MULTI-SCALAR APPROACH TOWARDS A HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF LAKE LEVEL IN AN AGRICULTURAL, DROUGHT-PRONE SUB-ARCTIC LANDSCAPE

Although the disappearance of the Norse settlement in South Greenland has been a topic of interdisciplinary, scientific debate for decades, the impact of anthropogenic climate change on the past, present, and future of lakes that are critical for Inuit sheep farming communities in this area remain unexplored. Using lake level as a proxy for water availability, we evaluated the drivers of lake level at varying temporal frequencies to understand lake system response to an intensifying hydrological cycle. Indigenous Knowledge interwoven with paleolimnological and high-frequency lake level provide a holistic understanding of lake level, and hence water availability, across timescales. Semi-structured interviews with sheep farmers contributed to site selection, historical lake level observations, and lake level response to weather events. Diatom-inferred lake level and three-dimensional bathymetry modeling were used to reconstruct decadal trends in lake level that predate contemporary agricultural operations. High-frequency lake level sensors were used to quantify water availability drivers on a daily, seasonal, and interannual scale. Preliminary results show strong lake level coherence across a gradient of hydrological connectivity and lake level response to weather events that vary seasonally. As the Arctic experiences unprecedented warming and agricultural operations are expected to increase, understanding the interaction of climate change and managed landscapes in a sub-Arctic context is paramount. 

Presentation Preference: Oral

Primary Presenter: Amanda Gavin, University of Maine (amanda.gavin@maine.edu)

Authors:

Amanda Gavin, University of Maine  (amanda.gavin@maine.edu)

Jasmine Saros, University of Maine  (jasmine.saros@maine.edu)