In literature (especially Russian) the term "Alaska Peninsula" was used to denote the entire northwestern protrusion of the North American continent, or all of what is now the state of Alaska, exclusive of its panhandle and islands. The Lake and Peninsulaborough, the Alaskan equivalent of a county, is named after the peninsula.
The Alaska/Aleutian Peninsula is also grouped into Southwest Alaska.
The southern side of the Alaska Peninsula is rugged and mountainous, created by the uplifting tectonic activity of the North Pacific Plate subsiding under a western section of the North American Plate; the northern side is generally flat and marshy, a result of millennia of erosion and general seismic stability. The northern and southern shores are likewise quite different. The northern Bristol Bay coastal side is generally turbid and muddy, experiences tidal extremes, and is relatively shallow; the Pacific side, which is also known as the "ring of fire,[5]" has relatively small tidal activity and the water is deep and clear.
Average annual precipitation ranges from 24–65 in (610–1,650 mm). Coastal areas are subject to intense storms, wind, and rain. Winter temperatures average between −11 and 1 °C (12 and 34 °F), and in summer between 6 and 15 °C (43 and 59 °F). Frosts can occur any day of the year at higher elevations.[6][7] The climate can be compared to that of parts of Scotland, the Aleutian Islands, Iceland, and Tierra del Fuego.
The Alaska Peninsula is home to some of the largest populations of native and undisturbed wildlife in the United States. Besides the famous McNeil River and KatmaiAlaskan brown bear populations, large herds of caribou, moose, wolveswaterfowl, and willow ptarmigan inhabit the area. The bears of the peninsula and Bristol Bay are so numerous because they feed on the world's largest sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) runs, which occur here in large part because the many large lakes of the peninsula are an important element in their lifecycle. These salmon, after returning from their short time at sea, swim into the lakes and their contributing streams to spawn. Their offspring, or fry, overwinter in the deep and food-abundant depths of these lakes until their migration to the sea in one or two years.
The rugged southern half of the peninsula, and also the Kodiak Archipelago which lie off the south coast of the peninsula and are home to even more bears, constitute the Alaska Peninsula montane taigaecoregion and contain a number of protected areas such as Katmai National Park. Vegetation on the Peninsula consists mostly of shrub-lands, grassy meadows, or wet tundra.
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This article is about a region in southwest Alaska For the entire state see Alaska The Alaska Peninsula 1 also called Aleut Peninsula 2 or Aleutian Peninsula 3 Aleut Alasxix Sugpiaq Aluuwiq Al uwiq is a peninsula extending about 800 km 497 mi to the southwest from the mainland of Alaska and ending in the Aleutian Islands The peninsula separates the Pacific Ocean from Bristol Bay an arm of the Bering Sea Volcanoes on the Alaska Peninsula Peulik Volcano and cottongrass meadow In literature especially Russian the term Alaska Peninsula was used to denote the entire northwestern protrusion of the North American continent or all of what is now the state of Alaska exclusive of its panhandle and islands The Lake and Peninsula borough the Alaskan equivalent of a county is named after the peninsula The Alaska Aleutian Peninsula is also grouped into Southwest Alaska The other largest peninsulas in Alaska include the Kenai Peninsula and Seward Peninsula Contents 1 Geography 2 Administration 3 Climate 4 Flora and fauna 5 Demographics 6 References 7 External linksGeography Edit Springtime hiker near Chiginagak Volcano in May 2007 Peulik Volcano and Ukinrek Maars Gorge in Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes The base of the Alaska Peninsula extends out from the end of the Alaska Range 4 The Aleutian Range is a highly active volcanic mountain range which runs along the entire length of the Peninsula Within it lie Wildlife Refuges including the Katmai National Park and Preserve the Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve and the Becharof National Wildlife Refuge the Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge and the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge The most active volcano along the volcanic mountain range is Pavlof Volcano which is more than 2 515 meters 8 251 feet The southern side of the Alaska Peninsula is rugged and mountainous created by the uplifting tectonic activity of the North Pacific Plate subsiding under a western section of the North American Plate the northern side is generally flat and marshy a result of millennia of erosion and general seismic stability The northern and southern shores are likewise quite different The northern Bristol Bay coastal side is generally turbid and muddy experiences tidal