conserved dryland environments.
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75 FR 57977 - Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Applications for Permit
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-09-23
... of the permit to take and harassment polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the wild in Alaska and in...] Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Applications for Permit AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service... endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and...
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Robert L. Deal
2001-01-01
The effects of partial cutting on plant species richness, community structure, and several understory species that are important for deer forage were evaluated on 73 plots in 18 stands throughout southeast Alaska. These partially cut stands were harvested 12â96 years ago when 16- 96% of the former stand basal area was removed. The species richness and community...
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Rooting depth distribution and nitrogen acquisition using 15N tracer, Barrow, Alaska, 2013
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Colleen Iversen
Permafrost thaw and degradation may lead to altered thickness of the active soil layer and a changing distribution of plant-available nutrients throughout the soil, but little is known about the nutrient acquisition strategies of dominant tundra plant species. We conducted an 15N isotope tracer experiment to assess the vertical distribution of nutrient acquisition among three dominant species representing important plant functional types (PFTs) on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) in Barrow, Alaska. We found that vertical patterns of root distribution and nutrient acquisition varied among plant species, and that root density may not entirely explain patterns of nutrient acquisition formore » all species.« less
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Publications - DDS 4 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
Datasets of Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Digital Data Series 4, http ; Alaska Statewide Maps; Alaska, State of; Digital Elevation Model; Digital Surface Model (DSM); Geologic
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Flint, Paul L.; Mallek, E.J.; King, R.J.; Schmutz, J.A.; Bollinger, K.S.; Derksen, D.V.
2008-01-01
Goose populations molting in the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska have changed in size and distribution over the past 30 years. Black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) are relatively stable in numbers but are shifting from large, inland lakes to salt marshes. Concurrently, populations of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) have increased seven fold. Populations of Canada geese (Branta canadensis and/or B. hutchinsii) are stable with little indication of distributional shifts. The lesser snow goose (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) population is proportionally small, but increasing rapidly. Coastline erosion of the Beaufort Sea has altered tundra habitats by allowing saltwater intrusion, which has resulted in shifts in composition of forage plant species. We propose two alternative hypotheses for the observed shift in black brant distribution. Ecological change may have altered optimal foraging habitats for molting birds, or alternatively, interspecific competition between black brant and greater white-fronted geese may be excluding black brant from preferred habitats. Regardless of the causative mechanism, the observed shifts in species distributions are an important consideration for future resource planning. ?? 2007 Springer-Verlag.
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2014 volcanic activity in Alaska: Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory
Cameron, Cheryl E.; Dixon, James P.; Neal, Christina A.; Waythomas, Christopher F.; Schaefer, Janet R.; McGimsey, Robert G.
2017-09-07
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) responded to eruptions, possible eruptions, volcanic unrest or suspected unrest, and seismic events at 18 volcanic centers in Alaska during 2014. The most notable volcanic activity consisted of intermittent ash eruptions from long-active Cleveland and Shishaldin Volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, and two eruptive episodes at Pavlof Volcano on the Alaska Peninsula. Semisopochnoi and Akutan volcanoes had seismic swarms, both likely the result of magmatic intrusion. The AVO also installed seismometers and infrasound instruments at Mount Cleveland during 2014.
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Publications - GMC 254 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a ARCO Alaska Inc. Cirque #2 well Authors: Unknown Publication Date: 1995 Publisher: Alaska Division of from cuttings (2,200-7,660') of the ARCO Alaska Inc. Cirque #2 well: Alaska Division of Geological &
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Publications - GMC 272 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a ') from the ARCO Alaska Inc. Till #1 well Authors: Unknown Publication Date: 1996 Publisher: Alaska reflectance maceral data of cuttings (3,100-6,975') from the ARCO Alaska Inc. Till #1 well: Alaska Division of
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Publications - GMC 255 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a ARCO Alaska Inc. Rock Flour #1 well Authors: Unknown Publication Date: 1995 Publisher: Alaska Division reflectance data from cuttings (1,600-7,170') of the ARCO Alaska Inc. Rock Flour #1 well: Alaska Division of
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Publications - GMC 238 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
and Facilities Staff Seismic and Well Data Data Reports Contact Us Frequently Asked Questions Ask a ARCO Alaska Inc. Fiord #1 well Authors: Unknown Publication Date: 1994 Publisher: Alaska Division of from cuttings (1,250-10,250') of the ARCO Alaska Inc. Fiord #1 well: Alaska Division of Geological &
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Publications - GMC 388 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
DGGS GMC 388 Publication Details Title: Core photographs of the Cominco DDH-1 through DDH-4 boreholes the Cominco DDH-1 through DDH-4 boreholes, NAP Cu-Zn Prospect, Dillingham Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska
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Publications - GMC 336 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Oil Company OCS Y-0197-1 (Tern Island #3) at the Alaska GMC Authors: Shell Oil Company, and Alaska information. Quadrangle(s): Alaska Statewide Bibliographic Reference Shell Oil Company, and Alaska Geological Materials Center, 2006, Core Photographs (12915'-13361.5') dated June 2003 of the Shell Oil Company OCS Y
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Publications - PDF 98-36A | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Oxides; Rocks; STATEMAP Project; Trace Elements Top of Page Department of Natural Resources, Division of Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
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Publications - RI 2015-7 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska content DGGS RI 2015-7 Publication Details Title: Surficial geology of the Tyonek area, south-central of the Tyonek area, south-central Tyonek Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological &
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Phocine Distemper Virus in Northern Sea Otters in the Pacific Ocean, Alaska, USA
Mazet, Jonna A.K.; Gill, Verena A.; Doroff, Angela M.; Burek, Kathy A.; Hammond, John A.
