off to the Churchill Northern Studies Centre!

(above) map of Canada: today Winnipeg, tomorrow Churchill

(above) polar bear viewing buggy

Today the UCLA climate change/Northern peatland crew (Dr. Glen MacDonald, student James Holmquist and I) embarked on a research journey to sub-Arctic Canada. We are headed to the Churchill Northern Studies Centre/er. The center is located in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, population 926. Churchill is known as the "polar bear capital of the world" since there are many polaar bears there in the fall when the bears migrate from the land to the water (Hudson Bay). However, only 2 Churchill townspeople have been killed by polar bears since 1717 in Churchill (aren't you relieved mom?). Only 8 Canadians have met their end via polar bear in the last 30 years... seems hopeful! However I am still counting my lucky stars.

Anyway, Churchill is at the intersection of 3 different biomes: Arctic tundra, the Hudson Bay and boreal forest. This makes for some different and interesting research projects all in the same region! Our group is planning to take multiple peat cores from multiple sites in order to expand on our testate amoebae analyses, and to get an idea of the past climate and carbon accumulation patterns in the area. We will be looking at the development of the peatlands over the past ~6,000 years.

My main addition at this point in our research is to collect 3D profiles of the peatlands with a GPR (ground penetrating radar) unit. The GPR sends micro waves into the ground and receives the signal back resulting in a picture telling us the changes in the substrate beneath the surface - see image below. So since we are looking at peatlands the GPR will tell us how deep the peat itself reaches. (The substrate below the peat is likely a mineral soil, so the frequency that the GPR receives back changes when it hits this after hitting the peat). The GPR can also tell where gases are being stored in the peat. If there are pockets of methane or carbon dioxide (that may be released into the atmosphere in the future) we may be able to tell where/how much of this is being stored.

Looking forward to having more to write tomorrow, and to see the center. Apparently there is a viewing station for the Aurora Borealis, which sadly does not occur this time of year. The station also has an herbarium, which is basically a library that stores plant clippings in order to identify common plants in the area in the future. Should be exciting! Hmm... I wonder whether we will be fed moose stew or reindeer or...?