Publication Findings [12873]

Publication Finding
The effect of thermokarst formation [permafrost collapse due to ground ice melt] on carbon and nitrogen cycling differed fundamentally by feature morphology [on the North Slope of AK]. (Fig. 10). The large proportion of ecosystem carbon exported off-site or incorporated into deeper soil by thaw slumps and active-layer detachment slides resulted in decreased Reco [ecosystem respiration] postfailure. Conversely, thermo-erosion gullies displaced a smaller portion of ecosystem carbon but nearly doubled postfailure Reco and increased soil N2O concentration through much of the growing season. Similar declines in Reco following slump and slide formation have been documented in boreal forest and high Arctic ecosystems, suggesting these morphologies of thermokarst may decrease growing-season CO2 flux (Beamish et al., 2014; Jensen et al., 2014). However, gullies, which strongly increase Reco and N2O, are the most abundant form of upland thermokarst, accounting for over half of total upland thermokarst area (Krieger, 2012).

Publication Finding

The effect of thermokarst formation [permafrost collapse due to ground ice melt] on carbon and nitrogen cycling differed fundamentally by feature morphology [on the North Slope of AK]. (Fig. 10). The large proportion of ecosystem carbon exported off-site or incorporated into deeper soil by thaw slumps and active-layer detachment slides resulted in decreased Reco [ecosystem respiration] postfailure. Conversely, thermo-erosion gullies displaced a smaller portion of ecosystem carbon but nearly doubled postfailure Reco and increased soil N2O concentration through much of the growing season. Similar declines in Reco following slump and slide formation have been documented in boreal forest and high Arctic ecosystems, suggesting these morphologies of thermokarst may decrease growing-season CO2 flux (Beamish et al., 2014; Jensen et al., 2014). However, gullies, which strongly increase Reco and N2O, are the most abundant form of upland thermokarst, accounting for over half of total upland thermokarst area (Krieger, 2012).

Back to Publication Findings

v3.2

Export or Print All Publications

Tip: Register and login to export or print content.

Publication	Google Scholar Search
Abbott, B. W. & Jones, J. B. (2015). Permafrost collapse alters soil carbon stocks, respiration, CH4, and N2O in upland tundra. Global Change Biology, 21, 4570 – 4587. doi: 10.1111/gcb.13069	Search for Publication

Publication

Google Scholar Search

Abbott, B. W. & Jones, J. B. (2015). Permafrost collapse alters soil carbon stocks, respiration, CH4, and N2O in upland tundra. Global Change Biology, 21, 4570 – 4587. doi: 10.1111/gcb.13069

Search for Publication