Tubdra Case Study

Question 1

Where is the arctic tundra found

Answer 1

North Slope Alaska

Question 2

What is the capital of the North Slope

Answer 2

Barrow

Question 3

What is the population of Barrow

Answer 3

4500 people

Question 4

What is the experience on temp in the north slope over the last century

Answer 4

2 degree rise in temperature, causing many issues

Question 5

What does the melting of permafrost lead to

Answer 5

Subsidence

Question 6

What is permafrost

Answer 6

The permanently frozen section of the Alaskan gelisol which is found 0.5m downwards

Question 7

What is the current and predicted level of melting over the next 50 years impact

Answer 7

Cost of 5.5 billion dollars to fix

Question 8

What are the 5 areas that are impacted

Answer 8

Melting of permafrost
Wildlife and sea life
Wildfires
Wetlands
Climate change

Question 9

What will need to be fixed with subsidence

Answer 9

Structures such as housing, roads, rail routes and bridges

Question 10

What happens to structures with subsidence

Answer 10

They start to sag and crumble

Question 11

What is the impact on the cost of the Trans Alaska pipeline

Answer 11

The 800 mile long trans Alaska pipeline subsidence will cost $250 million in 1990 alone to fix because of subsidence

Question 12

What social issues does the subsidence of the trans Alaska pipeline cause

Answer 12

People will have to move, like in the Kivalina village and will cost $100 million to relocate along with the 229 native Alaskan tribes whose traditional hunting zones are shifted

Question 13

However what is the slight benefit of melting of permafrost

Answer 13

Melting of permafrost will make it easier to drill oil as the solid layer melts and allows drill bits easier access to reserves

Question 14

Example of a benefit of melting of permafrost

Answer 14

Prudhoe Bay company estimates a potential of 40% increase of oil barrels because of this

Question 15

What is the increase of jellyfish and where

Answer 15

There is a 20% increase of jellyfish in the north slope, Atlantic sea area

Question 16

What does an increase in jellyfish lead to

Answer 16

This will lead to fishermen nets clogging up more which requires more repair work and smaller catches

Question 17

What are jellyfish also predators of

Answer 17

Jellyfish are predators of the prized and farmed Alaskan Salmon and with more jellyfish there will be less salmon, meaning smaller catches and less profit for fishermen

Question 18

However what is the potential benefit to wildlife and sea life

Answer 18

It is reported with a warmer sea temperatures attract more FLOUNDER and HALIBUT fish and there will be a 20% increase

Question 19

What is the increase of wildfires in the north slope

Answer 19

5m acres burnt in 1980
10m acres burnt in 2015

Question 20

What are the negative impacts of wildfires

Answer 20

Wildfires destroy the natural canary, put residents homes at risk and also destroy key vegetation that is essential for the food chains in the North Atlantic slope

Question 21

Describe the impact of wildfires on mosses

Answer 21

Mosses such as the caribou and arctic moss take years to grow back, in particular the caribou moss takes up to 50 years to grow back

Question 22

What is the impact of reduced moss on the ecosystem

Answer 22

This has an obvious impact on the caribou which then has a knock on effect for the rest of the land based food webs with the arctic foxes and snowy owls

Question 23

However what is the potential benefit of increased wildfires

Answer 23

There may be a potentially longer growing season from the usual 60 days to 80-90 days. This will mean more bear berries and diverse foods for the caribou and musk oxs

Question 24

What is the impact of wetlands

Answer 24

The impact on wetlands is uncertain

Question 25

What does wetlands mean

Answer 25

More evaporation from the wetlands and more infiltration from melted permafrost means less surface water for migrating geese and also less drinking water available for the 4500 residents of Barrow

Question 26

What is the slight benefit of wetlands

Answer 26

Conversely some areas may experience an increase in wetlands as localised areas of snow and ice melt drain into the geosynclines and this may actually add to habitats for the current 12m ducks in Alaska e.g the Northern Pintail duck

Question 27

What are the impacts of climate change on the North Atlantic slope and where is affected

Answer 27

They may also stretch further across the world as a potential 1500 billion tons of trapped carbon may be released from melting permafrost

Question 28

Why does the release of trapped carbon from melted permafrost cause implications for the rest of the world and what does it accelerate

Answer 28

It will accelerate the enhanced greenhouse effect and increase global warming on planet earth

Question 29

With climate change and melting of permafrost what is also released and what is affected

Answer 29

Combined with potentially 15m gallons of mercury released from permafrost, the worlds oceans and aquatic life may be severely impacted

Question 30

What is the agreement for the positive of climate change on the north slope in Alaska

Answer 30

Some may argue that the world will benefit from the discovery of fossil fuels and artefacts e.g the discovery of a complete wholly mammoth in north west Alaska lake in 2016, but this may be a small token in the grand scheme of things

Question 31

Overall what is the impact of climate change on the tundra

Answer 31

The north slope Alaska is being impacted by climate change in an overwhelmingly negative way Yes there may be some small positives to the economy like the melting of permafrost allowing further oil exploitation however,this does not compare to the negative impacts like The million dollar repairs for pipelines and homes due to subsidence, increased jellyfish meaning less profit for fishermen and along with the uncertain wetland changes and the knock on effect this has on migrating birds and geese

Question 32

What is the real negative impact of climate change on the tundra

Answer 32

The huge release of millions of tons of mercury and CO2 could have on our planet