Long-term climate patterns in Alaskan surface temperature and precipitation and their biological consequences

• Published in: IEEE transactions on geoscience and remote sensing Vol. 40; no. 5; pp. 1164 - 1184
• Main Authors: Simpson, J.J., Hufford, G.L., Fleming, M.D., Berg, J.S., Ashton, J.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.05.2002; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied geophysics; Arctic; Atmosphere; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecosystems; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Internal geophysics; Land surface temperature; Marine; Ocean temperature; Predictive models; Sea measurements; Sea surface; Soil; Surface topography; United States; Alaska; Arctic region; PN, Arctic; INE, USA, Alaska; models; maps; atmospheric precipitation; boundary layer; vegetation; climate; clouds; North America; forests; expansion; insolation; tundra; transition zones; El Nino; regression; ecosystems; temperature; polar regions; boreal zone; oscillations; storms
• ISSN: 0196-2892; 1558-0644
• DOI: 10.1109/TGRS.2002.1010902

Mean monthly climate maps of Alaskan surface temperature and precipitation produced by the parameter-elevation regression on independent slopes model (PRISM) were analyzed. Alaska is divided into interior and coastal zones with consistent but different climatic variability separated by a transition region; it has maximum interannual variability but low long-term mean variability. Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO)- and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-type events influence Alaska surface temperatures weakly (1-2/spl deg/C) statewide. PDO has a stronger influence than ENSO on precipitation but its influence is largely localized to coastal central Alaska. The strongest influence of Arctic oscillation (AO) occurs in northern and interior Alaskan precipitation. Four major ecosystems are defined. A major eco-transition zone occurs between the interior boreal forest and the coastal rainforest. Variability in insolation, surface temperature, precipitation, continentality, and seasonal changes in storm track direction explain the mapped ecosystems. Lack of westward expansion of the interior boreal forest into the western shrub tundra is influenced by the coastal marine boundary layer (enhanced cloud cover, reduced insolation, cooler surface and soil temperatures).