Global warming is expected to be greatest over high latitudes and permafrost areas will be among the regions most heavily affected. Over half the Canadian land mass is underlain by permafrost, much of it at temperatures a few degrees from the melting point. Predicted increases in mean annual air temperature of several degrees in northern latitudes will lead to thawing and destabilization of perennially frozen ground. This permafrost degradation has important implications for landscape processes (terrain, slope and coastal stability), hydrology (surface and ground water regimes), surface characteristics (vegetation, albedo), greenhouse gas sources and sinks (peatlands, soils, gas hydrates), as well as for ecosystems, engineering and infrastructure. An effective monitoring strategy is essential for the detection of the terrestrial climate change signal and for the assessment of its lag and attenuation, as well as indications of the spatial variability of change across the Arctic. This information is critical not only for the improvement of predictive models and the reliability of impact assessments, but also to further understand the sensitivity of permafrost conditions and processes to climate variability and change (Burgess et al, 1999).

Over 17 researchers or agencies are involved in permafrost monitoring activities in Canada. Including partners, the total number of agencies involved is 13. The map below shows the location of existing active layer and thermal monitoring sites.

Existing active layer and permafrost thermal monitoring sites (Courtesy S. SMith, GSC)

The two largest monitoring networks are maintained by the Geological Survey of Canada and the Centres d'études Nordiques (Universitié Laval). Further information on permafrost monitoring nationally and internationally can be obtained from the following sites:

• National Permafrost Database - Canada (GSC)
• Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P)
• Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring program (CALM)