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An Assessment of the Possibility of Restoration and Protection of Territories Disturbed by Thermokarst in Central Yakutia, Eastern Siberia

Author

Listed:
  • Aleksandr Zhirkov

    (Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk 677010, Russia)

  • Maksim Sivtsev

    (Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk 677010, Russia)

  • Vasylii Lytkin

    (Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk 677010, Russia
    The Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk 677000, Russia)

  • Anatolii Kirillin

    (Melnikov Permafrost Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk 677010, Russia)

  • Antoine Séjourné

    (University Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190 Paris, France)

  • Zhi Wen

    (State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China)

Abstract

Rapid permafrost degradation is observed in northern regions as a result of climate change and expanding economic development. Associated increases in active layer depth lead to thermokarst development, resulting in irregular surface topography. In Central Yakutia, significant areas of the land surface have been deteriorated by thermokarst; however, no mitigation or land rehabilitation efforts are undertaken. This paper presents the results of numerical modeling of the thermal response of permafrost to changes in the active layer hydrothermal regime using field data from the village of Amga, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), and mathematical analysis. The results suggest that restoring a thick ice-enriched layer will require increasing the pre-winter soil moisture contents in order to increase the effective heat capacity of the active layer. Snow removal or compaction during the winter is recommended to maximize permafrost cooling. The thickness of the restored transition layer varies from 0.3 to 1.3 m depending on soil moisture contents in the active layer. The modeling results demonstrate that damaged lands can be restored through a set of measures to lower the subsurface temperatures. A combination of the insulating layer (forest vegetation) and the high heat capacity layer (transition layer) in the atmosphere–ground system would be more effective in providing stable geocryological conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Aleksandr Zhirkov & Maksim Sivtsev & Vasylii Lytkin & Anatolii Kirillin & Antoine Séjourné & Zhi Wen, 2023. "An Assessment of the Possibility of Restoration and Protection of Territories Disturbed by Thermokarst in Central Yakutia, Eastern Siberia," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:1:p:197-:d:1028461
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Vasylii Lytkin & Alexander Suleymanov & Lilia Vinokurova & Stepan Grigorev & Victoriya Golomareva & Svyatoslav Fedorov & Aitalina Kuzmina & Igor Syromyatnikov, 2021. "Influence of Permafrost Landscapes Degradation on Livelihoods of Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Rural Communities," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, January.
    2. Aleksandr Zhirkov & Petr Permyakov & Zhi Wen & Anatolii Kirillin, 2021. "Influence of Rainfall Changes on the Temperature Regime of Permafrost in Central Yakutia," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Yuri Shur & Kenneth M. Hinkel & Frederick E. Nelson, 2005. "The transient layer: implications for geocryology and climate‐change science," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 16(1), pages 5-17, January.
    4. Yoshihiro Iijima & Alexander N. Fedorov & Hotaek Park & Kazuyoshi Suzuki & Hironori Yabuki & Trofim C. Maximov & Tetsuo Ohata, 2010. "Abrupt increases in soil temperatures following increased precipitation in a permafrost region, central Lena River basin, Russia," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(1), pages 30-41, January.
    5. H. Jonas Åkerman & Margareta Johansson, 2008. "Thawing permafrost and thicker active layers in sub‐arctic Sweden," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), pages 279-292, July.
    6. Alexander N. Fedorov & Go Iwahana & Pavel Y. Konstantinov & Takashi Machimura & Radomir N. Argunov & Peter V. Efremov & Larry M.C. Lopez & Fumiaki Takakai, 2017. "Variability of Permafrost and Landscape Conditions Following Clear Cutting of Larch Forest in Central Yakutia," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 331-338, January.
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