Permafrost loss in peatlands of northern Quebec, 1957-2003
Over recent years, the southern limit of permafrost in northern peatlands has retreated by 39 km on average and by as much as 200 km in some parts of the Canadian Arctic. Although regional warming by 1.32°C has accelerated permafrost thaw in northern Manitoba, Canada, these changes are not exclusively linked to temperature rise. The loss of permafrost in Quebec has been attributed to the insulating effect of increased snowfall since the late 1950s rather than to temperature, which did not rise until the late 1990s, and has been accompanied by new peat accumulation on thawed areas (paludification) and in thermokarst ponds (terrestrialization).
Year: 2010
From collection: Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010
Cartographer: Hugo Ahlenius, GRID-Arendal & CAFF