The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of June 29, 2020
Beavers are Expanding into Arctic Tundra
On June 30, 2020 a new Arctic study was published by American and German researchers in the journal Environmental Research Letters that had used high resolution images to study beavers in two locations in northwestern Alaska. The scientists found that the animals are transforming the Arctic landscape by expanding into many tundra regions where they had never been seen before and building more dams. In a smaller 100 km2 study area near Kotzebue, the number of dams increased from 2 to 98 between 2002 and 2019. In a larger area of 430 km2 that encompasses the entire northern Baldwin Peninsula, the number of dams increased from 94 to 409 between 2010 and 2019. These new bodies of water are likely exacerbating permafrost degradation in the region as the water in the dams is warmer than the surrounding soil (CNN, IOPscience, PHYS.org).
Take 1: The tundra hasn’t been a beaver’s usual habitat but because of climate change there has been an increase in vegetation that suddenly makes the tundra the perfect home for building dams and staying safe from more predators. The new findings help shed more light on how these animals can alter the Arctic landscape and exacerbate climate change. Frozen permafrost soil contains huge reservoirs of methane and carbon, and as the permafrost degrades because of the warmer surrounding waters, these potent greenhouse gases can leak into the atmosphere and warm the planet. There has not been any real quantification associated with the beaver lakes yet, but it is clear that this is something that will need to be done soon. It is interesting to see and study how various animal species are adapting to a warming world.
Summer Temperatures Soar in Northern Russia
On Tuesday June 30, Russia’s state weather authority confirmed that on Saturday June 20, the small Arctic town of Verkhoyansk in Russia saw a record high temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). This is 30 degrees hotter than the average high temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit in June. The new temperature recorded in Verkhoyansk is the hottest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic Circle (Financial Times, Reuters).
Take 2: The temperature is considered crazy in comparison to the coldest month of the year where the average high is negative 44 degrees Fahrenheit in January. A record-breaking high temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit in June is a reminder of how the planet is warming at a speed never seen before. In general what comes with that is an increase of wildfires, melting of snow and ice that can lead to sea level rise and cause problems for communities that live along the coast, and the melting of permafrost that can destroy roads and weaken foundations of longstanding industrial sites, contributing to disasters such as last month’s diesel fuel spill in Norilsk. It is clear that urgent climate action is needed now.
Yacht Race Touches the Arctic
Tomorrow, on July 4, the Vendée-Arctique-les Sables d’Olonne yacht race is set to begin. It is a 3,600 miles special preparatory and qualifying event for the world-famous Vendée Globe race in November 2020 and is expected to last 10-12 days. 22 competitors will sail from western France to the 65 degrees northern latitude at the edge of the Arctic circle, west of Iceland, before turning back south to the Azores archipelago and returning to France. This is the replacement that IMOCA and the organizers of the Vendée Globe found for two solo transatlantic races that were cancelled due to Covid-19 earlier this spring (High North News, IMOCA).
Take 3: The race is of real importance as it will be the first time that professional sailors will compete in the Arctic. It has and will continue to bring a lot of positive attention to the region. In addition, this race is of importance to the sailors personally as many haven’t had a chance to be on the water in more than three months due to Covid-19. For several sailors it will be the first time they will be on their boats this season. The race is good because it will allow the sailors to test their modified or new yachts and help them prepare for the upcoming Vendée Globe. The race holds a lot of weight as it is the only solo competitive and technical offshore race before the November race.
Russian Nickel Producer Develops Plan to Remedy Arctic Environmental Damage
On July 2, Nornickel, a major Russian nickel and palladium producer presented a long-term monitoring and action program that would seek to fix the environmental damage caused by an Arctic fuel spill near the town of Norilsk. The oil spill occurred on May 29, when a fuel tank lost pressure and spilled 21,000 tonnes of diesel into local rivers. The company will continue to collect contaminated soil. It claims that as of July, 90% had been collected. Greenpeace estimates that environmental damage is worth $1.4 billion (Claims Journal).
Take 4: The scale of the damage is hard to fathom but Greenpeace compares it to the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, which was an oil spill that occurred off the coast of Alaska and considered the second largest oil spill in U.S. history. The investigation is still ongoing on why the disaster occurred at Norilsk, but it is impressive that Nornickel is taking the lead in recovery operations. The hope is that even with disasters like this, which unfortunately do occur, companies can take the proper responsibility to lead cleanup efforts.
Russia Increases Arctic Research Capability
On June 27, the Russian Navy held a flag raising ceremony for a 59-meter-long research vessel called Nikolay Skosyrev. The ship is set to conduct hydrographical surveys and marine pilot operations in the Barents Sea. The vessel completed sea trials on June 14, and is the first new Arctic research vessel incorporated in the Russian Northern Fleet in more than 20 years. Nikolay Skosyrev has a cruising radius of about 2,000 miles and can be at sea for 15-25 days (Arctic.ru, The Barents Observer).
Take 5: The Russian Northern Fleet’s new research ship comes as no surprise. It is just another reminder of Russia’s vested interest in the Arctic region. Other countries have to pay careful attention not only as the country continues to invest in more research, but also as it continues to develop the region overall and ramp up its military presence and capabilities.