2009-01-01
Phocine distemper virus (PDV) has caused 2 epidemics in harbor seals in the Atlantic Ocean but had never been identified in any Pacific Ocean species. We found that northern sea otters in Alaska are infected with PDV, which has created a disease threat to several sympatric and decreasing Pacific marine mammals. PMID:19523293
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Alaska Plant Materials Center | Division of Agriculture
Alaska Plant Materials Center Serving Alaska's needs in the production of native plants and traditional Division of Agriculture Grants Alaska Agriculture Statistics Annual Overview Invasive Plants Invasive Plants Program Invasives News Plant Profiles Canada thistle Elodea European Bird Cherry Giant hogweed
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Anderson-Smith, A.; Pattison, R.; Sullivan, P.; Welker, J. M.
2009-12-01
Eriophorum vaginatum (Cotton Grass) is an important component of moist acidic tussock tundra, a plant community that appears to be undergoing changes in species composition associated with climate warming. This species is one of the most abundant in the arctic tundra, and provides important forage for caribou in their calving grounds on the Arctic Coastal Plain and along their migratory route through the foothills of Alaska. Recently, remote sensing data, repeat photography and plot-level measurements have indicated that shrub abundance is increasing while Eriophorum abundance is either constant or decreasing. One possible explanation for the reduction of Eriophorum while Betula nana is increasing, is that lower light levels in the taller Betula canopy may be constraining Eriophorum photosynthesis and subsequently reducing plant growth. This study measured the effect of shading on the light response of Eriphorum leaf photosynthesis in four different sites near Toolik Lake Alaska during the summer of 2009. Measurements were taken in: 1) a shrub patch within the drift zone of the ITEX long term snow fence experiment, 2) an LTER shade house (50% shading) built in 1989, 3) water track site 1 and water track site 2 (i.e. control areas with no experimental manipulations) Average photosynthetic rates for Eriophorum at a light level of 800 PAR varied from 3.8 to 10.9 umol m-2 s-1 and were not significantly different in shaded and unshaded areas. This study indicates that shading by shrubs does not appear to be altering the light response of Eriophorum nor does long-term shading by itself eliminate Eriophorum from the community. An alternative explanation for the decline of Eriophorum while Betula increases in abundance under changing climates may be related to plant and soil mineral nutrition, plant water relations or biotic processes involving herbivores.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Potter, S.; Solvik, K.; Erb, A.; Goetz, S. J.; Johnstone, J. F.; Mack, M. C.; Randerson, J. T.; Roman, M. O.; Schaaf, C. L.; Turetsky, M. R.; Veraverbeke, S.; Wang, Z.; Rogers, B. M.
2017-12-01
Boreal forest dynamics including succession, composition, carbon cycling, and surface-atmosphere energy exchanges are largely driven by fire. In Alaska and Canada, burned area and fire frequency have increased since the 1970s, and are projected to continue increasing into the 21st century. In contrast to other biomes, alterations to surface albedo from fires in North American boreal forests are one of the primary feedbacks to climate. Understanding how altered fire regimes impact vegetation composition and energy budgets is therefore critical to forecasting regional and global climate change. High-severity fires cause winter and spring albedo to increase due to increased snow exposure and replacement of evergreen conifers by deciduous broadleaf trees. Although summer albedo decreases initially due to the deposition of black carbon and charred surfaces, it typically increases for several decades thereafter when younger and brighter deciduous trees dominate. The net effect of these albedo changes is expected to result in substantive radiative cooling, but there has been little research to examine how albedo trajectories differ spatially and temporally as a result of differences in burn severity, species composition, topography, climate and soil properties, and what the associated implications for future energy balances are. Here we investigate drivers of post-fire monthly albedo trajectories across Canada and Alaska using a new Collection V006 500 m MODIS daily blue-sky albedo product and historical fires from the Canadian and Alaskan National Fire Databases. The impacts of varying fuel type, landscape position, soils, climate, and burn severity on monthly albedo trajectories are explored using a Random Forest model. This information is then used to predict long-term monthly albedo and radiative forcing for fires that occurred during the MODIS era (2001-2012). We find that higher severity burns in denser forests and environmental conditions that promote either
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Frick, Winifred F; Hayes, John P; Heady, Paul A
2009-01-01
Nested patterns of community composition exist when species at depauperate sites are subsets of those occurring at sites with more species. Nested subset analysis provides a framework for analyzing species occurrences to determine non-random patterns in community composition and potentially identify mechanisms that may shape faunal assemblages. We examined nested subset structure of desert bat assemblages on 20 islands in the southern Gulf of California and at 27 sites along the Baja California peninsula coast, the presumable source pool for the insular faunas. Nested structure was analyzed using a conservative null model that accounts for expected variation in species richness and species incidence across sites (fixed row and column totals). Associations of nestedness and island traits, such as size and isolation, as well as species traits related to mobility, were assessed to determine the potential role of differential extinction and immigration abilities as mechanisms of nestedness. Bat faunas were significantly nested in both the insular and terrestrial landscape and island size was significantly correlated with nested structure, such that species on smaller islands tended to be subsets of species on larger islands, suggesting that differential extinction vulnerabilities may be important in shaping insular bat faunas. The role of species mobility and immigration abilities is less clearly associated with nestedness in this system. Nestedness in the terrestrial landscape is likely due to stochastic processes related to random placement of individuals and this may also influence nested patterns on islands, but additional data on abundances will be necessary to distinguish among these potential mechanisms.
