Paleolimnology of the North American Subarctic

Abstract

The North American Subarctic, the broad zone between the temperate mid-latitudes and the High Arctic, is an area that is highly sensitive to climatic changes (Schindler et al. 1990; Prentice et al. 1991; Barber et al. 2000; Pienitz and Vincent 2000; Serreze et al. 2000). The two dominant, climate-sensitive features that often have an overriding influence on subarctic ecosystems are vegetation (e.g., the position of the treeline ecotone, as well as the composition and density of vegetation) and permafrost development, both of which, in turn, may affect hydrological and geochemical processes, substrate stability, water quality, and aquatic and terrestrial biological community composition (Rouse et al. 1997). Moreover, it is now generally recognized that any changes occurring in subarctic regions may also influence the global climate