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Fiencke C, Marushchak ME, Sanders T, Wegner R, Beer C. Microbiogeochemical Traits to Identify Nitrogen Hotspots in Permafrost Regions. Nitrogen 2022; 3:458-501. [DOI: 10.3390/nitrogen3030031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Permafrost-affected tundra soils are large carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) reservoirs. However, N is largely bound in soil organic matter (SOM), and ecosystems generally have low N availability. Therefore, microbial induced N-cycling processes and N losses were considered negligible. Recent studies show that microbial N processing rates, inorganic N availability, and lateral N losses from thawing permafrost increase when vegetation cover is disturbed, resulting in reduced N uptake or increased N input from thawing permafrost. In this review, we describe currently known N hotspots, particularly bare patches in permafrost peatland or permafrost soils affected by thermokarst, and their microbiogeochemical characteristics, and present evidence for previously unrecorded N hotspots in the tundra. We summarize the current understanding of microbial N cycling processes that promote the release of the potent greenhouse gas (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O) and the translocation of inorganic N from terrestrial into aquatic ecosystems. We suggest that certain soil characteristics and microbial traits can be used as indicators of N availability and N losses. Identifying N hotspots in permafrost soils is key to assessing the potential for N release from permafrost-affected soils under global warming, as well as the impact of increased N availability on emissions of carbon-containing GHGs.
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2
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Arendt CA, Heikoop JM, Newman BD, Wilson CJ, Wainwright H, Kumar J, Andersen CG, Wales NA, Dafflon B, Cherry J, Wullschleger SD. Increased Arctic NO3− Availability as a Hydrogeomorphic Consequence of Permafrost Degradation and Landscape Drying. Nitrogen 2022; 3:314-32. [DOI: 10.3390/nitrogen3020021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate-driven permafrost thaw alters the strongly coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles within the Arctic tundra, influencing the availability of limiting nutrients including nitrate (NO3−). Researchers have identified two primary mechanisms that increase nitrogen and NO3− availability within permafrost soils: (1) the ‘frozen feast’, where previously frozen organic material becomes available as it thaws, and (2) ‘shrubification’, where expansion of nitrogen-fixing shrubs promotes increased soil nitrogen. Through the synthesis of original and previously published observational data, and the application of multiple geospatial approaches, this study investigates and highlights a third mechanism that increases NO3− availability: the hydrogeomorphic evolution of polygonal permafrost landscapes. Permafrost thaw drives changes in microtopography, increasing the drainage of topographic highs, thus increasing oxic conditions that promote NO3− production and accumulation. We extrapolate relationships between NO3− and soil moisture in elevated topographic features within our study area and the broader Alaskan Coastal Plain and investigate potential changes in NO3− availability in response to possible hydrogeomorphic evolution scenarios of permafrost landscapes. These approximations indicate that such changes could increase Arctic tundra NO3− availability by ~250–1000%. Thus, hydrogeomorphic changes that accompany continued permafrost degradation in polygonal permafrost landscapes will substantially increase soil pore water NO3− availability and boost future fertilization and productivity in the Arctic.
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3
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Tuerena RE, Mahaffey C, Henley SF, de la Vega C, Norman L, Brand T, Sanders T, Debyser M, Dähnke K, Braun J, März C. Nutrient pathways and their susceptibility to past and future change in the Eurasian Arctic Ocean. Ambio 2022; 51:355-369. [PMID: 34914030 PMCID: PMC8692559 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01673-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is altering nutrient cycling within the Arctic Ocean, having knock-on effects to Arctic ecosystems. Primary production in the Arctic is principally nitrogen-limited, particularly in the western Pacific-dominated regions where denitrification exacerbates nitrogen loss. The nutrient status of the eastern Eurasian Arctic remains under debate. In the Barents Sea, primary production has increased by 88% since 1998. To support this rapid increase in productivity, either the standing stock of nutrients has been depleted, or the external nutrient supply has increased. Atlantic water inflow, enhanced mixing, benthic nitrogen cycling, and land-ocean interaction have the potential to alter the nutrient supply through addition, dilution or removal. Here we use new datasets from the Changing Arctic Ocean program alongside historical datasets to assess how nitrate and phosphate concentrations may be changing in response to these processes. We highlight how nutrient dynamics may continue to change, why this is important for regional and international policy-making and suggest relevant research priorities for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claire Mahaffey
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, 4 Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GP Merseyside UK
