Neoproterozoic–early Paleozoic provenance evolution of sedimentary rocks in and adjacent to the Farewell terrane (interior Alaska)
Julie A. Dumoulin, James V. Jones III, Dwight Bradley, Alison B. Till, Stephen E. Box, Paul B. O’Sullivan
2018, Geosphere (14) 367-394
New detrital zircon U-Pb data from the Farewell terrane of interior Alaska illuminate its early provenance evolution and connections with other Alaskan terranes. Five samples come from Neoproterozoic units in the central Farewell terrane. Basal “ferruginous beds” and the overlying Windy Fork Formation have prominent detrital zircon age populations between...
Plateau subduction, intraslab seismicity, and the Denali (Alaska) volcanic gap
Lindsay Yuling Chuang, Michael Bostock, Aaron Wech, Alexandre Plourde
2018, Geology (45) 647-650
Tectonic tremors in Alaska (USA) are associated with subduction of the Yakutat plateau, but their origins are unclear due to lack of depth constraints. We have processed tremor recordings to extract low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs), and generated a set of six LFE waveform templates via iterative network matched filtering and stacking....
Postglacial eruptive history and geochemistry of Semisopochnoi volcano, western Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Michelle L. Coombs, Jessica F. Larsen, Christina A. Neal
2018, Scientific Investigations Report 2017-5150
Semisopochnoi Island, located in the Rat Islands group of the western Aleutian Islands and Aleutian volcanic arc, is a roughly circular island composed of scattered volcanic vents, the prominent caldera of Semisopochnoi volcano, and older, ancestral volcanic rocks. The oldest rocks on the island are gently radially dipping lavas that...
Dietary plasticity in a nutrient-rich system does not influence brown bear (Ursus arctos) body condition or denning
Lindsey S. Mangipane, Jerrold L. Belant, Diana J. R. Lafferty, David D. Gustine, Tim L. Hiller, Michael E. Colvin, Buck A. Mangipane, Grant V. Hilderbrand
2018, Polar Biology (41) 763-772
Behavioral differences within a population can allow use of a greater range of resources among individuals. The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a generalist omnivore that occupies diverse habitats and displays considerable plasticity in food use. We evaluated whether brown bear foraging that resulted in deviations from a...
Concentrations of environmental DNA (eDNA) reflect spawning salmon abundance at fine spatial and temporal scales
Michael D. Tillotson, Ryan P. Kelly, Jeffrey J. Duda, Marshal S. Hoy, James Kralj, Thomas P. Quinn
2018, Biological Conservation (220) 1-11
Developing fast, cost-effective assessments of wild animal abundance is an important goal for many researchers, and environmental DNA (eDNA) holds much promise for this purpose. However, the quantitative relationship between species abundance and the amount of DNA present in the environment is likely to vary substantially among taxa and with...
Mercury concentrations in multiple tissues of Kittlitz's murrelets (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Leah A. Kenney, Robb S. Kaler, Michelle L. Kissling, Alexander L. Bond, Collin A. Eagles-Smith
2018, Marine Pollution Bulletin (129) 675-680
Mercury (Hg) is a non-essential, toxic metal that is distributed worldwide. Mercury biomagnifies in food webs and can threaten the health of top predators such as seabirds. The Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) is a seabird endemic to Alaska and the Russian Far East and is a species of conservation concern...
Molecular testing of adult Pacific salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus spp.) for several RNA viruses demonstrates widespread distribution of piscine orthoreovirus in Alaska and Washington
Maureen K. Purcell, Rachel L. Thompson, Joy Evered, John Kerwin, Ted R. Meyers, Bruce Stewart, James Winton
2018, Journal of Fish Diseases (41) 347-355
This research was initiated in conjunction with a systematic, multiagency surveillance effort in the United States (U.S.) in response to reported findings of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) RNA in British Columbia, Canada. In the systematic surveillance study reported in a companion paper, tissues from various salmonids taken from Washington...