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Araújo, Maria Aparecida de Moura; da Rocha, Antônio Elielson Sousa; Miranda, Izildinha de Souza; Barbosa, Reinaldo Imbrozio
2017-01-01
Studies on plant communities in the Amazon have reported that different hydro-edaphic conditions can affect the richness and the species composition of different ecosystems. However, this aspect is poorly known in the different savanna habitats. Understanding how populations and plant communities are distributed in these open vegetation areas is important to improve the knowledge about which environmental variables influence the occurrence and diversity of plants in this type of regional ecosystem. Thus, this study investigated the richness and composition of plant species in two savanna areas of the northern Brazilian Amazonia, using the coverage (%) of the different life forms observed under different hydro-edaphic conditions as a structural reference. We report 128 plant species classified in 34 botanical families distributed in three savanna habitats with different levels of hydro-edaphic restrictions. In this study, the habitats are conceptually presented and they integrate environmental information (edaphic factors and drainage type), which determines differences between floristic composition, species richness and coverage (%) of plant life forms.
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Publications - GMC 417 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
the Sun Prospect, Ambler Mining District, Survey Pass Quadrangle, Alaska Authors: ALS Minerals Sun Prospect, Ambler Mining District, Survey Pass Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological
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78 FR 48711 - Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Applications for Permit
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-08-09
... requests a permit to photograph polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the vicinity of Kaktovik, Alaska, from...-FF09A30000] Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Applications for Permit AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife... with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA...
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Development of an Integrated Moisture Index for predicting species composition
Louis R. Iverson; Charles T. Scott; Martin E. Dale; Anantha Prasad
1996-01-01
A geographic information system (GIS) approach was used to develop an Integrated Moisture Index (IMI), which was used to predict species composition for Ohio forests. Several landscape features (a slope-aspect shading index, cumulative flow of water downslope, curvature of the landscape, and the water-holding capacity of the soil) were derived from elevation and soils...
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Alaska volcanoes guidebook for teachers
Adleman, Jennifer N.
2011-01-01
Alaska’s volcanoes, like its abundant glaciers, charismatic wildlife, and wild expanses inspire and ignite scientific curiosity and generate an ever-growing source of questions for students in Alaska and throughout the world. Alaska is home to more than 140 volcanoes, which have been active over the last 2 million years. About 90 of these volcanoes have been active within the last 10,000 years and more than 50 of these have been active since about 1700. The volcanoes in Alaska make up well over three-quarters of volcanoes in the United States that have erupted in the last 200 years. In fact, Alaska’s volcanoes erupt so frequently that it is almost guaranteed that an Alaskan will experience a volcanic eruption in his or her lifetime, and it is likely they will experience more than one. It is hard to imagine a better place for students to explore active volcanism and to understand volcanic hazards, phenomena, and global impacts. Previously developed teachers’ guidebooks with an emphasis on the volcanoes in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Mattox, 1994) and Mount Rainier National Park in the Cascade Range (Driedger and others, 2005) provide place-based resources and activities for use in other volcanic regions in the United States. Along the lines of this tradition, this guidebook serves to provide locally relevant and useful resources and activities for the exploration of numerous and truly unique volcanic landscapes in Alaska. This guidebook provides supplemental teaching materials to be used by Alaskan students who will be inspired to become educated and prepared for inevitable future volcanic activity in Alaska. The lessons and activities in this guidebook are meant to supplement and enhance existing science content already being taught in grade levels 6–12. Correlations with Alaska State Science Standards and Grade Level Expectations adopted by the Alaska State Department of Education and Early Development (2006) for grades six through eleven are listed at
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Long-Term Changes in Species Composition and Relative Abundances of Sharks at a Provisioning Site
Brunnschweiler, Juerg M.; Abrantes, Kátya G.; Barnett, Adam
2014-01-01
Diving with sharks, often in combination with food baiting/provisioning, has become an important product of today’s recreational dive industry. Whereas the effects baiting/provisioning has on the behaviour and abundance of individual shark species are starting to become known, there is an almost complete lack of equivalent data from multi-species shark diving sites. In this study, changes in species composition and relative abundances were determined at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, a multi-species shark feeding site in Fiji. Using direct observation sampling methods, eight species of sharks (bull shark Carcharhinus leucas, grey reef shark Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, whitetip reef shark Triaenodon obesus, blacktip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus, tawny nurse shark Nebrius ferrugineus, silvertip shark Carcharhinus albimarginatus, sicklefin lemon shark Negaprion acutidens, and tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier) displayed inter-annual site fidelity between 2003 and 2012. Encounter rates and/or relative abundances of some species changed over time, overall resulting in more individuals (mostly C. leucas) of fewer species being encountered on average on shark feeding dives at the end of the study period. Differences in shark community composition between the years 2004–2006 and 2007–2012 were evident, mostly because N. ferrugineus, C. albimarginatus and N. acutidens were much more abundant in 2004–2006 and very rare in the period of 2007–2012. Two explanations are offered for the observed changes in relative abundances over time, namely inter-specific interactions and operator-specific feeding protocols. Both, possibly in combination, are suggested to be important determinants of species composition and encounter rates, and relative abundances at this shark provisioning site in Fiji. This study, which includes the most species from a spatially confined shark provisioning site to date, suggests that long-term provisioning may result in competitive exclusion
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Long-term changes in species composition and relative abundances of sharks at a provisioning site.
