USGS permafrost research determines the risks of permafrost thaw to biologic and hydrologic resources

First posted January 19, 2021 For additional information, contact: Alaska Regional Director4210 University DriveAnchorage, AK 99508907–786–7091 The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with university, Federal, Tribal, and independent partners, conducts fundamental research on the distribution, vulnerability, and importance of permafrost in arctic and boreal ecosystems. Scientists, land managers, and policy makers use USGS data to help make decisions for development, wildlife habitat, and other needs. Native villages and cities can forecast landscape change and where soils are vulnerable to thaw with more certainty. The scientific community can use USGS data to develop scenarios of future permafrost change.