Weather and climate inventory, National Park Service, Southeast Alaska Network

Davey, C; Redmond, K; Simeral, D

Climate is a dominant factor driving the physical and ecologic processes affecting the Southeast Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network (SEAN). Climate variations are responsible for short- and long-term changes in ecosystem fluxes of energy and matter and have profound effects on\ underlying geomorphic and biogeochemical processes. Two dominant drivers, wetness and disturbance, influence the major ecological communities in Southeast Alaska. Abundant moisture and wind from Gulf of Alaska storms drives the development of plant communities and soils in the SEAN. Current and past glaciers and glacial dynamics are also very important environmental forces affecting the SEAN, as they influence the local climate and ecosystem development. Through their own presence the mountains influence the precipitation experienced in their vicinity, with the result that within overall climate regimes, precipitation patterns often look very similar to those of the major topographic elements. The long-term influence of humans on global and regional climate is expected to cause substantial changes in the climate of Southeast Alaska, bring unprecedented change in all of the ecosystem components in Southeast Alaska. Like their counterpart park units in the Southwest Alaska and Central Alaska networks, the SEAN park units also appear to be a generally sensitive area for temperature change. This is particularly due to the regions extensive glaciers, all of which are vulnerable to even slight warming. Because of its influence on the ecology of SEAN park units and the surrounding areas, climate was identified as a high-priority vital sign for SEAN and is one of the 12 basic inventories to be completed for all National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Program (I&M) networks.

Weather and climate inventory, National Park Service, Southeast Alaska Network

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