BIL 330 Lecture Notes - Lecture 31: Sea Level Rise, Cryosphere, Permafrost
Document Summary
Changes in meltwater runoff from melting glaciers will lead to changes in water temperature in rivers: the newly discovered melt-water ponds and moulins bring new positive feedback through the release of methane into the atmosphere. The runoff will influence sediment and nutrient contents and in turn will have effects on rivers and lakes downstream. As the degradation of ice and permafrost continues, older pollution that is stored in the snow and glaciers will be released into the environment. There has been decreasing winter ice durations due to delays in the fall freeze-up happening more slowly than growth in spring break-up with evidence in the acceleration of both factors across the northern hemisphere. In addition to melting permafrost: snow coverage is also dwindling. The indigenous people of the cryosphere regions have cultures that are shaped by their environment: the past generations have adjusted harvesting techniques and lifestyles to environmental changes, but now the rapid climate change presents new challengers.
