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Circumpolar distribution and carbon storage of thermokarst landscapes

Author

Listed:
  • D. Olefeldt

    (University of Alberta
    University of Guelph)

  • S. Goswami

    (Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    National Remote Sensing Centre, Indian Space Research Organization)

  • G. Grosse

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • D. Hayes

    (School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono)

  • G. Hugelius

    (Stockholm University)

  • P. Kuhry

    (Stockholm University)

  • A. D. McGuire

    (U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • V. E. Romanovsky

    (Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks
    Tyumen State Oil and Gas University)

  • A.B.K. Sannel

    (Stockholm University)

  • E.A.G. Schuur

    (Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University)

  • M. R. Turetsky

    (University of Guelph)

Abstract

Thermokarst is the process whereby the thawing of ice-rich permafrost ground causes land subsidence, resulting in development of distinctive landforms. Accelerated thermokarst due to climate change will damage infrastructure, but also impact hydrology, ecology and biogeochemistry. Here, we present a circumpolar assessment of the distribution of thermokarst landscapes, defined as landscapes comprised of current thermokarst landforms and areas susceptible to future thermokarst development. At 3.6 × 106 km2, thermokarst landscapes are estimated to cover ∼20% of the northern permafrost region, with approximately equal contributions from three landscape types where characteristic wetland, lake and hillslope thermokarst landforms occur. We estimate that approximately half of the below-ground organic carbon within the study region is stored in thermokarst landscapes. Our results highlight the importance of explicitly considering thermokarst when assessing impacts of climate change, including future landscape greenhouse gas emissions, and provide a means for assessing such impacts at the circumpolar scale.

Suggested Citation

  • D. Olefeldt & S. Goswami & G. Grosse & D. Hayes & G. Hugelius & P. Kuhry & A. D. McGuire & V. E. Romanovsky & A.B.K. Sannel & E.A.G. Schuur & M. R. Turetsky, 2016. "Circumpolar distribution and carbon storage of thermokarst landscapes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13043
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13043
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    Cited by:

    1. Jie Hu & Luyao Kang & Ziliang Li & Xuehui Feng & Caifan Liang & Zan Wu & Wei Zhou & Xuning Liu & Yuanhe Yang & Leiyi Chen, 2023. "Photo-produced aromatic compounds stimulate microbial degradation of dissolved organic carbon in thermokarst lakes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Rúna Í. Magnússon & Alexandra Hamm & Sergey V. Karsanaev & Juul Limpens & David Kleijn & Andrew Frampton & Trofim C. Maximov & Monique M. P. D. Heijmans, 2022. "Extremely wet summer events enhance permafrost thaw for multiple years in Siberian tundra," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Jens Strauss & Christina Biasi & Tina Sanders & Benjamin W. Abbott & Thomas Schneider Deimling & Carolina Voigt & Matthias Winkel & Maija E. Marushchak & Dan Kou & Matthias Fuchs & Marcus A. Horn & Lo, 2022. "A globally relevant stock of soil nitrogen in the Yedoma permafrost domain," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Yating Chen & Xiao Cheng & Aobo Liu & Qingfeng Chen & Chengxin Wang, 2023. "Tracking lake drainage events and drained lake basin vegetation dynamics across the Arctic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    5. Guibiao Yang & Zhihu Zheng & Benjamin W. Abbott & David Olefeldt & Christian Knoblauch & Yutong Song & Luyao Kang & Shuqi Qin & Yunfeng Peng & Yuanhe Yang, 2023. "Characteristics of methane emissions from alpine thermokarst lakes on the Tibetan Plateau," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Hui Zhang & Minna Väliranta & Graeme T. Swindles & Marco A. Aquino-López & Donal Mullan & Ning Tan & Matthew Amesbury & Kirill V. Babeshko & Kunshan Bao & Anatoly Bobrov & Viktor Chernyshov & Marissa , 2022. "Recent climate change has driven divergent hydrological shifts in high-latitude peatlands," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.

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