Russian geobotany will conduct research on the ecosystems of Wrangel island in Chukotka, to predict global climate change in the Arctic in the coming decades, according to the reserve "Columbus".
With the support of the Ministry of environment and WWF Russia to the island went chief specialist on remote sensing of the Earth from the Center for marine studies, Moscow state University Dmitry Dobrynin and lead engineer Natural science Institute, Perm, Russia Oksana Sukhova. They will work here for three months, clarifies the nature reserve.
"the Main purpose of their visit was the collection of data to create a picture of natural systems of Wrangel island, which will be the basis for the clarification of dynamic phenomena developing in ecosystems of the island. The reserve staff are not the first to feel the change in snow regime, floods, changes in the timing of growing season of vegetation. More frequent were the visits the more southern fish species, e.g. salmon. Scientists will try to assess the dynamics of the processes at spatial scales", – stated in the message.
It is noted that global climate change affect the condition of the vegetation, the animal world, in relief and loose sediments. Scientists will monitor thermoerosive, swelling soils, examined the coastal zone, will set the sensors for long term monitoring of microclimate.
"All these data will most accurately predict the changes that will occur in the Arctic next few decades", – noted in the reserve.
Wrangel island is in the Arctic ocean between the East Siberian and Chukchi seas. The island is part of the same reserve and is a world heritage site by UNESCO.