A systematic surveillance programme for infectious salmon anaemia virus supports its absence in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
Lori L. Gustafson, Lynn H. Creekmore, Kevin R. Snekvik, Jayde A. Ferguson, Janet V. Warg, Marilyn Blair, Theodore R. Meyers, Bruce Stewart, Kenneth I. Warheit, John Kerwin, Andrew E. Goodwin, Linda D. Rhodes, Janet E. Whaley, Maureen K. Purcell, Collette Bentz, Desiree Shasa, Joel Bader, James R. Winton
2018, Journal of Fish Diseases (41) 337-346
In response to reported findings of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) in British Columbia (BC), Canada, in 2011, U.S. national, state and tribal fisheries managers and fish health specialists developed and implemented a collaborative ISAV surveillance plan for the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Accordingly, over a 3-1/2-year...
Aeolian stratigraphy describes ice-age paleoenvironments in unglaciated Arctic Alaska
Benjamin V. Gaglioti, Daniel H. Mann, Pamela Groves, Michael L. Kunz, Louise M. Farquharson, Richard E. Reanier, Benjamin M. Jones, Matthew J. Wooller
2018, Quaternary Science Reviews (182) 175-190
Terrestrial paleoenvironmental records with high dating resolution extending into the last ice age are rare from the western Arctic. Such records can test the synchronicity and extent of ice-age climatic events and define how Arctic landscapes respond to rapid climate changes. Here we describe the stratigraphy and sedimentology of...
High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an Arctic apex predator, the polar bear
Anthony M. Pagano, George M. Durner, Karyn D. Rode, Todd C. Atwood, Stephen N. Atkinson, Elizabeth Peacock, Daniel P. Costa, Megan A. Owen, Terrie M. Williams
2018, Science (359) 568-572
Regional declines in polar bear (Ursus maritimus) populations have been attributed to changing sea ice conditions, but with limited information on the causative mechanisms. By simultaneously measuring field metabolic rates, daily activity patterns, body condition, and foraging success of polar bears moving on the spring sea ice, we found that...
Life‐history tradeoffs revealed by seasonal declines in reproductive traits of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds
Emily L. Weiser, Stephen C. Brown, Richard B. Lanctot, H. River Gates, Kenneth F. Abraham, Rebecca L. Bentzen, Joel Bety, Rodney W. Brook, Megan L. Boldenow, Tyrone F. Donnelly, Willow B. English, Scott A. Flemming, Samantha E. Franks, H. Grant Gilchrist, Marie-Andree Giroux, Andrew C. Johnson, Lisa V. Kennedy, Laura Koloski, Eunbi Kwon, Jean-Francois Lamarre, David B. Lank, Nicolas Lecomte, Joseph R. Liebezeit, Laura McKinnon, Erica Nol, Johanna Perz, Jennie Rausch, Martin D. Robards, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Nathan R. Senner, Paul A. Smith, Mikhail Soloviev, Diana V. Solovyeva, David H. Ward, Paul F. Wood, Brett K. Sandercock
2018, Journal of Avian Biology (49) 1-16
Seasonal declines in breeding performance are widespread in wild animals, resulting from temporal changes in environmental conditions or from individual variation. Seasonal declines might drive selection for early breeding, with implications for other stages of the annual cycle. Alternatively, selection on the phenology of nonbreeding stages could constrain timing of...
Den phenology and reproductive success of polar bears in a changing climate
Karyn D. Rode, Jay Olson, Dennis L. Eggett, David C. Douglas, George M. Durner, Todd C. Atwood, Eric V. Regehr, Ryan H. Wilson, Tom Smith, Michelle St. Martin
2018, Journal of Mammalogy (99) 16-26
Synchrony between reproduction and food availability is important in mammals due to the high energetic costs of gestation and lactation. Female polar bears (Ursus maritimus) must accumulate sufficient energy reserves during spring through autumn to produce and nurse cubs during the winter months in snow dens. Adequate time in a...
