Emissions from thaw ponds largely offset the carbon sink of northern permafrost wetlands.

ABSTRACT: Northern regions have received considerable attention not only because the effects of climate change are amplified at high latitudes but also because this region holds vast amounts of carbon (C) stored in permafrost. These carbon stocks are vulnerable to warming temperatures and increased permafrost thaw and the breakdown and release of soil C in the form of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄). The majority of research has focused on quantifying and upscaling the effects of thaw on CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from terrestrial systems. However, small ponds formed in permafrost wetlands following thawing have been recognized as hotspots for C emissions. Here, we examined the importance of small ponds for C fluxes in two permafrost wetland ecosystems i

SUBMITTER: Kuhn M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6015042 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature