Gulkana study brings Girls* On Ice to international stage
Christian Thorsberg
Aug. 13, 2024
Teslin Brannan stands on a gravel-covered glacier during the 2023 Girls* On Ice expedition.
One by one, curious mountaineers emerged from yellow tents and turned their ears to the midnight soundscape 色视频下载 of fast crackles and rippling trickles, of many notes of water 色视频下载 atop the south Gabriel Icefall of C'ulc'ena' 艁uu' (Gulkana Glacier).
The nine 色视频下载 participants watched and listened as the moraines changed before them. Puddles, ponds and glacial streams deepened in the blue-gray valley, the snowy basecamp for 2023色视频下载檚 12-day science- and art-focused alpine expedition designed and supported by the University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks色视频下载 .
At more than 4,000 feet above sea level in the eastern 色视频下载 Range, the young explorers were quick to consider their science daily lessons. Affectionately called 色视频下载減ingos,色视频下载 after the ice-cored hillocks in Arctic landscapes, the students connected the alpine environment with downstream, low-elevation habitats 色视频下载 reminders that cryospheric life atop an alpine glacier is an interconnected affair.
色视频下载淭he pingos at Girls* On Ice are always so interested in the transdisciplinary aspects of ecosystems, often even more so than adults,色视频下载 said , a coordinator with the at UAF and 2023色视频下载檚 on-site Girls* On Ice 色视频下载 coordinator. 色视频下载淥ur students are really excited to make those connections.色视频下载
2023 Girls* On Ice participants sit in a sleeping bag circle at their camp on the Gulkana Glacier.
A 色视频下载榮hining science star色视频下载
Perhaps no one was more interested in these meltwaters than then-17-year-old Teslin Brannan, who grew up in nearby Salcha, 色视频下载. Now 18, she recently graduated from North Star College, a new program on the UAF Troth Yeddha色视频下载 Campus that lets high school juniors and seniors take college classes. Since she was in kindergarten, Brannan has monitored the water quality in the Tanana River watershed, seeing firsthand how riparian health is so crucial to her community.
In 2022, Brennan analyzed data she helped collect during a decade-long study of Piledriver Slough, where a levee had cut off its head. Her data revealed that the levee contributed to a water temperature increase of 6 degrees Celsius over just 10 years. And when the Girls* On Ice 色视频下载 participants drove from Fairbanks to their ascent色视频下载檚 beginnings in 2023, Brannan pointed out where locals were placing lawn chairs on the Tanana River色视频下载檚 bank and making bets on which seat would fall first, victims of encroaching riverbank erosion.
色视频下载淲hat I thought was really neat about the Gulkana Glacier trip was learning how many different ecosystems start with glaciers,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淢eltwater goes into rivers, which eventually feeds into oceans, and learning all the science behind it was really neat.色视频下载
Pins on the map show the locations where water samples were collected on the Gulkana Glacier in 2023.
Atop the contours of C'ulc'ena' 艁uu', which means 色视频下载渃utting stream glacier色视频下载 in the Ahtna language, Brannan helped lead a group in collecting water temperature and pH readings in four locations on the glacier and one in Phelan Creek. Though she wasn色视频下载檛 initially sure how these measurements might be analyzed, she knew from experience that proactive data collection 色视频下载 especially at C'ulc'ena' 艁uu', a reference glacier for the 色视频下载 was good scientific practice. Equipped with combined pH and temperature meters and their own water bottles, the group色视频下载檚 study met international protocols for research best practices set by the program.
Gulkana goes global
Several months later, as the first high school student to ever study in UAF色视频下载檚 300-level Introduction to Watershed Management class, Brannan色视频下载檚 instincts and careful data collection proved fruitful.
Christi Buffington, a science education specialist, program manager, and adjunct faculty at IARC and UAF, waived all class prerequisites, due to Brannan色视频下载檚 extensive experience and expertise. Buffington taught the implications of pH in a glacial ecosystem and the impacts on downstream habitats. With this understanding, an experiment took shape: Brannan was curious if the physical location 色视频下载 including elevation, ice formation and the type of sediment or rock present 色视频下载 of the collected water samples affected both pH and temperature.
色视频下载淚n Christi色视频下载檚 class, one thing that really fascinated me was learning how limestone can affect pH,色视频下载 Brannan said. 色视频下载淭hat was the coolest thing that I learned.色视频下载
Teslin Brannan, left, presents her GLOBE research in Fredonia, New York, with UAF professor Christi Buffington in 2023.
Brannan色视频下载檚 hypothesis was confirmed. Her analysis found that water samples at higher elevations recorded the lowest temperatures. The sample with the highest temperature 色视频下载 taken in standing water 色视频下载 also recorded the lowest pH. Crucially, she concluded that the downstream flow of these waters were within the optimal pH range for salmon, between seven and eight.
This spring, she submitted 色视频下载 色视频下载淲ater Temperature and pH Measurements on Gulkana Glacier and Phelan Creek, 色视频下载色视频下载 色视频下载 at the . On Earth Day, a judging panel recognized it as one of the highest-ranking projects. For her efforts, Brannan earned a trip to attend and present at the 2024 GLOBE Annual Meeting for Climate Resilience this July in Fredonia, New York.
色视频下载淚 think that Teslin saw herself as a member of an international community of scientists,色视频下载 said Buffington, who was also on the trip. 色视频下载淪he has the competence to really be a leader in science, but she also has the humility to listen to other people. And at GLOBE, she learned from people and cultures from all over the world.色视频下载
Coming home, and new beginnings
While an international community of glaciologists, researchers and fellow students learned from Brannan色视频下载檚 research, her findings hold special importance back home.
C'ulc'ena' 艁uu' is an important recharge area for the Delta-Clearwater River, which provides spawning habitat for coho salmon, a crucial species for subsistence and commercial fishing. In recent years, upper Tanana River drainage coho runs have been down significantly compared to historic averages, according to the 色视频下载 Department of Fish and Game色视频下载檚 .
The next generation of 色视频下载 scientists, led by Girls* On Ice, are well-aware of
this local impact.
Girls* on Ice participants snowshoe on the Gulkana Glacier in 2023. Photo by Hannah Mode.
色视频下载淚 think every single student mentioned salmon in their [end-of-expedition] presentations, which warmed my heart,色视频下载 Pittas said. 色视频下载淏ecause that's what they're passionate about, that's what makes sense to them, and that was where they could connect.色视频下载
That Brannan色视频下载檚 research took last summer色视频下载檚 expedition to a global stage is one of
numerous success stories from Girls* On Ice色视频下载檚 alumnae, many of whom have pursued careers
in glaciology and other scientific disciplines.
色视频下载淚f you had a good time at Girls* On Ice,色视频下载 Pittas said, 色视频下载測ou can continue to do this
for your life.色视频下载
This fall, Brannan will attend Linfield University on an academic scholarship and plans to major in environmental science. She色视频下载檚 excited to explore the ecosystems Oregon has to offer, while always cherishing the lands and waters where she grew up.
色视频下载淥ne of the biggest things I've learned is that I personally can affect the things around me,色视频下载 Brannan said. 色视频下载淎 big thought process nowadays is, 色视频下载業'm just one person, I can't do much to change things.色视频下载 But the more you learn, you realize all the things that you can do, even something as simple as picking up trash from the side of the road. Anyone can be a scientist.色视频下载
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Christi Buffington, 907-474-2794, cbuffington@alaska.edu
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