Brunnschweiler, Juerg M; Abrantes, Kátya G; Barnett, Adam
2014-01-01
Diving with sharks, often in combination with food baiting/provisioning, has become an important product of today's recreational dive industry. Whereas the effects baiting/provisioning has on the behaviour and abundance of individual shark species are starting to become known, there is an almost complete lack of equivalent data from multi-species shark diving sites. In this study, changes in species composition and relative abundances were determined at the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, a multi-species shark feeding site in Fiji. Using direct observation sampling methods, eight species of sharks (bull shark Carcharhinus leucas, grey reef shark Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, whitetip reef shark Triaenodon obesus, blacktip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus, tawny nurse shark Nebrius ferrugineus, silvertip shark Carcharhinus albimarginatus, sicklefin lemon shark Negaprion acutidens, and tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier) displayed inter-annual site fidelity between 2003 and 2012. Encounter rates and/or relative abundances of some species changed over time, overall resulting in more individuals (mostly C. leucas) of fewer species being encountered on average on shark feeding dives at the end of the study period. Differences in shark community composition between the years 2004-2006 and 2007-2012 were evident, mostly because N. ferrugineus, C. albimarginatus and N. acutidens were much more abundant in 2004-2006 and very rare in the period of 2007-2012. Two explanations are offered for the observed changes in relative abundances over time, namely inter-specific interactions and operator-specific feeding protocols. Both, possibly in combination, are suggested to be important determinants of species composition and encounter rates, and relative abundances at this shark provisioning site in Fiji. This study, which includes the most species from a spatially confined shark provisioning site to date, suggests that long-term provisioning may result in competitive exclusion among shark
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bernstein, Hamutal; Martin, Carlos; Eyster, Lauren; Anderson, Theresa; Owen, Stephanie; Martin-Caughey, Amanda
2015-01-01
The Urban Institute conducted an implementation and participant-outcomes evaluation of the Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP). ANSEP is a multi-stage initiative designed to prepare and support Alaska Native students from middle school through graduate school to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)…
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Exotic Members of Southern Alaska's Jurassic Arc
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Todd, E.; Jones, J. V., III; Karl, S. M.; Box, S.; Haeussler, P. J.
2017-12-01
The Jurassic Talkeetna arc and contemporaneous plutonic rocks of the Alaska-Aleutian Range batholith (ARB) are key components of the Peninsular terrane of southern Alaska. The Talkeetna arc, considered to be a type example of an intra-oceanic arc, was progressively accreted to northwestern North America in the Jurassic to Late Cretaceous, together with associated components of the Wrangellia Composite terrane. Older Paleozoic and Mesozoic rock successions closely associated with the ARB suggest that at least part of the Peninsular terrane might be an overlap succession built on pre-existing crust, possibly correlative with the Wrangellia terrane to the east. However, the relationship between the Talkeetna arc, ARB, and any pre-existing crust remains incompletely understood. Field investigations focused on the petrogenesis of the ARB near Lake Clark National Park show that Jurassic to Late Cretaceous plutonic rocks commonly host a diverse range of mineralogically distinct xenolith inclusions, ranging in size from several cm to hundreds of meters. The modal fraction of these inclusions ranges from <1% to >50% in some outcrops. They are generally mafic in composition and, with few exceptions, are more mafic than host plutonic rocks, although they are observed as both igneous (e.g., gabbro cumulate, diorite porphyry) and metamorphic types (e.g., amphibolite, gneiss and quartzite). Inclusion shapes range from angular to rounded with sharp to diffuse boundaries and, in some instances, are found as planar, compositionally distinct bands or screens containing high-temperature ductile shear fabrics. Other planar bands are more segmented, consistent with lower-temperature brittle behavior. Comparison of age, geochemical fractionation trends, and isotope systematics between the inclusions and host plutons provides a critical test of whether they are co-genetic with host plutons. Where they are related, mafic inclusions provide clues about magmatic evolution and fractionation
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Alaska IPASS database preparation manual.
P. McHugh; D. Olson; C. Schallau
1989-01-01
Describes the data, their sources, and the calibration procedures used in compiling a database for the Alaska IPASS (interactive policy analysis simulation system) model. Although this manual is for Alaska, it provides generic instructions for analysts preparing databases for other geographical areas.
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Long-term observations of Alaska Coastal Current in the northern Gulf of Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stabeno, Phyllis J.; Bell, Shaun; Cheng, Wei; Danielson, Seth; Kachel, Nancy B.; Mordy, Calvin W.
2016-10-01
The Alaska Coastal Current is a continuous, well-defined system extending for 1700 km along the coast of Alaska from Seward, Alaska to Samalga Pass in the Aleutian Islands. The currents in this region are examined using data collected at >20 mooring sites and from >400 satellite-tracked drifters. While not continuous, the mooring data span a 30 year period (1984-2014). Using current meter data collected at a dozen mooring sites spread over four lines (Seward, Gore Point, Kennedy and Stevenson Entrances, and the exit to Shelikof Strait) total transport was calculated. Transport was significantly correlated with alongshore winds, although the correlation at the Seward Line was weak. The largest mean transport in the Alaska Coastal Current occurred at Gore Point (1.4×106 m3 s-1 in winter and 0.6×106 m3 s-1 in summer), with the transport at the exit to Shelikof Strait (1.3×106 m3 s-1 in winter and 0.6×106 m3 s-1 in summer) only slightly less. The transport was modified at the Seward Line in late summer and fall by frontal undulations associated with strong river discharge that enters onto the shelf at that time of year. The interaction of the Alaska Coastal Current and tidal currents with shallow banks in the vicinity of Kodiak Archipeligo and in Kennedy-Stevenson Entrance results in mixing and prolonged primary production throughout the summer.
