Arctic freshwater systems: Hydrology and ecology

The project is divided into four themes: 1. "Freshwater Flux and Prediction" aims to investigate the importance of water to Canadian polar regions and how availability of water may change in the future. These goals will be achieved via field observations in polar locations which are currently instrumented as well as remote locations which have limited or no observational capabilities. Modelling studies will complement the field observations and aid in interpretation of the collected data. 2. "Nutrient Flux and Prediction" objectives include: a) implementing, refining, and testing an enhanced 1-dimensional hydraulic model of river flow through the Mackenzie Delta channel network; b) field investigations of real-time ice jams and measurements necessary for process-based modelling; c) identification of river ice cover and breakup patterns via satellite image analyses; d) linking the hydraulic model to a model of storm surging effects from the Beaufort coast; e) improved nutrient characterization of the Mackenzie River water during breakup and open-water; f) quantification of Mackenzie River nutrient fluxes, corrected for ice breakup and off-channel effects; g) long-term modelling of Mackenzie River flows and potential responses to climatic warming. 3. "Aquatic Ecosystem Hydro-ecology and Ecological Integrity (Arctic-BIONET)" objectives include: a) aquatic biodiversity assessment; b) improved Canadian and circumpolar perspective on the current status and future trends of freshwater biodiversity in relation to present and projected CVC; c) integrated, multidisciplinary climatological, hydrological and ecological process-based research at strategic "Supersites" located in the Mackenzie upland lakes and in the western and eastern Canadian Arctic; d) analysis of the limnology and heat budgets of Great Bear Lake in light of projected impacts from CVC; and e) with Parks Canada, a freshwater classification for northern National Parks that will identify the diversity of stream networks and lake/pond ecosystems. 4. "Community-based Capacity Building and Outreach" has the objective to establish a community-based monitoring consortium/network involving long-term sites in the Canadian Arctic. Project activities are taking place at field sites and communities across Canada¿s northern regions: Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut, and northern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Labrador.

本项目分为四大主题：1. “淡水通量与预测（Freshwater Flux and Prediction）”：旨在探究水资源对加拿大极地地区的重要价值，以及未来水资源可利用性的变化趋势。上述目标将通过两类点位的实地观测实现：一类是当前已布设观测设备的极地点位，另一类是观测能力有限或无观测能力的偏远点位。建模研究将作为实地观测的补充，助力对采集数据的解译与分析。2. “营养盐通量与预测（Nutrient Flux and Prediction）”：其目标包括：a) 构建、优化并测试一套面向马更些三角洲河道网络的增强型一维河道水动力模型；b) 开展实时冰塞实地调查，并获取基于过程建模所需的实测数据；c) 通过卫星影像分析识别河道冰盖与融冰解体模式；d) 将水动力模型与波弗特海海岸风暴潮效应模型进行耦合；e) 优化马更些河在融冰期与无冰期的水体营养盐特征表征方法；f) 量化马更些河营养盐通量，并对冰融期及河道外影响进行校正；g) 开展马更些河径流长期模拟，并探究其对气候变暖的潜在响应。3. “水生生态系统水文生态学与生态完整性（Arctic-BIONET）”：其目标包括：a) 水生生物多样性评估；b) 从加拿大全国及环极视角，深化对当前及未来淡水生物多样性现状与趋势的认知，关联当前及预估的气候变化与变率（CVC）；c) 在马更些河高地湖泊以及加拿大东西部北极地区的战略性“超级监测点位”开展多学科集成的气候学、水文学与生态学过程研究；d) 结合气候变化与变率（CVC）的预估影响，分析大熊湖（Great Bear Lake）的湖沼学特征与热量平衡状况；e) 联合加拿大公园局（Parks Canada），为北部国家公园制定淡水生态系统分类体系，以明确河道网络与湖泊/池塘生态系统的多样性特征。4. “基于社区的能力建设与外展（Community-based Capacity Building and Outreach）”：其目标是建立一个涵盖加拿大北极地区长期监测点位的基于社区的监测联盟/网络。本项目的活动将在加拿大北部地区的野外点位与社区开展，涉及育空地区、西北地区、努纳武特地区、努纳维克地区、努纳齐亚福特地区，以及不列颠哥伦比亚省、阿尔伯塔省、萨斯喀彻温省和拉布拉多的北部区域。