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International Polar Year
IPY 2007-2008
 
 
Updated on 05/01/2009
 
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Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

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PROPOSAL INFORMATION

(ID No: 724)

CANADA #200: When trees were growing in the Arctic: evolution of climate and Life during the Late Pliocene.  (When trees were growing in the Arctic: evolution of climate and Life during the Late Pliocene.)

Outline
During the summer of 2001, the remains of a forest tundra environment were discovered on a high plateau on Bylot Island. The stratigraphic unit contains a well preserved organic-rich sequence that includes numerous tree trunks, plant remains, fossil insects and diatoms. It is underlain by a till and is covered by a second glacial suite that is related to an early Quaternary glaciation. A paleomagnetic reversal in the organic sequence and the identification of extinct plant and insect species (e.g. Aracites globosa, Myrica arctogale) indicate a Late Pliocene age (2-2.5 Ma BP) for this tree bearing organic sequence. So far, the site appears unique as it contains a pre-Quaternary glacial-interglacial transition, therefore allowing to document the creation of an ancient ecosystem comparable to the Pleistocene-Holocene transition at the actual tree-line. Furthermore, the excellent state of preservation of the organic material offers a great potential for the reconstitution of the landscape, environment and climate of the eastern Canadian Arctic archipelago during the Late Pliocene. Comprehensive paleoclimate reconstructions will lead to a better understanding of the impact of global climate changes on the eastern Canadian Arctic. Proposed activity: 1. Determine the 3D stratigraphic configuration of the organic unit and the complete stratigraphic sequence. This will be done by using stratigraphic exposures, boreholes in the permafrost and geophysical suveys (GPR, sismic). 2. Ascertain the chronostratigraphic framework of the site by the relative dating of fossils and by further paleomagnetism measurements of the sediments . 3. Pursue the identification and count of the fossil material and better define the Late Pliocene interglacial climatic conditions through a series of new analyses such as oxygen isotopes on cellulose, tree ring analysis and extensive diatom counts. 4. Search Late Pliocene permafrost samples retrieved from boreholes for their microbial content in order to assess the potential presence of viable microorganisms. These results will find applications in studies focusing on the exobiology of our solar system. 5. Assess the genetic evolution of tree species through the comparison of the DNA configuration of Late Pliocene and modern tree samples.

Theme(s)   Major Target
 

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
2. The project will quantify the amplitude of past environmental and climate changes that occurred at the end of the Pliocene in the eastern Canadian Arctic archipelago. 3. The reconstitution of climate conditions during the Late Pliocene can be used as entry and ground-truth data in general paleocirculation models that try to understand the past climate dynamic of the planet. Contribution to the history of ancient forests and ecosystems as well as to biological evolution 4. New methods will be tested in the study of amino-acids and DNA analyses of organic remains, microbiology of permafrost and oxygen isotopes analysis of wood cellulose and diatoms frustules. 5. Evolution of Earth biomes and landscapes from an Arctic perspective

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project will involve researchers from Canada, USA, UK, Denmark (Greenland) where other Pliocene sites are known and from Russia where experience was gained in the search of traces of life in permafrost. The permafrost drilling operation will involve a joint Russia-Canada team. The international collaboration will give access to a network of laboratory facilities and to the Late Pliocene collection of the National Museums in Canada and abroad.


FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The study site is located on the south-western plain of Bylot Island (72 N, 80 W), within the Sirmilik National Park, about 80 km from the community of Pond Inlet. The fossil sites can be observed on several locations on a plateau that is adjacent to the valley of glacier C-79. The CEN supports a permanent fully-equipped research camp in this valley that will be used as logistical base camp for our operations (e.g. plane and helicopter landing, scientific laboratories, meteorological stations). A secondary low-impact field camp will also be set-up directly on the plateau.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 05/07 – 08/07       05/08 – 08/08      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
A temporary field camp will be set-up directly at the study site. During the summer, the helicopter based at the CEN’s camp can be shared with other ongoing projects. Fieldwork operations comprise permafrost drilling (rock and ice mixture drilling capabilities) together with geophysical surveys (GPR, sismic and thermistor cables) and sampling.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
A deep borehole, drilled in the permafrost to extract undisturbed frozen ground samples, will be used to install a thermistor cable. Beside the project’s need to quantify the thermal regime of the ground, this data logger equipped thermistor cable can be used, together with other shallow thermistor cables already installed in the valley of Glacier C-79, to detect and quantify the thermal state of the permafrost in response to the expected climate warming of the area.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

The permafrost drilling will be realised by a joint Russia-Canada team. The Russian technology allow deep drilling in permafrost.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Ecosystems Terrestrial Processes


PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
yes
A M. Sc. study has already been realized in 2001 and 2002 on the stratigraphic framework of the study site. It showed the great potential of this site for innovative research and scientific break-throughs in the field of geology, paleoclimatology and biology. Funding has been asked for post-doctoral research using state-of-the-art isotopic methods to reconstitute the paleoconditions of the atmosphere during the Late Pliocene.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be self-managed from a project office hosted at the Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Laval University, Québec, Canada. The annual assembly of the research team will coordinate the on-going research operations and determinate the course of action of the project. Field work logistic and funding management will be realised at the project office. A database, accessible via the internet, and tele-conferences will be used to maintain effective contacts and data sharing among the researchers.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved in field work and laboratory operations. The production of B.Sc. and M.Sc. theses and numerous innovative scientific publications are expected to follow the completion of the project. In collaboration with Parks Canada, a website will be realized to show to the public the strong climatic changes that occurred at the end of the Pliocene in the eastern Canadian Arctic archipelago and their implication in terms of global climate change and evolution of Life in the Arctic. A permanent exhibition of fossil specimens will be set-up in the community of Pond Inlet. With the permission of Parks Canada, other fossil specimens would be donated to the Canadian Museum of Nature (Ottawa) and to the geological museum of Laval University (Québec).

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Data will be centralised in a single database that will be accessible via the internet. The project will use the CEN’s server as it is already functional for data transfers on the web. Data management will realized by the project office to assure uniformity and easy access to the methodology and research results.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
A rough estimate of 500 000$ (250 000$/year) is required. Potential funds: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada: researchers grants: 80 000 $/year. International partners: uncertain.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Unconsolidated geological and biological remains of Late Pliocene age are rare in the Canadian Arctic as most of the land has been eroded by the passage of glaciers during the Quaternary. Indeed, to our knowledge, there is no other site in the eastern Canadian Arctic archipelago that offer the possibility to study the passage from a glacierized landscape to a forest tundra environment. It is a unique occasion to unravel the complexity of the major global changes that occurred at the end of the Pliocene in the area.


PROPOSER DETAILS


Daniel Fortier

Centre d’études nordiques
Université Laval
Québec Québec
G1K 7P4
Canada

Tel: 418-656-2131 (6994)
Mobile: 418- 806-5271
Fax:
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Name   Affiliation
Dr Michel Allard   Centre d’études nordiques, Laval University, Canada.
Dr. Yves Bégin   Centre d’études nordiques, Laval University, Canada.
Dr Richard Fortier.   Centre d’études nordiques, Laval University, Canada.
Dr Claude Lavoie.   Centre d’études nordiques, Laval University, Canada.
Dr Martin Lavoie.   Centre d’études nordiques, Laval University, Canada.
Dr Serge Payette.   Centre d’études nordiques, Laval University, Canada.

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