Long‐term trends in fall age ratios of black brant
David H. Ward, Courtney L. Amundson, Robert A. Stehn, Christian P. Dau
2018, Journal of Wildlife Management (82) 362-373
Accurate estimates of the age composition of populations can inform past reproductive success and future population trajectories. We examined fall age ratios (juveniles:total birds) of black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans; brant) staging at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula, southwest Alaska, USA, 1963 to 2015....
A global audit of the status and trends of Arctic and Northern Hemisphere goose populations
Joel A. Schmutz
Anthony D. Fox, James O. Leafloor, editor(s)
2018, Report
This report attempts to review the abundance, status and distribution of natural wild goose populations in the northern hemisphere. The report comprises three parts that 1) summarise key findings from the study and the methodology and analysis applied; 2) contain the individual accounts for each of the 68 populations included...
Hydrologic regime changes in a high-latitude glacierized watershed under future climate conditions
Melissa Valentin, Terri S. Hogue, Lauren Hay
2018, Water (10)
A calibrated conceptual glacio-hydrological monthly water balance model (MWBMglacier) was used to evaluate future changes in water partitioning in a high-latitude glacierized watershed in Southcentral Alaska under future climate conditions. The MWBMglacier was previously calibrated and evaluated against streamflow measurements, literature values of glacier mass balance change, and satellite-based observations...
Greenhouse gas emissions from diverse Arctic Alaskan lakes are dominated by young carbon
Clayton D. Elder, Xiaomei Xu, Jennifer Walker, Jordan L. Schnell, Kenneth M. Hinkel, Amy Townsend-Small, Christopher D. Arp, John W. Pohlman, Benjamin V. Gaglioti, Claudia I. Czimzik
2018, Nature Climate Change (8) 166-171
Climate-sensitive Arctic lakes have been identified as conduits for ancient permafrost-carbon (C) emissions and as such accelerate warming. However, the environmental factors that control emission pathways and their sources are unclear; this complicates upscaling, forecasting and climate-impact-assessment efforts. Here we show that current whole-lake CH4 and CO2 emissions from widespread lakes in...
Summary of wildlife-related research on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2002–17
John M. Pearce, Paul L. Flint, Todd C. Atwood, David C. Douglas, Layne G. Adams, Heather E. Johnson, Stephen M. Arthur, Christopher J. Latty
2018, Open-File Report 2018-1003
We summarize recent (2002–17) publicly available information from studies within the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as well as terrestrial and coastal ecosystems elsewhere on the Arctic Coastal Plain that are relevant to the 1002 Area. This report provides an update on earlier research summaries on caribou...
Determining mineralogical variations of aeolian deposits using thermal infrared emissivity and linear deconvolution methods
Bernard E. Hubbard, Donald M. Hooper, Federico Solano, John C. Mars
2018, Aeolian Research (30) 54-96
We apply linear deconvolution methods to derive mineral and glass proportions for eight field sample training sites at seven dune fields: (1) Algodones, California; (2) Big Dune, Nevada; (3) Bruneau, Idaho; (4) Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, Alaska; (5) Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado; (6) Sunset Crater, Arizona;...
International migration patterns of Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) from four breeding populations in Alaska
Sarah E. McCloskey, Brian D. Uher-Koch, Joel A. Schmutz, Thomas F. Fondell
2018, PLoS ONE (13) 1-15
Identifying post-breeding migration and wintering distributions of migratory birds is important for understanding factors that may drive population dynamics. Red-throated Loons (Gavia stellata) are widely distributed across Alaska and currently have varying population trends, including some populations with recent periods of decline. To investigate population differentiation and the location of...