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Alaska | State, Local, and Tribal Governments | NREL
Alaska Advancing Energy Solutions in Alaska NREL provides objective, data-driven support to aid decision makers in Alaska as they take actions to deploy sustainable energy technologies, prepare for a clean-energy-driven economic transition, and reduce energy burdens in their jurisdictions. NREL's
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-05-20
.... 121018563-3418-02] RIN 0648-XC687 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Alaska Plaice in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS...: NMFS is prohibiting retention of Alaska plaice in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area...
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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-06-08
.... 101126521-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA482 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Alaska Plaice in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2011 Alaska plaice total allowable...
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Wilby, Andrew; Anglin, Linda Anderson; Nesbit, Christopher M
2013-01-01
The prediction of pest-control functioning by multi-predator communities is hindered by the non-additive nature of species functioning. Such non-additivity, commonly termed an emergent multi-predator effect, is known to be affected by elements of the ecological context, such as the structure and composition of vegetation, in addition to the traits of the predators themselves. Here we report mesocosm experiments designed to test the influence of plant density and species composition (wheat monoculture or wheat and faba bean polyculture) on the emergence of multi-predator effects between Adalia bipunctata and Chrysoperla carnea, in their suppression of populations of the aphid Metopolophium dirhodum. The mesocosm experiments were followed by a series of behavioural observations designed to identify how interactions among predators are modified by plant species composition and whether these effects are consistent with the observed influence of plant species composition on aphid population suppression. Although plant density was shown to have no influence on the multi-predator effect on aphid population growth, plant composition had a marked effect. In wheat monoculture, Adalia and Chrysoperla mixed treatments caused greater suppression of M. dirhodum populations than expected. However this positive emergent effect was reversed to a negative multi-predator effect in wheat and faba bean polyculture. The behavioural observations revealed that although dominant individuals did not respond to the presence of faba bean plants, the behaviour of sub-dominants was affected markedly, consistent with their foraging for extra-floral nectar produced by the faba bean. This interaction between plant composition and predator community composition on the foraging behaviour of sub-dominants is thought to underlie the observed effect of plant composition on the multi-predator effect. Thus, the emergence of multi-predator effects is shown to be strongly influenced by plant species
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Publications - PIR 2008-1 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
investigations in the Brooks Range Foothills and North Slope, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & interpretations of the Nanushuk Formation exposed along the Colville River near the confluences with the Awuna and Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska
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Cerqueira, Gabriela R; Ilkiu-Borges, Anna Luiza; Ferreira, Leandro V
2017-01-01
This study aimed to compare the richness and composition of the epiphytic bryoflora between várzea and igapó forests in Caxiuanã National Forest, Brazilian Amazon. Bryophytes were collected on 502 phorophytes of Virola surinamensis. Average richness per phorophyte and composition between forests and between dry and rainy periods was tested by two-way analysis and by cluster analysis, respectively. In total, 54 species of 13 families were identified. Richness was greater in igapó forest (44 species) compared to várzea forest (38 species). There was no significant difference in the number of species between the studied periods. Cluster analysis showed the bryoflora composition was different between várzea and igapó, but not between dry and rainy periods. Results did not corroborate the hypothesis that várzea forests harbor higher species richness than igapó forests.
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Chemical composition of Achillea schischkinii Sosn., an endemic species from Turkey
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
In this study, we investigated the chemical composition of an endemic species of Achillea schischkinii Sosn. (Asteraceae) collected from an eastern part of Turkey (Van). Air-dried aerial parts were subjected to water-distillation using a Clevenger-type system. The essential oil was analyzed by GC-MS...
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Alaska Developmental Profile, 2001-2002. Summary Report.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Fenton, Ray
This document presents a profile of the development of Alaska kindergarten and first grade students in fall 2001. Alaska teachers completed reports for 13,688 kindergarten and first grade students at that time. Most were found to exhibit important behaviors associated with school successes on the Alaska Developmental Profile Recording Form.…
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Conservation Education Timber Management Wildland Fire & Aviation Burn Permits Firewise Alaska Brochure (PDF) Fire Management Plans Fire Assignments Annual Fire Statistics Fire Terms Glossary Incident Business Management Grants Become an Alaska Firewise Community Community Wildland Fire Protection Plans
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Molecular composition of sugars in atmospheric particulate matter from interior Alaska
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Haque, Md. Mozammel; Kawamura, Kimitaka; Kim, Yongwon
2015-04-01
Sugars can account for 0.5-8% of carbon in atmospheric particulate matter, affecting the earth climate, air quality and public health. Total of 33 total suspended particle (TSP) samples were collected from Fairbanks, Alaska in June 2008 to June 2009 using a low volume air sampler. Here, we report the molecular characteristics of anhydro-sugars (levoglucosan, galactosan and mannosan), primary saccharides (xylose, fructose, glucose, sucrose and trehalose) and sugar alcohols (erythritol, arabitol, mannitol and inositol). The average contribution of sugars to the organic carbon (OC) was also determined to be 0.92%. Sugar compounds were measured using solvent extraction/TMS-derivatization technique followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) determination. The concentrations of total quantified sugar compounds ranged from 2.3 to 453 ng m-3 (average 145 ng m-3). The highest concentration was recorded for levoglucosan in summer, with a maximum concentration of 790 ng m-3 (average 108 ng m-3). Levoglucosan, which is specifically formed by a pyrolysis of cellulose, has been used as an excellent tracer of biomass burning. The highest level of levoglucosan indicates a significant contribution of biomass burning in ambient aerosols. Galactosan (average 20 ng m-3) and mannosan (average 27 ng m-3), which are also formed through the pyrolysis of cellulose/hemicelluloses, were identified in all samples. The average concentrations of arabitol, mannitol, glucose and sucrose were also found 14.7, 14.6, 14.1 and 16.8 ng m-3, respectively. They have been proposed as tracers for resuspension of surface soil and unpaved road dust, which contain biological materials including fungi and bacteria. These results suggest that there is some impact of bioaerosols on climate over Interior Alaska. We will also measure water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and inorganic ions for all samples.
