Ice and Fire

adaptation: managed retreat

In the closing episode of the Permafrost Thaw season, we hear stories of landscape change that have long-sustained and been observed by Native people in Alaska's Kuskokwim River area. We hear their stories of adaptation, including managed retreat of buildings away from rapidly eroding riverbanks. We are reminded of ways in which permafrost thaw relates to distant, global populations. topics and purpose: changes to the land described by the Yup'ik people, and adaptation approaches in present times terms defined: prevention, adaptation and managed retreat notes: Connect with Rewiring America [https://www.rewiringamerica.org/]! This episode was funded, in part, by a grant from the Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources. Alaska Public Media and National Public Radio gave permission to use external audio clips.

usteq

In this episode, we learn the Yup'ik term for climate change-induced catastrophic land collapse, which occurs due to permafrost thaw, erosion, and flooding: Usteq. We hear several definitions of the term, utilized by researchers and the government, and learn how these land changes are impacting communities in Western Alaska, in real-time. topics and purpose: the long observed changes to the land described by the Yup'ik people, and related stress in present times terms defined: usteq, land subsidence, divestment notes: Learn more about climate friendly financial investments at ClimateSmart [https://www.carboncollective.co/] and get involved in the movement: Stop the Money Pipeline. [https://stopthemoneypipeline.org/action/]  Here is a link to the Alaska State Hazard Mitigation Plan [https://ready.alaska.gov/Mitigation/SHMP], and to Dr. Bronen's research about Usteq [https://par.nsf.gov/servlets/purl/10200553]. This episode was funded, in part, by a grant from the Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources.

the carbon cycle and us

In this episode, we breathe and feel our human connection to the short carbon cycle. Long-sequestered carbon stores from deep underground -- as oil reservoirs or within frozen permafrost -- are brought to the surface by human activity, and then converted into greenhouse gases. These gases, like CO2 and methane (CH4), float into Earth's atmosphere, circulate, and trap heat -- causing the planet to warm. We have thrown the carbon cycle out of balance. topics and purpose: how humans participate with the carbon cycle, and how to enact systemic change for a climate-positive future terms defined: short carbon cycle, long carbon cycle notes: Join the climate movement and get involved with political mobilization by working or volunteering with organizations like 350.org [https://350.org/?r=US&c=NA] and Protect Our Winters. [https://protectourwinters.org/]

woolly mammoth bones

In episode four we learn about carbon stored within woolly mammoth bones and ancient plants, long held within the walls of the the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory's permafrost tunnel located near Fairbanks, Alaska.  Forty thousand years ago permafrost trapped microbes, rock, and sediment when water froze around it all. The ground ice also captured ancient plants and mammal bones, making carbon stores visually apparent as permafrost oxidizes or thaws. These processes also have an odor. topics and purpose: What all is in permafrost and emerges as it thaws? terms defined: the Pleistocene Ice Age, organic matter notes: Learn more about the Army Corps of Engineers' Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility in Fox, Alaska here [https://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/CRREL/Permafrost-Tunnel-Research-Facility/]. A previous version of this episode suggested that the tunnel was excavated to act as a protective underground enclave in the event of foreign occupation during the Cold War; this has been revised for accuracy. It was actually excavated in the 1960s as an experiment to test whether the tunnel could act as a bunker for military weapons systems.

microbes reawaken

In episode three of Ice and Fire, we hear about a microbial reawakening of microscopic life that was frozen into permafrost, often for thousands of years. These small life forms spring back when permafrost thaws. Though individually tiny, microbial communities -- composed of bacteria, fungi, and archaea -- have substantial impact to Earth, including the greenhouse gases they emit when they metabolize and perform cellular respiration. topics and purpose: the significance of microbes to the atmosphere and global warming as permafrost thaws terms defined: microbes and microbial communities notes: Check out Dr. Romanowicz's website [https://kromanowicz.github.io/] to read more about microbes and their significance to permafrost thaw. Learn more about the Permafrost Pathways Program, part of the Woodwell Climate Research Center, here [https://permafrost.woodwellclimate.org/].