Permafrost and the active layer (the soil layer above the permafrost that freezes and thaws annually) are directly affected by climate. It is anticipated that rising temperatures in the Arctic will lead to permafrost warming/melt and thickening of the active layer. Probable impacts of permafrost degradation on the tundra ecosystem include ground instability and changes to local hydrological patterns and surface vegetation.
In 2014, a Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) Grid was installed in Ukkusiksalik National Park, less than 2 km from Wager Bay, as part of an international program to monitor the effects of climate change on the active layer and near-surface permafrost. Active layer thickness measurements are taken each summer, at 100 points within the 100 m x 100 m grid, using a metal probe.