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Demersal fish assemblages of the northeastern Chukchi Sea, Alaska
Barber, W.E.; Smith, R.L.; Vallarino, M.; Meyer, R.M.
1997-01-01
We documented the distribution and abundance of demersal fishes in the northeastern Chukchi Sea, Alaska, in 1990 and 1991, and described 1990 demersal fish assemblages and their relationship to general oceanographic features in the area. We collected samples using an otter trawl at 48 stations in 1990 and 16 in 1991, and we identified a total of 66 species in 14 families. Gadids made up 83% and 69% of the abundance in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Cottids, pleuronectids, and zoarcids together made up 15% of the species in 1990, 28% in 1991. The number of species, species diversity (H), and evenness (V') generally were greater inshore than offshore and greater in the south than in the north. There were significant differences in ranks of species, species diversity, and evenness at 3 of 8 stations sampled beth years. From data collected in 1990, 3 nearshore and 3 offshore station groupings were defined. The northern offshore assemblages had the fewest species, lowest diversity and evenness, and least abundance, whereas two southern assemblages had the most species, highest diversity and evenness, and greatest abundance. We determined that bottom salinity and percent gravel were probably the primary factors influencing assemblage arrangement.
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EarthScope's Transportable Array in Alaska and Western Canada
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Enders, M.; Miner, J.; Bierma, R. M.; Busby, R.
2015-12-01
EarthScope's Transportable Array (TA) in Alaska and Canada is an ongoing deployment of 261 high quality broadband seismographs. The Alaska TA is the continuation of the rolling TA/USArray deployment of 400 broadband seismographs in the lower 48 contiguous states and builds on the success of the TA project there. The TA in Alaska and Canada is operated by the IRIS Consortium on behalf of the National Science Foundation as part of the EarthScope program. By Sept 2015, it is anticipated that the TA network in Alaska and Canada will be operating 105 stations. During the summer 2015, TA field crews comprised of IRIS and HTSI station specialists, as well as representatives from our partner agencies the Alaska Earthquake Center and the Alaska Volcano Observatory and engineers from the UNAVCO Plate Boundary Observatory will have completed a total of 36 new station installations. Additionally, we will have completed upgrades at 9 existing Alaska Earthquake Center stations with borehole seismometers and the adoption of an additional 35 existing stations. As the array doubles in Alaska, IRIS continues to collaborate closely with other network operators, universities and research consortia in Alaska and Canada including the Alaska Earthquake Center (AEC), the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), the UNAVCO Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO), the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC), Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN), Canadian Hazard Information Service (CHIS), the Yukon Geologic Survey (YGS), the Pacific Geoscience Center of the Geologic Survey, Yukon College and others. During FY14 and FY15 the TA has completed upgrade work at 20 Alaska Earthquake Center stations and 2 AVO stations, TA has co-located borehole seismometers at 5 existing PBO GPS stations to augment the EarthScope observatory. We present an overview of deployment plan and the status through 2015. The performance of new Alaska TA stations including improvements to existing stations is described.
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NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
2007-01-01
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this image on October 7, 2007, showing the Alaska Mountains of south-central Alaska already coated with snow. Purple shadows hang in the lee of the peaks, giving the snow-clad land a crumpled appearance. White gives way to brown on the right side of the image where the mountains yield to the lower-elevation Susitna River Valley. The river itself cuts a silver, winding path through deep green forests and brown wetlands and tundra. Extending from the river valley, are smaller rivers that originated in the Alaska Mountains. The source of these rivers is evident in the image. Smooth white tongues of ice extend into the river valleys, the remnants of the glaciers that carved the valleys into the land. Most of the water flowing into the Gulf of Alaska from the Susitna River comes from these mountain glaciers. Glacier melt also feeds glacier lakes, only one of which is large enough to be visible in this image. Immediately left of the Kahiltna River, the aquamarine waters of Chelatna Lake stand out starkly against the brown and white landscape.
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gardine, L.; Tape, C.; West, M. E.