| | - Sian F. Henley
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE UK
| | - Camille de la Vega
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, 4 Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GP Merseyside UK
| | - Louisa Norman
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, 4 Brownlow Street, Liverpool, L69 3GP Merseyside UK
| | - Tim Brand
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, PA37 1QA UK
| | - Tina Sanders
- Institute for Carbon Cycles, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Margot Debyser
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE UK
| | - Kirstin Dähnke
- Institute for Carbon Cycles, Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Judith Braun
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, PA37 1QA UK
| | - Christian März
- School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT UK
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4
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Gabysheva OI, Gabyshev VA, Barinova S. Influence of the Active Layer Thickness of Permafrost in Eastern Siberia on the River Discharge of Nutrients into the Arctic Ocean. Water 2022; 14:84. [DOI: 10.3390/w14010084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Large rivers are important links between continents and oceans for material flows that have a global impact on marine biogeochemistry. Processes in the catchment areas of large rivers can affect the flow of solutes into the global ocean. The goal was to determine how the concentration of individual components of nutrients in the rivers of Eastern Siberia changes depending on the active layer thickness of the permafrost (ALT) and to elucidate whether the ALT is a factor that can control nutrient flux to the Arctic Ocean. The method of canonical correlation analysis was applied to the data on the concentration of nutrients in the 12 largest rivers of Eastern Siberia and the active layer thickness in their catchments. We found that the concentration of nutrients such as ammonium ion (NH4) and total phosphorus (Ptotal) in river waters is higher in catchments with a deeper active layer. The waters of the mountain rivers in the south of the region (the Chara and Vitim rivers) are the richest in nutrients. Arctic rivers such as the Indigirka and Anabar were low in nutrients. The permeability of soils also affects the discharge of nutrients into rivers with surface runoff. We conclude that in the future, in the context of global climatic changes and the projected deepening of the active layer throughout the permafrost zone of the Northern Hemisphere, an increase in the supply of nutrients to the Arctic Ocean is possible.
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5
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Rodríguez‐Cardona BM, Wymore AS, Argerich A, Barnes RT, Bernal S, Brookshire ENJ, Coble AA, Dodds WK, Fazekas HM, Helton AM, Johnes PJ, Johnson SL, Jones JB, Kaushal SS, Kortelainen P, López‐Lloreda C, Spencer RGM, McDowell WH. Shifting stoichiometry: Long-term trends in stream-dissolved organic matter reveal altered C:N ratios due to history of atmospheric acid deposition. Glob Chang Biol 2022; 28:98-114. [PMID: 34706120 PMCID: PMC9297910 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) are important energy and nutrient sources for aquatic ecosystems. In many northern temperate, freshwater systems DOC has increased in the past 50 years. Less is known about how changes in DOC may vary across latitudes, and whether changes in DON track those of DOC. Here, we present long-term DOC and DON data from 74 streams distributed across seven sites in biomes ranging from the tropics to northern boreal forests with varying histories of atmospheric acid deposition. For each stream, we examined the temporal trends of DOC and DON concentrations and DOC:DON molar ratios. While some sites displayed consistent positive or negative trends in stream DOC and DON concentrations, changes in direction or magnitude were inconsistent at regional or local scales. DON trends did not always track those of DOC, though DOC:DON ratios increased over time for ~30% of streams. Our results indicate that the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool is experiencing fundamental changes due to the recovery from atmospheric acid deposition. Changes in DOC:DON stoichiometry point to a shifting energy-nutrient balance in many aquatic ecosystems. Sustained changes in the character of DOM can have major implications for stream metabolism, biogeochemical processes, food webs, and drinking water quality (including disinfection by-products). Understanding regional and global variation in DOC and DON concentrations is important for developing realistic models and watershed management protocols to effectively target mitigation efforts aimed at bringing DOM flux and nutrient enrichment under control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca M. Rodríguez‐Cardona
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNew HampshireUSA
- Département des sciences biologiquesUniversité du Québec à MontréalMontréalQuébecCanada
| | - Adam S. Wymore
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNew HampshireUSA
| | - Alba Argerich
- School of Natural ResourcesUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Rebecca T. Barnes
- Environmental Studies ProgramColorado CollegeColorado SpringsColoradoUSA
| | - Susana Bernal
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC)BlanesSpain
| | - E. N. Jack Brookshire
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental SciencesMontana State UniversityBozemanMontanaUSA
