I study the effects of wildfire on tundra soil nutrients, plant communities, and permafrost dynamics in the Western Arctic. The tundra ecosystem is undergoing fundamental changes as a result of climate warming and the disturbances it causes. An emerging disturbance in the tundra is wildfire, which has been occurring more frequently with rising temperatures, more frequent lightning strikes, and drier conditions. Wildfires have the potential to alter critical biogeochemical processes in tundra ecosystems. These alterations may be compounded by climate change, creating a positive feedback loop that accelerates warming, permafrost thaw and soil carbon losses. My research aims to investigate short- and long-term implications of wildfires on soil nutrient availability, plant communities, and permafrost thaw, and to explore the impact of these disturbances on the tundra ecosystem’s future. To do so, I have collected soil and plant samples along a fire chronosequence dating 1, 11, 20, 41, and 55 years post-fire and an unburnt control site near Inuvik, Northwest Territories.
I’m thrilled to be a part of the LEAP program to learn more about the relationships between permafrost, climate, and society. My work integrates these three subjects through interactions between climate, surface processes, and permafrost and their implications for the future of culturally relevant tundra plant species and ecosystem services that determine the livelihoods and identity of local communities.