2014-12-01
Despite residing in a state with 75% of North American earthquakes and three of the top 15 ever recorded, most Alaskans have limited knowledge about the science of earthquakes. To many, earthquakes are just part of everyday life, and to others, they are barely noticed until a large event happens, and often ignored even then. Alaskans are rugged, resilient people with both strong independence and tight community bonds. Rural villages in Alaska, most of which are inaccessible by road, are underrepresented in outreach efforts. Their remote locations and difficulty of access make outreach fiscally challenging. Teacher retention and small student bodies limit exposure to science and hinder student success in college. The arrival of EarthScope's Transportable Array, the 50th anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake, targeted projects with large outreach components, and increased community interest in earthquake knowledge have provided opportunities to spread information across Alaska. We have found that performing hands-on demonstrations, identifying seismological relevance toward career opportunities in Alaska (such as natural resource exploration), and engaging residents through place-based experience have increased the public's interest and awareness of our active home.
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Publications - IC 17 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys
DGGS IC 17 Publication Details Title: Coal resources of Alaska Authors: Alaska Division of Geological Statewide Bibliographic Reference Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, 1983, Coal Alaska Statewide Maps; Coal; Healy; Resource Assessment; Usibelli Mine Top of Page Department of Natural
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Richard A. Werner
1993-01-01
Field tests on the efficacy of various scolytid bark beetle pheromones to attract Ipsperturbatus (Eichhoff) were conducted from 1977 through 1992 in stands of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) in interior Alaska. Several pheromones attracted high numbers of L. perturbatus and species of the predator...
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Essential Oil Composition and Volatile Profile of Seven Helichrysum Species Grown in Italy.
Giovanelli, Silvia; De Leo, Marinella; Cervelli, Claudio; Ruffoni, Barbara; Ciccarelli, Daniela; Pistelli, Luisa
2018-03-06
Helichrysum genus consists of about 600 species widespread throughout the world, especially in South Africa and in the Mediterranean area. In this study the aroma profile (HS-SPME) and the EO compositions of seven Helichrysum species (H. cymosum, H. odoratissimum, H. petiolare, H. fontanesii, H. saxatile, H. sanguineum, and H. tenax) were evaluated. All the plants were grown in Italy under the same growth conditions. The volatile constituents, particularly monoterpenes, depended by the plant's genotype and ecological adaptation. This study represents the first headspace evaluation on the selected plants and the results evidenced that monoterpenes represented the main class of constituents in five of the seven species analysed (from 59.2% to 95.0%). The higher content in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons was observed in the Mediterranean species of H. sanguineum (68.0%). Only H. saxatile showed relative similar abundance of monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The essential oil composition of the majority of examined species are characterised by high percentage of sesquiterpenes (especially β-caryophyllene and δ-cadinene) ranging from 51.3% to 92.0%, except for H. cymosum, H. tenax, and H. sanguineum leaves where monoterpenes predominated (from 51.7% to 74.7%). © 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Schroth, A.W.; Crusius, John; Chever, F.; Bostick, B.C.; Rouxel, O.J.
2011-01-01
Riverine iron (Fe) derived from glacial weathering is a critical micronutrient source to ecosystems of the Gulf of Alaska (GoA). Here we demonstrate that the source and chemical nature of riverine Fe input to the GoA could change dramatically due to the widespread watershed deglaciation that is underway. We examine Fe size partitioning, speciation, and isotopic composition in tributaries of the Copper River which exemplify a long-term GoA watershed evolution from one strongly influenced by glacial weathering to a boreal-forested watershed. Iron fluxes from glacierized tributaries bear high suspended sediment and colloidal Fe loads of mixed valence silicate species, with low concentrations of dissolved Fe and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Iron isotopic composition is indicative of mechanical weathering as the Fe source. Conversely, Fe fluxes from boreal-forested systems have higher dissolved Fe concentrations corresponding to higher DOC concentrations. Iron colloids and suspended sediment consist of Fe (hydr)oxides and organic complexes. These watersheds have an iron isotopic composition indicative of an internal chemical processing source. We predict that as the GoA watershed evolves due to deglaciation, so will the source, flux, and chemical nature of riverine Fe loads, which could have significant ramifications for Alaskan marine and freshwater ecosystems.
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Rodríguez-Riaño, T; Ortega-Olivencia, A; López, J; Pérez-Bote, J L; Navarro-Pérez, M L
2014-11-01
In some angiosperm groups, a parallelism between nectar traits and pollination syndromes has been demonstrated, whereas in others there is not such relationship and it has been explained as due to phylogenetic constraints. However, nectar trait information remains scarce for many plant groups. This paper focuses on three groups of Scrophularia species, with different flower sizes and principal pollinators, to find out whether nectar sugar composition is determined by pollinator type or reflects taxonomic affinities. Since the species we examined have protogynous flowers, and gender bias in nectar sugar composition has been noted in few plant groups, we also investigated whether sexual phase influenced Scrophularia nectar composition. The sugar composition was found to be similar in all species, having high-sucrose nectar, except for the Macaronesian Scrophularia calliantha, which was the only species with balanced nectar; this last kind of nectar could be associated with the high interaction rates observed between S. calliantha and passerine birds. The nectar sugar composition (high in sucrose) was unrelated to the principal pollinator group, and could instead be considered a conservative taxonomic trait. No gender bias was observed between functionally female and male flowers for nectar volume or concentration. However, sexual phase significantly affected sucrose percentage in the largest-flowered species, where the female phase flowers had higher sucrose percentages than the male phase flowers. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.
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Reconnaissance for radioactive deposits in Alaska, 1953
Matzko, John J.; Bates, Robert G.
