Increased nitrous oxide emissions from Arctic peatlands after permafrost thaw.

ABSTRACT: Permafrost in the Arctic is thawing, exposing large carbon and nitrogen stocks for decomposition. Gaseous carbon release from Arctic soils due to permafrost thawing is known to be substantial, but growing evidence suggests that Arctic soils may also be relevant sources of nitrous oxide (N₂O). Here we show that N₂O emissions from subarctic peatlands increase as the permafrost thaws. In our study, the highest postthaw emissions occurred from bare peat surfaces, a typical landform in permafrost peatlands, where permafrost thaw caused a fivefold increase in emissions (0.56 ± 0.11 vs. 2.81 ± 0.6 mg N₂O m^-2 d^-1). These emission rates match those from tropical forest soils, the world's largest natural terrestrial N₂O source. The pr

SUBMITTER: Voigt C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5474798 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature