Beaded streams: A case study in the Blackstone Uplands, Yukon Canada.

Ciric, E, Roy-Leveillee, P (2017) Beaded Streams: A case study in the Blackstone Uplands, Yukon, Canada. Canadian Association of Geographers 2017: Towards a Just and Sustainable World, May 29-June2, 2017, Toronto, ON.

Abstract:

Beaded streams are a type of thermokarst expression resulting from ice wedge degradation found on gently

sloping terrain. They have been studied in Arctic ecosystems underlain by continuous permafrost. This research

examined beaded streams in the Blackstone Uplands (YT), a sub-arctic tundra landscape of the discontinuous

permafrost zone. Analysis of beaded streams on satellite imagery and aerial photography taken in the 1950s

indicated that beaded stream development is closely linked to the degradation of ice wedge polygon networks,

and results in can result in pronounced changes in vegetation cover as beaded streams mature. In July 2016, a

beaded stream from this study area was visited in the field to determine its depth as well as physical observations.