Contact Information
Institute of Marine Science334 Irving II
P.O. Box 757220
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220
Phone: (907) 474-7724
Fax: (907) 474-7204
finney@ims.uaf.edu
Bruce Finney Professor
Specialties
- paleoceanography
- paleolimnology
- paleoclimatology
- geochemistry
- sedimentation processes
Research Overview
My research focuses on determining paleoenvironmental changes by studying the sedimentary record of marine and freshwater systems. These investigations employ a variety of geochemical, fossil and sedimentological tools. Modern systems are studied to learn about interactions between physical, geological, biological and chemical processes, and to determine linkages between climate and sediment composition. A major goal of my research is to better understand the causes and mechanisms of climate change.
My current research focus is on the paleoclimatic history of Alaska from the last ice age to the present. Research sites span much of the state, with emphasis on the Interior and Gulf of Alaska regions. Current projects address paleohydrologic reconstruction, the response of the aquatic carbon cycle to climate change, and relationships between climate change and salmon abundance.
Current Research Projects
- Long-term variability in Alaskan sockeye salmon abundance part 2: Effects of past warm climates on salmon abundance (Alaska Sea Grant)
- Biocomplexity in the Pacific Northwest: Salmon, climate, and hydrologic variability (NSF, biocomplexity)
M. Abbott, U. Pitt, co-PI - GLOBEC Northeast Pacific retrospective study: Long-term variability in salmon abundance in the Gulf of Alaska and California Current systems (NSF-GLOBEC)
- Impacts of climate change on the Bering Sea ecosystem over the past 500 years (NOAA)
- Paleohydrology across central Alaska: A multiproxy approach to lake-level records (NSF, Arctic system science)
M. Edwards, UAF and M. Abbott, UMass, co-PIs - Interaction of multiple disturbances with climate in Alaskan boreal forests (NSF, long-term ecological research)
- Documenting holocene paleohydrology using multiproxy lake core studies in the Yukon Territory, Canada (NSF, climate dynamics)
M. Edwards, UAF, and M. Abbott, U. Pitt, co-PIs
Finney in the news
- Salmon
research on Arctic Science Journeys Radio
Scientists have for years debated the causes of Alaska's boom and bust cycle of salmon returns. A new study appearing this week in the journal Science points the finger at both climate change and overfishing. Doug Schneider reports for Arctic Science Journeys Radio.
- Climate
change and fishing alter salmon abundance
An October 2000 news release from Alaska Sea Grant.
- Ancient
salmon runs
Fishery managers, whose job it is to let enough salmon make it past fishermen to spawn, have a tough job. They need to know how many salmon a particular lake or river can support. Historical information about past runs helps, but now scientists are offering a hand. They're reading the telltale signs left by ancient salmon runs. From Arctic Science Journeys Radio, 1998.
- Antifreeze
in fish
Antifreeze in fish helps scientists learn when the polar seas first got cold. From Arctic Science Journeys Radio, 1997.
Selected Publications
Fisheries productivity in the northeastern Pacific Ocean over the past 2000 years. Finney, B.P., Gregory-Eaves, I., Douglas, M.S.V. and Smol, J.P. Nature 416: 729-733 (2002).
Holocene history of the great Kobuk sand dunes, northwestern Alaska. Mann, D.H., Heiser, P.A. and Finney, B.P. Quaternary Science Reviews 21: 709-731 (2002).
Stable isotope analysis of Pacific salmon: Insights into trophic status and oceanographic conditions over the last 30 years. Satterfield, F.R. IV and Finney, B.P. Progress in Oceanography 53: 231-246 (2002).
Modern climate analogues of paleoclimatic variations in eastern interior Alaska during the past 14,000 years: Atmospheric-circulation controls of regional temperature and moisture responses. Edwards, M.E., Mock, C., Finney, B., Barber, V. and Bartlein, P. Quaternary Science Reviews 20: 189-202 (2001).
Holocene paleoclimate from oxygen isotope ratios in lake sediments, central Brooks Range, Alaska. Anderson, L., Abbott, M.B. and Finney, B.P. Quaternary Research 55: 313-321 (2001).
