Polar ecosystems in a changing climate
Kristen Krumhardt
5:30 – 7:00 pm MST
The Arctic and Antarctic are undergoing rapid systemic change, expressed in reductions in glaciers, ice shelves, ice sheets, sea ice mass, snow cover, permafrost, and amplified atmospheric warming relative to lower latitudes. The associated rate of change is unprecedented in polar oceans, the atmosphere and cryosphere, and will immensely impact the polar ecosystems.
In this NSF NCAR Explorer Series lecture, we explore ways in which Earth System Models (ESMs) are being used to investigate polar ecosystem change. We also discuss possible implications for people and animals in these regions.
Kristen Krumhardt
Kristen Krumhardt is a Project Scientist in the Oceanography section of the Climate and Global Dynamics laboratory at NSF NCAR. She works on modeling biology in the ocean, specifically phytoplankton and zooplankton dynamics, and contributes to development of the ocean ecosystem model in the Community Earth System Model (CESM). Her research is mainly focused on analyzing how climate change and variability influence phytoplankton communities and how this may impact higher trophic levels. Kristen also enjoys doing scientific art and illustrations.
Alice DuVivier
Alice DuVivier is a Project Scientist in the Paleo-Polar Climate section of the Climate and Global Dynamics laboratory at NSF NCAR. Her work focuses on the polar regions and how the climate is changing. She uses the Community Earth System Model (CESM) to investigate physical processes and the changing climate in the Arctic and Antarctic. Her interests include understanding exchanges of energy and moisture between the sea ice, atmosphere, and ocean. She also investigates how the changing polar regions will affect natural ecosystems and the people living and working in these regions. Alice enjoys getting outside and enjoying nature.