Background Articles

A study reveals that large wildfires in Canada's boreal forests cause prolonged ground warming for over a decade, with implications for climate change feedback loops.

The purported sighting caused a stir on St. Paul Island, a birding haven sometimes called the "Galapagos of the North" for its diversity of life. That's because stowaway rats can quickly populate and overrun remote islands, devastating bird populations.

First frosts are already arriving later in some parts of the state, allowing growers to keep their crops in the field longer. Research done at the University of Alaska Fairbanks predicts the growing season could be weeks or even months longer by 2100. A new training program in the Interior aims to help Alaska Native communities grow more of their own food.

Researchers believe that if permafrost thaw continues at its current rate and mercury keeps being released, it could pose a real threat to many communities throughout northern and western Alaska.

Alaska's largest sockeye salmon run exceeded expectations in numbers but featured the smallest fish on record, posing challenges for commercial harvest.

Permafrost Pathways started two years ago with the goal of mapping the permafrost thaw and putting that data into the hands of the communities themselves. As human-caused climate change continues to warm the region and the permafrost melts more and more, the project is expanding.

Moose hunting in Alaska's Game Units 22C and 22D was closed after hunters quickly reached the quota, with a record 40 moose harvested in 22C in just two days.

The caribou population on the Nushagak Peninsula is thriving, with an estimated 600 caribou in the herd.