Impacts of Climatic Change and Fishing on Pacific Salmon Abundance Over the Past 300 Years. Finney, B.P., Gregory-Eaves, I., Sweetman, J., Douglas, M.S.V. and Smol, J. Science 290: 795-799 (2000).
Lake-level reconstructions and paleohydrology of Birch Lake, central Alaska, based on seismic reflection profiles and core transects. Abbott, M.B., Finney, B.P., Edwards, M.E., and Kelts, K.R. Quaternary Research 53: 154-166 (2000).
Late Quaternary paleoclimatic reconstructions for interior Alaska based on paleolake-level data and hydrologic models. Barber, V.A. and Finney, B.P. Journal of Paleolimnology 24: 29-41 (2000).
Reduced growth in Alaskan white spruce from 20th century temperature-induced drought stress. Barber, V.A., Juday, G.P. and Finney, B.P. Nature 405: 668-673 (2000).
Characteristics and variation in lakes along a north-south gradient in Alaska. Gregory-Eaves, I., Smol, J.P., Finney, B.P., Lean, D.R.S. and Edwards, M.E. Archiv fur Hydrobiologie 147: 193-223 (2000).
Holocene lake sediment records of Arctic hydrology. MacDonald, G.M., Felzer, B., Finney, B.P., and Forman, S.L. Journal of Paleolimnology 24: 1-14 (2000).
Records of aquatic pollen and sediment properties as indicators of late-Quaternary Alaskan lake levels. Edwards, M., Bigelow, N., Finney. B. and Eisner, W.R. Journal of Paleolimnology 24: 55-68 (2000).
Organic carbon isotope ratios (d13C) of Arctic Amerasian continental shelf sediments. Naidu, A.S., Cooper, L.W., Finney, B.P., Macdonald, R.W., Alexander, C., and Semitelov, I.P. Intern. Journ. Earth Sci. 89: 522-532 (2000).
Diatom-based transfer functions for inferring past climatic and environmental changes in Alaska, U.S.A. Gregory-Eaves, I., Smol, J.P., Finney, B.P., and Edwards, M.E. Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Research 31: 353-365 (1999).
Holocene geologic and climatic history around the Gulf of Alaska. Mann, D.H., Crowell, A.L., Hamilton, T.D. and Finney, B.P. Arctic Anthropology 35: 112-131 (1998).
Influence of carcass-derived nutrients on sockeye salmon productivity of Karluk Lake, Alaska: Importance in the assessment of an escapement goal. Schmidt, D. Carlson, S., Kyle, G. and Finney, B.North American Journal of Fisheries Management 18: 743-763 (1998).
Arctic Environmental Change of the Last Four Centuries. Overpeck, J., Hughen, K., Hardy, D., Bradley, R., Case, R., Douglas, M., Finney, B., Gajewski, K., Jacoby, G., Jennings, A., Lamoureux, S., MacDonald, G., Moore, J., Retelle, M., Smith, S., Wolfe, A. and Zielinski, G. Science 278: 1251-1256 (1997).
Late Quaternary sequence stratigraphy of Lake Malawi (Nyasa), Africa. Scholz, C.A. and Finney, B.P. Sedimentology 41: 163-179 (1994).
New AMS dates, stratigraphic correlations and decadal climatic cycles for the past 4 ka at Lake Turkana, Kenya. Halfman, J.D. Johnson, T.C. and Finney, B.P. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 111: 83-98 (1994).
Sedimentation in Lake Malawi (East Africa) during the past 10,000 years: A continuous paleoclimatic record from the southern tropics. Finney, B.P. and Johnson, T.C. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 85: 351-366 (1991).
History of metal pollution in the Southern California Bight: an update. Finney, B.P. and Huh, C.A. Environmental Science and Technology, 23: 294-303 (1989).
The record of late Pleistocene biogenic sedimentation in the eastern tropical Pacific ocean. Lyle, M., Murray, D.W., Finney, B.P., Dymond, J., Robbins, J.M. and Brooksforce, K. Paleoceanography, 3: 39-59 (1988).
Sedimentation at MANOP Site H (eastern equatorial Pacific) over the past 400 kyr—Climatically induced redox variations and their effects on transition metal cycling. Finney, B.P., Lyle, M.W. and Heath, G.R. Paleoceanography, 3: 169-189 (1988).