The Polar WRF downscaled historical and projected twenty-first century climate for the coast and foothills of Arctic Alaska
Lei Cai, Vladimir A Alexeev, Christopher D. Arp, Benjamin M. Jones, Anna K. Liljedahl, Anne Gadeke
2018, Frontiers in Earth Science: Atmospheric Science (5)
Climate change is most pronounced in the northern high latitude region. Yet, climate observations are unable to fully capture regional-scale dynamics due to the sparse weather station coverage, which limits our ability to make reliable climate-based assessments. A set of simulated data products was therefore developed for the North Slope...
Crevice-nesting auklets are early-successional species requiring disturbance to persist
Heather M. Renner, Lawrence R Walker, Christopher F. Waythomas, Jeffrey C. Williams, Yuri Artkhin
2018, Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research (49) 585-599
Auklets (Aethia spp.) are small seabirds, endemic to the North Pacific Ocean, that nest in rock crevices on islands in Alaska and Russia. Nesting habitats for least (A. pusilla) and crested (A. cristatella) auklet colonies in the southern part of their range (Aleutian and Kuril Islands) are becoming overgrown...
Nutrient dynamics in partially drained arctic thaw lakes
Joshua C. Koch, Tom F. Fondell, Joel A. Schmutz, Sarah M. Laske
2018, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences (123) 440-452
Thaw lakes are ubiquitous on arctic coastal plains (ACPs). While many thaw lakes have steep banks, stable water levels, and static surface areas, others only partially fill their basins and vary in area over the summer. These partially drained lakes (PDLs) are hydrologically connected to the wetlands immediately surrounding them....
Effects of environmental conditions on reproductive effort and nest success of Arctic‐breeding shorebirds
Emily L. Weiser, Stephen C. Brown, Richard B. Lanctot, H. River Gates, Kenneth F. Abraham, Rebecca L. Bentzen, Joel Bety, Megan L. Boldenow, Rodney W. Brook, Tyrone F. Donnelly, Willow B. English, Scott A. Flemming, Samantha E. Franks, H. Grant Gilchrist, Marie-Andree Giroux, Andrew C. Johnson, Steve Kendall, Lisa V. Kennedy, Laura Koloski, Eunbi Kwon, Jean-Francois Lamarre, David B. Lank, Christopher J. Latty, Nicolas Lecomte, Joseph R. Liebezeit, Laura McKinnon, Erica Nol, Johanna Perz, Jennie Rausch, Martin D. Robards, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Nathan R. Senner, Paul A. Smith, Mikhail Soloviev, Diana V. Solovyeva, David H. Ward, Paul F. Wood, Brett K. Sandercock
2018, Ibis (160) 608-623
The Arctic is experiencing rapidly warming conditions, increasing predator abundance, and diminishing population cycles of keystone species such as lemmings. However, it is still not known how many Arctic animals will respond to a changing climate with altered trophic interactions. We studied clutch size, incubation duration and nest survival of...
Data quality from a community-based, water-quality monitoring project in the Yukon River basin
Nicole M. Herman-Mercer, Ronald C. Antweiler, Nicole J. Wilson, Edda A. Mutter, Ryan C. Toohey, Paul F. Schuster
2018, Citizen Science: Theory and Practice (3) 1-13
This paper examines the quality of data collected by the Indigenous Observation Network, a community-based water-quality project in the Yukon River Basin of Alaska and Canada. The Indigenous Observation Network relies on community technicians to collect surface-water samples from as many as fifty locations to achieve their goals of monitoring...
Patterns and controls of mercury accumulation in sediments from three thermokarst lakes on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska
Samantha M. Burke, Christian E. Zimmerman, Brian A. Branfireun, Joshua C. Koch, Heidi K. Swanson
2018, Aquatic Sciences (80) 1-15
The biogeochemical cycle of mercury will be influenced by climate change, particularly at higher latitudes. Investigations of historical mercury accumulation in lake sediments inform future predictions as to how climate change might affect mercury biogeochemistry; however, in regions with a paucity of data, such as the thermokarst-rich Arctic Coastal Plain...
