Long-term CO2 production following permafrost thaw (original) (raw)

Nature Climate Change, 2013

Abstract

ABSTRACT Thawing permafrost represents a poorly understood feedback mechanism of climate change in the Arctic, but with a potential impact owing to stored carbon being mobilized1–5. We have quantified the long-term loss of carbon (C) from thawing permafrost in Northeast Greenland from 1996 to 2008 by combining repeated sediment sampling to assess changes in C stock and >12 years of CO2 production in incubated permafrost samples. Field observations show that the activelayer thickness has increased by >1 cm yr􀀀1 but thawing has not resulted in a detectable decline in C stocks. Laboratory mineralization rates at 5 �C resulted in a C loss between 9 and 75%, depending on drainage, highlighting the potential of fast mobilization of permafrost C under aerobic conditions, but also that C at near-saturated conditions may remain largely immobilized over decades. This is confirmed by a three-pool C dynamics model that projects a potential C loss between 13 and 77% for 50 years of incubation at 5 �C.

Bo Elberling hasn't uploaded this paper.

Let Bo know you want this paper to be uploaded.

Ask for this paper to be uploaded.