Anna E. Klene
Assistant Professor of Geography
Office: Old Journalism Building 206
Office Phone: (406) 243-4347
Office Fax: (406) 243-4840
E-mail:anna.klene@umontana.edu
Education:
Ph.D., Climatology, University of Delaware, 2005
M.A., Geography, State University of New York at Albany, 1999
B.S., Physical Geography, University of Cincinnati, 1996
Areas of Specialization:
Arctic and alpine climatology
Cold region geomorphology
Permafrost variability
Climate / ground interactions
Long-term climate analysis
Urban effects on climate
Current Course Offerings:
CCS/ERTH 303N used to be GEOG 322N - Weather & Climate
GPHY 317 used to be GEOG 324 - Geomorphology
GPHY 487 used to be GEOG 487 - Raster GIS and Image Analysis
GPHY 550 used to be GEOG 550 - Seminar on Paleoclimate and Global Change
GPHY 587 used to be GEOG 587 - Digital Image Analysis and Modeling
Previous Course Offerings:
GEOG 102N - Introduction to Physical Geography
GEOG 105 - Geography Lab
Climate and Life
Professional Background Information:
Dr. Klene's research is centered on northern Alaska, funded under a series of NSF projects to Drs. Hinkel and Nelson investigating changes in permafrost distribution and the flux of trace gases from the tundra to the atmosphere. The research group has focused on modeling the spatial and temporal variability of the active layer (seasonally thawed layer) above permafrost, which is a function of air temperature, vegetation, moisture, and soil characteristics. Almost all of the biological, chemical, and hydrological processes occur in this thin layer. Her master's thesis examined empirical records of air and soil temperatures and formulated a strategy for linking these parameters with satellite data to estimate thaw depth over large (regional-scale) areas.
For her dissertation, Dr. Klene began focusing on air temperature variability, the effects of urbanization, and hazards associated with permafrost under a changing climate in northern Alaska. Her dissertation explored how some of these have been manifested in the village of Barrow as part of the Barrow Urban Heat Island Study (BUHIS). Her research had several components: (a) comparison of two long-term air temperature records from the area; collection and analysis of data from the 70-site BUHIS network to describe the spatial distribution of air and soil temperatures during the summer; and (d) construction of a detailed map of active-layer thickness for the urbanized Barrow area.
Recent and Future Projects:
- Paleoperiglacial features in western Montana;
- Continuing work with the Circumpolar Active-Layer Monitoring (CALM) Project;
- Participate in leading and organizing field courses in Russia and the US as part of the International Polar Year;
- Continuing work with USFS on using GIS to model rare plant habitat in the northern Rockies;
- For additional thesis ideas, drop her an e-mail.
Previous Graduate Students:
W. Preston Cumming, “Predicting spotted knapweed habitat in western Montana.” M.A. Thesis, Geography, May 2007. Preston is now working on a PhD at the University of Colorado. Link to PDF.
Deana DeWire, “Assessment and Potential Adjustments to the Snow Subroutine in BIOME-BGC, v4.2.” M.S. Thesis, Geography. Dec. 2008. She now works at Flathead Lake Biological Station as a GIS & Remote Sensing Analyst. Link to PDF.
Erin Nock, “A simple GIS approach to predicting rare plant habitat: North Central Rocky Mountains, United States Forest Service, Region One.” M.S. Thesis, Geography, May 2008. Erin is now a GIS Specialist with the USFS. Link to PDF.
John Sanford, “Dam regulation effects on sand-bar migration on the Missouri River: Southeastern South Dakota.” M.A. Thesis, Geography, December 2007. John is now a GIS Analyst for a consulting firm here in Missoula. Link to PDF.
Zach Seligman, “Rock-glacier distribution, activity, and movement, Northern Absaroka and Beartooth Ranges, MT, USA”. M.S. Thesis, Geography. May 2009. Zach is now working on a PhD in Geosceinces here at UM with Joel Harper.
Melanie Smith, “Predicting northern Goshawk dynamics using an individual-based spatial model.” M.A. Thesis, Geography, May 2007. Melanie is now a Staff Biologist & GIS Analyst for Audubon Alaska. Link to PDF.
