Microbial and chemical predictors of methane release from a stratified thermokarst permafrost hotspot.

ABSTRACT: Soils are dynamic interfaces that can act as both sources and sinks of methane (CH₄), yet the microbial processes underlying these fluxes remain poorly constrained in current Earth system models-particularly in thawing permafrost regions. Accurately quantifying subsurface microbial activity and its response to environmental variation is essential for improving predictions of CH₄ emissions under shifting temperature regimes. Here, we explore the potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as early chemical indicators of microbial processes driving CH₄ production within a thermokarst-associated CH₄ hotspot. Field surveys at Big Trail Lake, a young thermokarst feature in central Alaska, identified localized CH₄ emission zones. Anaerobic soil laboratory microcosms from 50, 200, and 400 cm d

SUBMITTER: Rozmiarek KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12549645 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature