Ch 6: The North Atlantic Provinces

Alaska vs. The North Atlantic 
Temperature and Precipitation
The extreme temperature in Alaska comes from the Interior. The highest temperature recorded was of 100° F  at Fort Yukon on June 27, 1915. The lowest temperature was of  -79.8° F at Prospect Creek on January 23, 1971. Different areas of Alaska get different levels of precipitation a year. Juneau get an average of 50 inches of precipitation a year, while other areas in southeast Alaska get about 275 inches. South central Alaska doesn't as much rain as the southeast of Alaska but it does get more snow. Anchorage get about 16 inches of precipitation a year and about 75 inches of snow.The northern coast of the Gulf of  Alaska gets about 150 inches of precipitation a year. The northern side of the Seward Peninsula is a desert with less than 10 inches of precipitation a year. Although some locations between Dillingham and Bethel average around 100 inches of precipitation.
The temperature in the North Atlantic Provinces hardly ever go beyond 90°F and do not drop below 1°F. Precipitation ranges between 40-55 inches.

Fisheries
The primary fisheries in Alaska are in the Bering Sea and the North Pacific. Many Alaskans fish the rivers during salmon season to gather significant quantities of their household diet while fishing for subsistence, sport, or both. In the Atlantic Provinces fisheries might have been abundant but the exploitation of the natural resources caused the collapse. 

Ch 4: Population and Consumption

Alaska is the fourth least populous state in the United States. According to the  2010 Census the most populated city in Alaska is Anchorage with 291,826 people and Fairbanks comes in second. The least populated city in Alaska is Bettles with only 12 people. 

Population Growth

According to the 2000 Census information, the population in 1960 was 226,167 and grew by 33.79% in 1970. From 1970 to 1980 it grew by 32.81%; from 1980 to 1990 it grew by 36.88%; from 1990 to 2000 the population grew by 13.98%. 

Ch 3: Sustainability

Energy
Most of the power in Alaska comes from fossil fuels, natural gas or diesel fuel although there are some other forms already in use. There are over 50 hydroelectric power plants supplying energy to Alaskan communities. Alaska is also using wind power; the first wind farm opened in 1997. National policies promoting development of clean, renewable energy sources have spurred advances in technologies to use wind and solar energy. "Advances in electronic controls and microchips also contribute to progress in energy technology." (Alaska's Energy System)
http://www.alaskapower.org/ak-energy-system.htm

Ch 2: The Nonhuman World

Soils of Alaska
The majority of the soils in Alaska are Gelisols which are mostly found in high latitude polar regions. There are types; "Histel gelisols contain large amounts of organic matter. Turbel gelisols are produced as a result of mixing by frost action. Orthel gelisols are the most common and are soils that do not meet the criteria for histel or turbel gelisols."(Ballard Coates). The soils in Alaska have more nutrients and less contamination compared to industrialized places. 

Ballard Coates, Amanda. http://www.ehow.com/about_5377968_type-soil-alaska.html#ixzz2hAb9ClZX

Mountains 

The mountains in the Brooks Range are made of sedimentary rock. In the Ogilvie Mountains a Karst topography is common and is made up of flat topped hills. The Ahklun and Kilbuck Mountains  are rugged groupings of mountains that are steep and sharp. The Alaska Peninsula Mountains is made up of rounded, folded sedimentary rock. Some mountains are covered by ice fields and glaciers. 

Climate

"Temperatures in Alaska during the summer range from 60°F-80°F. Nighttime and early mornings are cooler, from the 40's - 50's. Late August and September departures could encounter cooler temperatures and slightly fewer hours of sunlight, as fall arrives early at these latitudes.The Interior Region of Alaska enjoys warm summers.The Northern Interior (along Brooks Range) holds the record for the lowest temperature of -79.8° F" (Travel Alaska).

Tavel Alaska. http://www.travelalaska.com/Planning/Alaska%20Climate.aspx#

Ch. 1: Regions and Ecoregions

The 20 ecological regions of Alaska.
101. Arctic Coastal Plain
It is 50,000 sq km and it is bordered by the Arctic Ocean and goes as far as Yukon Territory Canada. It is a treeless region that has an arctic climate
102. Arctic Foothills
It is 124,000 sq km. "This ecoregion consists of a wide swath of rolling hills and plateaus that grades from the coastal plain on the north to the Brooks Range on the south." (U.S Dept. of the Interior). It has few lakes and is mostly treeless.
103. Brooks Range
It is 134,000 sq km and consisting of mountains carved from sedimentary rock.
104. Interior Forested Lowlands and Uplands
It is 269,000 sq km and has a continental climate. This region is mostly forest dominated by spruce and hardwood species of trees.
105.Interior Highlands
It is 115,000 sq km and it made up of rounded low mountains.
106. Interior Bottomlands
It is 103,000 sq km and it is made up of flat or mostly flat bottomlands along the rivers of the interior Alaska.
107. Yukon Flats
It is 33,000 sq km and it mostly flat. It is similar to the Interior Bottomlands but the the summers are warmer and winters are colder compared to other areas.
108. Ogilvie Mountains
It is 11,000 sq km and it is made up of flat topped hills.
109. Subarctic Coastal Plains
It is 91,000 sq km and it "mainly includes coastal plains of the Kotzebue sound area and the Yukon and Kuskokwim River Delta area." (US.Dept of the Interior)
110. Seward Peninsula
It is 47,000 sq km and is mostly treeless. It is surrounded by water and the winters are long and cold while the summers are short and warm.
111. Ahklun and Kilbuck Mountains
It is 51,000 sq km and is made up of mountains that are separated by valleys and lowlands.
112.Bristol Bay-Nushagak Lowlands
It is 61,000 sq km and has lakes scattered around and better drained soils.
113. Alaska Peninsula Mountains
It is 48,000 sq km. "This region is composed of rounded, folded and faulted sedimentary ridges intermittently surrounded by volcanoes."(US Dept. of Interior)
114. Aleutian Islands
It is 12,000 sq km and is made up of islands that were made from volcanic formations.
115. Cook Inlet
It is 28,000 sq km and has many trees mostly spruce and hardwood species.
116. Alaska Range
It is 117,000 sq km and  has mountains that are high and steep. This area does not have much vegetation.
117. Copper Plateau
It is 17,000 sq km and has many lakes and wetlands.
118. Wrangell Mountains
It is 29,000 sq km and this area is covered by mountains that were once volcanoes. The winters are cold and brutal while the summers are short.
119. Pacific Coastal Mountains
It is 106,000 sq km and these mountains receive a lot of rainfall. This area does not have much vegetation.
120.  Coastal Western Hemlock-Sitka Spruce Forest
It is 61,000 sq km and has the warmest winter in the state but receives a lot of rain.

Welcome to Alaska

Welcome to Alaska, the largest state in the United States with 586,412 square miles.  It is the fourth least populous state and the place to go and see the Northern Lights. Here I will writing and posting pictures relevant to the chapters.