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Together with colleague Rúna Magnússon I will visit Nye Aalesund for the VITAL project. VITAL (Vegetation Impact on ThAw-depth progression in SvaLbard; RiS ID 12569) aims to derive easy-to measure and scalable surface indicators for early permafrost thaw to better monitor thaw progression in the arctic landscape in the future. VITAL builds on the data and experience of UNIS parent-project INSULATE (RiS 12331), which focusses on quantifying the insulating capacity of vegetation and soils at plot-scales. VITAL takes the next step, applying the data and experience of INSULATE to larger spatial scales, focusing on 20 existing permafrost borehole locations contrasting in vegetated cover (low vs high) and anthropogenic land-use (low vs high). For each borehole, we will relate field assessments of surface properties at increasing distance to the borehole with recorded temperature profiles within these boreholes to explore which surface characteristics relate best to the seasonal thaw depth- trends observed in the boreholes. VITAL will address lack of knowledge on the impact of vegetated cover and anthropogenic land-use on thaw depth trends and how to monitor these impacts non-destructively. The knowledge and monitoring protocol may be used for a) forecasting of future permafrost thaw, tundra greening and tundra ecology, and b) early warning for risk assessment for local community on Svalbard. | |||||||||||||||
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