1955-01-01
During the summer of 1953 the areas investigated for radioactive deposits in Alaska were on Nikolai Creek near Tyonek and on Likes Creek near Seward in south-central Alaska where carnotite-type minerals had been reported; in the headwaters of the Peace River in the eastern part of the Seward Peninsula and at Gold Bench on the South Fork of the Koyukuk River in east-central Alaska, where uranothorianite occurs in places associated with base metal sulfides and hematite; in the vicinity of Port Malmesbury in southeastern Alaska to check a reported occurrence of pitchblende; and, in the Miller House-Circle Hot Springs area of east-central Alaska where geochemical studies were made. No significant lode deposits of radioactive materials were found. However, the placer uranothorianite in the headwaters of the Peace River yet remains as an important lead to bedrock radioactive source materials in Alaska. Tundra cover prevents satisfactory radiometric reconnaissance of the area, and methods of geochemical prospecting such as soil and vegetation sampling may ultimately prove more fruitful in the search for the uranothorianite-sulfide lode source than geophysical methods.
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A key for predicting postfire successional trajectories in black spruce stands of interior Alaska.
Jill F. Johnstone; Teresa N. Hollingsworth; F. Stuart Chapin
2008-01-01
Black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill) B.S.P) is the dominant forest cover type in interior Alaska and is prone to frequent, stand-replacing wildfires. Through impacts on tree recruitment, the degree of fire consumption of soil organic layers can act as an important determinant of whether black spruce forests regenerate to a forest composition similar...
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Cronin, Matthew A; Cánovas, Angela; Bannasch, Danika L; Oberbauer, Anita M; Medrano, Juan F
2015-01-01
There is considerable interest in the genetics of wolves (Canis lupus) because of their close relationship to domestic dogs (C. familiaris) and the need for informed conservation and management. This includes wolf populations in Southeast Alaska for which we determined genotypes of 305 wolves at 173662 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci. After removal of invariant and linked SNP, 123801 SNP were used to quantify genetic differentiation of wolves in Southeast Alaska and wolves, coyotes (C. latrans), and dogs from other areas in North America. There is differentiation of SNP allele frequencies between the species (wolves, coyotes, and dogs), although differentiation is relatively low between some wolf and coyote populations. There are varying levels of differentiation among populations of wolves, including low differentiation of wolves in interior Alaska, British Columbia, and the northern US Rocky Mountains. There is considerable differentiation of SNP allele frequencies of wolves in Southeast Alaska from wolves in other areas. However, wolves in Southeast Alaska are not a genetically homogeneous group and there are comparable levels of genetic differentiation among areas within Southeast Alaska and between Southeast Alaska and other geographic areas. SNP variation and other genetic data are discussed regarding taxonomy and management. © The American Genetic Association 2014. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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Growth of black brant and lesser snow goose goslings in northern Alaska
Hupp, Jerry W.; Ward, David H.; Hogrefe, Kyle R.; Sedinger, James S.; Martin, Philip D.; Stickney, Alice A; Obritschkewitsch, Tim
2017-01-01
Gosling body mass can affect first year survival, recruitment, adult body size, and future fecundity of geese, and can serve as an indicator of forage availability and quality on brood-rearing areas. From 2012–2014 we measured body mass of 76 black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) and 268 lesser snow goose (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) goslings of known age on the Colville River Delta (CRD) of northern Alaska to determine if there was evidence of density-dependent declines in gosling growth following recent population increases of those species and sympatric greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons frontalis). We contrasted contemporary body mass of brant goslings and forage biomass in brood-rearing habitats that were shared by all species, with measures obtained on, and near the CRD in the 1990s, prior to the establishment of snow goose nesting colonies in the area. Body mass of brant goslings recaptured between 25 and 32 days of age had not changed over the past 2 decades, despite an influx of snow geese, and increases in populations of brant and white-fronted geese. At 30 days of age, body mass of brant goslings on the CRD was 100–400 g heavier than for brant goslings of the same age on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YKD), Alaska. Contemporary biomass of grazed Carex subspathacea on CRD brood-rearing areas was comparable to the 1990s and was 2–4 times greater than for the same plant community on the YKD. Historical data on growth of snow goose goslings were not available for the CRD. However, average body mass of 34-day-old snow goose goslings was >230 g heavier than for conspecifics of the same age in the Hudson Bay region. We conclude that the establishment of nesting snow geese on the CRD has not negatively affected brant gosling growth, and that recent population increases of all species have likely not been constrained by forage availability on brood-rearing areas. Barring demographic changes elsewhere in their annual cycles, we predict that
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,
2007-01-01
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, has studied the natural features of Alaska since its earliest geologic expeditions in the 1800s. The USGS Alaska Science Center (ASC), with headquarters in Anchorage, Alaska, studies the complex natural science phenomena of Alaska to provide scientific products and results to a wide variety of partners. The complexity of Alaska's unique landscapes and ecosystems requires USGS expertise from many science disciplines to conduct thorough, integrated research.
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Publications - GMC 314 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
, and 01-TN1474 of the True North Gold Mine of the Fairbanks mining district, Alaska Authors: Unknown True North Gold Mine of the Fairbanks mining district, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological &
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Publications - RDF 2008-2 v. 1.0.1 | Alaska Division of Geological &
Geophysical Surveys Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Alaska's Mineral Industry Reports AKGeology.info Rare Earth Elements WebGeochem Engineering Geology Alaska
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Publications - AR 2011-F | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
project descriptions, in DGGS Staff, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual Report Visiting Alaska State Employees DGGS State of Alaska search Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications AR 2011-F main