. 24/7 Space News .
ICE WORLD
Ancient permafrost quickly transforms to carbon dioxide upon thaw
by Staff Writers
Boulder CO (SPX) Oct 28, 2015


This is a general view of a 35-meter-high riverbank exposure of the ice-rich syngenetic permafrost (yedoma) containing large ice wedges along the Itkillik River in northern Alaska. Image courtesy Mikhail Kanevskiy; University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Northern Engineering. For a larger version of this image please go here.

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and key academic partners including the University of Colorado Boulder have quantified how rapidly ancient permafrost decomposes upon thawing and how much carbon dioxide is produced in the process.

Huge stores of organic carbon in permafrost soils - frozen for hundreds to tens of thousands of years across high northern latitudes worldwide - are currently isolated from the modern day carbon cycle. However, if thawed by changing climate conditions, wildfire, or other disturbances, this massive carbon reservoir could decompose and be emitted as the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane, or be carried as dissolved organic carbon to streams and rivers.

"Many scientists worldwide are now investigating the complicated potential end results of thawing permafrost," said Rob Striegl, USGS scientist and study co-author. "There are critical questions to consider, such as: How much of the stored permafrost carbon might thaw in a future climate? Where will it go? And, what are the consequences for our climate and our aquatic ecosystems?"

At a newly excavated tunnel operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers near Fairbanks, Alaska, a research team from USGS, CU-Boulder and and Florida State University set out to determine how rapidly the dissolved organic carbon from ancient (about 35,000 years old) "yedoma" soils decomposes upon soil thaw and how much carbon dioxide is produced.

Yedoma is a distinct type of permafrost soil found across Alaska and Siberia that accounts for a significant portion of the permafrost soil carbon pool. These soils were deposited as wind-blown silts in the late Pleistocene age and froze soon after they were formed.

"It had previously been assumed that permafrost soil carbon this old was already degraded and not susceptible to rapid decomposition upon thaw," said Kim Wickland, the USGS scientist who led the team.

The researchers found that more than half of the dissolved organic carbon in yedoma permafrost was decomposed within one week after thawing. About 50 percent of that carbon was converted to carbon dioxide, while the rest likely became microbial biomass.

"What this study adds is that we show what makes permafrost so biodegradable," said Travis Drake, the lead author of the research. "Immediately upon thaw, microbes start using the carbon and then it is sent back into the atmosphere." Drake was both a USGS employee and a master's degree student at CU-Boulder during the investigation.

The researchers attribute this rapid decomposition to high concentrations of low molecular weight organic acids in the dissolved organic carbon, which are known to be easily degradable and are not usually present at high concentrations in other soils.

These rates are among the fastest permafrost decomposition rates that have been documented. It is the first study to link rapid microbial consumption of ancient permafrost soil-derived dissolved organic carbon to the production of carbon dioxide.

An important implication of the study for aquatic ecosystems is that dissolved organic carbon released by thawing yedoma permafrost will be quickly converted to carbon dioxide and emitted to the atmosphere from soils or small streams before it can be transported to major rivers or coastal regions.

Co-authors on the study include CU-Boulder Professor Diane McKnight and Florida State University faculty member Robert Spencer. McKnight is affiliated with the Center for Water, Earth Science and Technology (CWEST) in CU-Boulder's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. CWEST is a partnership of CU-Boulder and the USGS.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
University of Colorado at Boulder
Beyond the Ice Age






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
ICE WORLD
Formation of coastal sea ice in North Pacific drives ocean circulation
Santa Cruz CA (SPX) Oct 21, 2015
An unprecedented analysis of North Pacific ocean circulation over the past 1.2 million years has found that sea ice formation in coastal regions is a key driver of deep ocean circulation, influencing climate on regional and global scales. Coastal sea ice formation takes place on relatively small scales, however, and is not captured well in global climate models, according to scientists at the Un ... read more


ICE WORLD
Russia touts plan to land a man on the Moon by 2029

Watch worn by US astronaut on Moon sells for $1.6 mn

Europe-Russia Lunar mission will make them friends again

Mound near lunar south pole formed by unique volcanic process

ICE WORLD
Martian skywatchers provide insight on atmosphere, protect orbiting hardware

Landing site recommended for ExoMars 2018

You too can learn to farm on Mars

The Martian Astrobiologist

ICE WORLD
NASA Marks Completion of Test Version of Key SLS Propulsion System

Lockheed begins full-scale assembly and test of Orion

The Study of Science through Popular Movies

Reentry data will help improve prediction models

ICE WORLD
The Last Tiangong

China aims to go deeper into space

Latest Mars film bespeaks potential of China-U.S. space cooperation

Exhibition on "father of Chinese rocketry" opens in U.S.

ICE WORLD
Between the Ears: International Space Station Examines the Human Brain

High-Tech Methods Study Bacteria on the International Space Station

Astronaut Scott Kelly to break US spaceflight record

RSC Energia patented inflatable space module for ISS

ICE WORLD
Initial launcher assembly is completed for Arianespace's Vega mission with LISA Pathfinder

Ariane 5 is delivered for Arianespace's sixth heavy-lift mission of 2015

ORBCOMM Announces Launch Window For Second OG2 Mission

10th Anniversary of the Final Titan

ICE WORLD
The Exoplanet Era

Scientists Predict that Rocky Planets Formed from "Pebbles"

NASA's K2 Finds Dead Star Vaporizing a Mini 'Planet'

Cosmic 'Death Star' is destroying a planet

ICE WORLD
Researchers take cue from spider glue in efforts to create new materials

Researchers use common 3-D printer to rebuild heart

Super-slick material makes steel better, stronger, cleaner

NASA Takes Lasercom a Step Forward









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.