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1. Introduction to the Alaska Carbon Cycle Invited Feature

   https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.1808  

   McGuire, A. D.; Zhu, Z.; Birdsey, R.; Pan, Y.; Schimel, D. S. (December 2018, Ecological Applications)
2. Beaver Pond Locations in Arctic Alaska, 1949 to 2020.

   https://doi.org/10.18739/A26T0GX5M  

   Tape, Ken; Clark, Jason; Jones, Benjamin (January 2021, NSF Arctic Data Center)

   Beavers were not previously recognized as an Arctic species, and their engineering in the tundra is considered negligible. Recent findings suggest that beavers have moved into arctic tundra regions and are controlling surface water dynamics, which strongly influence permafrost and landscape stability. These data show beaver pond locations in the Alaska Arctic identified in aerial photography and satellite imagery. Black and white aerial photography is from 1949-55, color infrared aerial photography (AHAP) is from 1976-84, and high-resolution satellite imagery is from 2000-2020. The number of beaver ponds doubled in most areas of ~2003 and ~2017 images. Earlier stages of beaver engineering are evident in ~1980 imagery, and there is no evidence of beaver engineering in ~1952 imagery, consistent with observations from Indigenous communities describing the influx of beavers over the period. 

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3. Expanding beaver pond distribution in Arctic Alaska, 1949 to 2019

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09330-6  

   Tape, Ken D.; Clark, Jason A.; Jones, Benjamin M.; Kantner, Seth; Gaglioti, Benjamin V.; Grosse, Guido; Nitze, Ingmar (December 2022, Scientific Reports)

   Abstract Beavers were not previously recognized as an Arctic species, and their engineering in the tundra is considered negligible. Recent findings suggest that beavers have moved into Arctic tundra regions and are controlling surface water dynamics, which strongly influence permafrost and landscape stability. Here we use 70 years of satellite images and aerial photography to show the scale and magnitude of northwestward beaver expansion in Alaska, indicated by the construction of over 10,000 beaver ponds in the Arctic tundra. The number of beaver ponds doubled in most areas between ~ 2003 and ~ 2017. Earlier stages of beaver engineering are evident in ~ 1980 imagery, and there is no evidence of beaver engineering in ~ 1952 imagery, consistent with observations from Indigenous communities describing the influx of beavers over the period. Rapidly expanding beaver engineering has created a tundra disturbance regime that appears to be thawing permafrost and exacerbating the effects of climate change. 

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4. Radar Observations of Flows Leading to Substorm Onset Over Alaska

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028147  

   Lyons, Larry R.; Liu, Jiang; Nishimura, Yukitoshi; Reimer, Ashton S.; Bristow, William A.; Hampton, Don L.; Shi, Xueling; Varney, Roger H.; Donovan, Eric F. (February 2021, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics)

   null (Ed.)
5. Infrastructure Adaptation to Climate Change: Institutional Support in Rural Alaska

   Taylor, J; Poleacovschi, C; Perez, M. (October 2020, Engineering Project Organization Conference)

   Faust, K; Kanjanabootra, S (Ed.)

   As climate change impacts intensify, communities in rural Alaska are undergoing and adapting to changes to infrastructure from increased permafrost thawing, flooding, and coastal erosion. Climate change adaptation, defined as a process, action, or outcome in a system to better adjust to actual or expected climate change impacts, is needed to address significant structural failures and safety concerns. Despite the recognition of the need for support from stakeholders and adaptation of infrastructure, the level of adaptation activity remains limited and inconsistent across regions and communities in rural Alaska. We address this need by identifying drivers and barriers of adaptation based on stakeholder perspectives (N=25). Stakeholders included people who work for government agencies, non-profits, engineering firms, or academic institutions in rural Alaska. Results show that strong community leadership and flexibility of funding conditions were drivers to adaptation of infrastructure. Further, results show that the high cost of technology and infrastructure and lack of access to and stipulations on funding were barriers to adaptation of infrastructure. These drivers and barriers emphasize the importance of adaptation processes that effectively accommodate the unique contexts of addressing impacts in rural Alaska. Results demonstrate the need for national adaptation funding and policy that encourages local decision-making power. Specifically, results outline the need for adaptation funding and policy that supports the collaboration of Alaska based institutions and rural Alaska communities in adaptation. 

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