extremes and is relatively shallow the Pacific side which is also known as the ring of fire 5 has relatively small tidal activity and the water is deep and clear Administration EditAll of the Peninsula is organized as a part of four adjacent boroughs the Aleutians East Borough Bristol Bay Borough Kodiak Island Borough and Lake and Peninsula Borough The Lake and Peninsula Borough includes most of the peninsula s territory Climate EditAverage annual precipitation ranges from 24 65 in 610 1 650 mm Coastal areas are subject to intense storms wind and rain Winter temperatures average between 11 and 1 C 12 and 34 F and in summer between 6 and 15 C 43 and 59 F Frosts can occur any day of the year at higher elevations 6 7 The climate can be compared to that of parts of Scotland the Aleutian Islands Iceland and Tierra del Fuego Port Heiden AlaskaClimate chart explanation J F M A M J J A S O N D 22 2 9 13 2 9 23 0 7 19 3 3 21 8 2 28 12 5 41 14 8 50 15 9 52 12 6 56 6 0 36 2 4 26 1 8Average max and min temperatures in CPrecipitation totals in mmImperial conversionJFMAMJJASOND 0 9 29 16 0 5 28 16 0 9 33 20 0 7 38 26 0 8 47 35 1 1 53 41 1 6 57 46 2 58 48 2 54 43 2 2 43 32 1 4 36 25 1 30 19Average max and min temperatures in FPrecipitation totals in inchesChignik AlaskaClimate chart explanation J F M A M J J A S O N D 149 1 7 193 0 6 175 2 5 124 4 2 171 8 2 153 13 5 109 16 8 129 16 8 247 13 5 224 7 1 256 4 2 183 1 5Average max and min temperatures in CPrecipitation totals in mmImperial conversionJFMAMJJASOND 5 9 31 20 7 6 33 21 6 9 35 23 4 9 40 28 6 7 46 35 6 55 41 4 3 61 46 5 1 61 47 9 7 55 41 8 8 45 34 10 38 28 7 2 34 24Average max and min temperatures in FPrecipitation totals in inchesFlora and fauna Edit Willow Ptarmigan The Alaska Peninsula is home to some of the largest populations of native and undisturbed wildlife in the United States Besides the famous McNeil River and Katmai Alaskan brown bear populations large herds of caribou moose wolves waterfowl and willow ptarmigan inhabit the area The bears of the peninsula and Bristol Bay are so numerous because they feed on the world s largest sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka runs which occur here in large part because the many large lakes of the peninsula are an important element in their lifecycle These salmon after returning from their short time at sea swim into the lakes and their contributing streams to spawn Their offspring or fry overwinter in the deep and food abundant depths of these lakes until their migration to the sea in one or two years Northern fur seals Exceptionally large seabird colonies exist along the coast 7 Additionally there are large populations of sea mammals in the North Pacific Ocean between the Alaska Peninsula and Kamchatka This includes harbor seals ringed seals northern fur seals whales porpoises sea otters and sea lions 8 The rugged southern half of the peninsula and also the Kodiak Archipelago which lie off the south coast of the peninsula and are home to even more bears constitute the Alaska Peninsula montane taiga ecoregion and contain a number of protected areas such as Katmai National Park Vegetation on the Peninsula consists mostly of shrub lands grassy meadows or wet tundra Demographics EditSee also Lake and Peninsula Borough Besides the communities on the coast see Bristol Bay the Alaska Peninsula also is home to several well known villages Cold Bay King Cove Perryville Chignik Chignik Lake Chignik Lagoon and Port Moller Each is primarily inhabited by Alaska Natives and each likewise is mostly dependent on the fishing industry for sustenance The village of Sand Point should be included here despite its location on Popof Island an island of the Shumagin Islands just off the southern coast of the Peninsula References Edit Alaska Peninsula Encyclopedia Britannica Alexander M Ervin 2016 Cultural Transformations and Globalization Theory Development and Social Change Routledge ISBN 9781317261773 Andrew Topf 13 November 2016 Stars aligning for Redstar Gold s Alaska flagship Mining com InfoMine The Alaska Range and Denali Geology and Orogeny U S National Park Service www nps gov Retrieved 2022 06 01 Alaska Peninsula Trek Summer 2001 www aktrekking com Retrieved 2020 10 13 Chapter 7 Ecological Subregions of the United States Fs fed us Retrieved 2013 06 18 a b Encyclopedia of Earth Eoearth org Retrieved 2013 06 18 Gillispie Thomas E June 15 2018 An Overview of Alaskan s sic Prehistoric Cultures PDF Report OFFICE OF HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY p 61 External links EditUgashik Area website Lake amp Peninsula Borough Lake and Peninsula School District Alaska Peninsula Trek Trawl survey of shrimp andforage fish in Alaska s Westward region 2006 by David R Jackson Hosted by Alaska State Publications Program Coordinates 56 30 N 158 45 W 56 5 N 158 75 W 56 5 158 75 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alaska Peninsula amp oldid 1109460727, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
