| Title | Permafrost occurrence in subarctic forests of the Great Slave region, Northwest Territories, Canada |
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| Author | Morse, P D ;
Wolfe, S A; Kokelj, S V; Gaanderse, A J R |
| Source | Proceedings of GeoQuébec 2015, 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference; 2015 p. 1-8 |
| Links | Online - En
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| Image |  |
| Year | 2015 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20150061 |
| Publisher | Canadian Geotechnical Society |
| Meeting | GeoQuébec 2015, 68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference; Quebec; CA; September 20-23, 2015 |
| Document | book |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Northwest Territories |
| NTS | 85J/07 |
| Lat/Long WENS | -115.0000 -114.5000 62.5000 62.2500 |
| Subjects | surficial geology/geomorphology; Nature and Environment; permafrost; freezing ground; ground ice; ground temperatures; thermal analyses; thermal regimes; Great Slave Lowland |
| Illustrations | location maps; plots; tables; graphs |
| Program | Climate Change Geoscience Land-based Infrastructure |
| Released | 2015 01 01 |
| Abstract | Permafrost in the Great Slave region, Northwest Territories is absent beneath bedrock outcrops, but occurs beneath peatlands. A three-year (2010 to 2013) investigation determined that permafrost also
occurs in unconsolidated fine-grained sediments beneath forested sites. Annual mean shallow permafrost temperatures range from -1.4 to 0°C, with spatial variation primarily reflecting organic-layer and soil moisture conditions. Discontinuous
permafrost is extensive within Great Slave Lowland, in direct relation to the distribution of forested areas in unconsolidated fine-grained sediments, but is sporadic northward within Great Slave Upland where bedrock outcrops are more extensive.
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| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
A three-year (2010 to 2013) investigation in the Great Slave region, Northwest Territories, determined that permafrost occurs, in addition to beneath
peatlands, in unconsolidated fine-grained sediments beneath black spruce (Picea mariana), white birch (Betula papyrifera), and mixed deciduous and coniferous forests. Average ground temperatures range from -1.4°C to near 0°C. Extensive discontinuous
permafrost is confirmed in the Great Slave Lowlands, in direct relation to the distribution of forested areas in unconsolidated fine-grained sediments. Permafrost occurring northward within the Great Slave Uplands is less widespread as bedrock
outcrops are more extensive. Whereas permafrost at forested sites will likely be sustained over time, an eventual transition to permafrost retained primarily within peatlands implies a substantive reduction to isolated patches. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 296498 |
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