Current Graduate Students:
Thor Burbach, "Predicting wind speeds in western Montana." M.S. Thesis, Geography. In progress.
Julie Gilbertson Day, “The effect of scale on the performance of a GIS-based predictive avian distribution model”. M.S. Thesis, Geography. In progress while she is working as a GIS intern for the USFS RMRS.
Adam Knorr, "Evaluating spatial climate datasets in complex terrain: Bitterroot Valley, western Montana." M.S. Thesis, Geography. In progress.
Karin Riley, “Fuels, weather, topography, and wildfire severity in Glacier National Park, Montana, and the Klamath Mountains, California.” Ph.D. Dissertation in Geology – co-advising.
Chris Stump, “A reconstruction of paleobiogeography (9000 B.P. to present), northern Rocky Mountains.” M.S. Thesis, Geography. In progress while he works as a GIS Developer for Montana DEQ.
Miles Wacker, “Predicting avalanche hazards in the Swan Valley, Montana.” M.S. Thesis, Geography. In progress while Miles does GIS for the Department of Transportation.
Jesse Wallace, “Fragmentation analysis: Yamburg gas field, Tazovsky Peninsula, Russia”. M.S. Thesis, Geography. In progress while Jesse is doing a GIS internship with Geum Consulting.
Publications:
A.E. Klene, In Prep, 2009. Comparison of Two Air Temperature Records, Barrow, Alaska, 1976-2005: Instrumentation Bias, Heat Island Effects, and Climate Change.
K.M. Hinkel, A.E. Klene, and F.E. Nelson, 2008. Spatial and interannual patterns of winter n-factors near Barrow, Alaska. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Permafrost, 705-710. View PDF.
A.E. Klene, F.E. Nelson, N.I Shiklomanov, and D.A.Streletskiy, 2008. Interannual variability of winter n-factors in the Kuparuk River basin, Alaska. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Permafrost, 953-958. View PDF.
D.A. Streletskiy, N.I. Shiklomanov, F.E. Nelson, and A.E. Klene, 2008. Long-term active-layer thickness and ground surface temperature trends: 13 years of observations at Alaskan CALM sites. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Permafrost, 1727-1732. View PDF.
K.M. Hinkel, A.E. Klene, and F.E. Nelson, 2004. The summer climate of an Arctic coastal village: Preliminary observations from the Barrow Urban Heat-Island Study. Polar Geography, v28, n3, 197-221. View PDF.
K.M. Hinkel, F.E. Nelson, A.E. Klene, and J.H. Bell, 2003. The winter urban heat island at Barrow, Alaska. International Journal of Climatology, v23, n15, 1889-1905. View PDF.
A.E. Klene, K.M. Hinkel, and F.E. Nelson, 2003. Initial results from the Barrow, Alaska Heat Island Study: Soil temperatures and active-layer thickness. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Permafrost.
A.E. Klene, F.E. Nelson, J. Nevins, D. Rogers , and N.I. Shiklomanov, 2002. Permafrost science and secondary education: direct involvement of teachers and students in field research. Geomorphology, v47, n2-4, 275-287. View PDF
A.E. Klene, F.E. Nelson, and N.I. Shiklomanov, 2001. The n-factor as a tool in geocryological mapping: seasonal thaw in the Kuparuk River Basin, Alaska. Physical Geography, v22, n6, 449-466. View PDF.
A.E. Klene, F.E. Nelson, N.I. Shiklomanov, and K.M. Hinkel, 2001. The n-factor in natural landscapes: Variability of air and soil-surface temperatures, Kuparuk River basin, Alaska. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research, v33, n2, 140-148. View PDF.
A.E. Klene, 2000. The N-Factor in Natural Landscapes: Relations between Air and Soil-Surface Temperatures in the Kuparuk River Basin, Northern Alaska. Centerton, NJ: Publications in Climatology, v53, n1, 85pp.
A. Lapenis and A. Klene, 1997. Conveyor of live germs? Eos, v78, n34, August 26, p359.
