D
avid Hik, a Professor of Terrestrial Ecology at Simon Fraser University, has been at the forefront of trying to better understand tundra ecosystems and alpine environments in the Arctic for years. Much of his research has been conducted in the Saint Elias Mountains where he and other scientists have observed a rapid shrinking of the region's glaciers. They have warned that 80% of mountain glaciers in Alberta, B.C. and Yukon will disappear within 50 years.
In this series of videos, David explains the changes he's observed, what he's learned and why we should all be concerned.
The Kaskawulsh Glacier Melt
"It was an abrupt and immediate change in the landscape."
Tipping Points and Irreversible Changes
"There's a trickle at first, but it's going to become a flood."
Our Interconnected World
"We see in ice cores the dust from the Gobi Desert...radionuclides from atmospheric nuclear tests in the 1950's."
Climate Change and the Need to Act
"Rapid change requires a rapid response."
