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

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...

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Bibliographic Details
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
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Summary:	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).
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:	0196-2892 1558-0644
DOI:	10.1109/TGRS.2002.1010902