Impacts of shrub removal on snow and near-surface thermal conditions in permafrost terrain adjacent to the Dempster Highway, NT, Canada

This study shows the impact of tall shrub removal practice on the permafrost management in NWT.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Creator Emily A. Cameron, Trevor C. Lantz, and Steven V. Kokelj
Summary The Peel Plateau, NT, Canada, is an area underlain by warm continuous permafrost where changes in soil moisture, snow conditions, and shrub density have increased ground temperatures next to the Dempster Highway. In this study, ground temperatures, snow, and thaw depth were monitored before and after tall shrub removal (2014). A snow survey after tall shrub removal indicated that snow depth decreased by a third and lowered winter ground temperatures when compared with control tall shrub sites. The response of ground temperatures to shrub removal depended on soil type. The site with organic soils had cooler winter temperatures and no apparent change in summer temperatures following shrub removal. At sites with mineral soil, moderate winter ground cooling insufficiently counteracted increases in summer ground heat flux caused by canopy removal. Given the predominance of mineral soil along the Dempster, these observations suggest tall shrub removal is not a viable short-term permafrost management strategy. Additionally, the perpendicular orientation of the Highway to prevailing winter winds stimulates snow drift formation and predisposes the site to warmer permafrost temperatures, altered hydrology, and tall shrub proliferation. Subsequent research should explore the effectiveness of tall shrub removal at sites with colder winter conditions or different snow accumulation patterns.
Local Relevance The study on the Peel Plateau, NT, Canada, found that tall shrub removal influenced ground temperatures. Tall shrub removal is unlikely to be an effective short-term permafrost management strategy
Notes
Tags Tall Shrub Removal,Permafrost,Permafrost Management
Geographic Region NWT
Release Date 2024-01-01
Last Modified Date 2024-01-01
Funding Program