| | - Ashley A. Coble
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc.CorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Walter K. Dodds
- Division of BiologyKansas State UniversityManhattanKansasUSA
| | - Hannah M. Fazekas
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNew HampshireUSA
| | - Ashley M. Helton
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, and the Center for Environmental Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsConnecticutUSA
| | - Penny J. Johnes
- School of Geographical SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Sherri L. Johnson
- USDA Forest ServicePacific Northwest Research StationCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Jeremy B. Jones
- Institute of Arctic Biology & Department of Biology and WildlifeUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaskaUSA
| | - Sujay S. Kaushal
- Department of GeologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMarylandUSA
| | | | - Carla López‐Lloreda
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNew HampshireUSA
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Robert G. M. Spencer
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric SciencesFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFloridaUSA
| | - William H. McDowell
- Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNew HampshireUSA
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6
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McLaren JR, Buckeridge KM. Enhanced plant leaf P and unchanged soil P stocks after a quarter century of warming in the arctic tundra. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jennie R. McLaren
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Texas 79968 USA
| | - Kate M. Buckeridge
- Department of Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) 41 Rue du Brill 4422 Belvaux Luxembourg
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7
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Kolesnichenko I, Kolesnichenko LG, Vorobyev SN, Shirokova LS, Semiletov IP, Dudarev OV, Vorobev RS, Shavrina U, Kirpotin SN, Pokrovsky OS. Landscape, Soil, Lithology, Climate and Permafrost Control on Dissolved Carbon, Major and Trace Elements in the Ob River, Western Siberia. Water 2021; 13:3189. [DOI: 10.3390/w13223189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In order to foresee possible changes in the elementary composition of Arctic river waters, complex studies with extensive spatial coverage, including gradients in climate and landscape parameters, are needed. Here, we used the unique position of the Ob River, draining through the vast partially frozen peatlands of the western Siberia Lowland and encompassing a sizable gradient of climate, permafrost, vegetation, soils and Quaternary deposits, to assess a snap-shot (8–23 July 2016) concentration of all major and trace elements in the main stem (~3000 km transect from the Tom River confluence in the south to Salekhard in the north) and its 11 tributaries. During the studied period, corresponding to the end of the spring flood-summer baseflow, there was a systematic decrease, from the south to the north, of Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), Specific Conductivity, Ca and some labile trace elements (Mo, W and U). In contrast, Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Fe, P, divalent metals (Mn, Ni, Cu, Co and Pb) and low mobile trace elements (Y, Nb, REEs, Ti, Zr, Hf and Th) sizably increased their concentration northward. The observed latitudinal pattern in element concentrations can be explained by progressive disconnection of groundwaters from the main river and its tributaries due to a northward increase in the permafrost coverage. A northward increase in bog versus forest coverage and an increase in DOC and Fe export enhanced the mobilization of insoluble, low mobile elements which were present in organo-ferric colloids (1 kDa—0.45 µm), as confirmed by an in-situ dialysis size fractionation procedure. The chemical composition of the sampled mainstream and tributaries demonstrated significant (p < 0.01) control of latitude of the sampling point; permafrost coverage; proportion of bogs, lakes and floodplain coverage and lacustrine and fluvio-glacial Quaternary deposits of the watershed. This impact was mostly pronounced on DOC, Fe, P, divalent metals (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Pb), Rb and low mobile lithogenic trace elements (Al, Ti, Cr, Y, Zr, Nb, REEs, Hf and Th). The pH and concentrations of soluble, highly mobile elements (DIC, SO4, Ca, Sr, Ba, Mo, Sb, W and U) positively correlated with the proportion of forest, loesses, eluvial, eolian, and fluvial Quaternary deposits on the watershed. Consistent with these correlations, a Principal Component Analysis demonstrated two main factors explaining the variability of major and trace element concentration in the Ob River main stem and tributaries. The DOC, Fe, divalent metals and trivalent and tetravalent trace elements were presumably controlled by a northward increase in permafrost, floodplain, bogs, lakes and lacustrine deposits on the watersheds. The DIC and labile alkaline-earth metals, oxyanions (Mo, Sb and W) and U were impacted by southward-dominating forest coverage, loesses and eluvial and fertile soils. Assuming that climate warming in the WSL will lead to a northward shift of the forest and permafrost boundaries, a “substituting space for time” approach predicts a future increase in the concentration of DIC and labile major and trace elements and a decrease of the transport of DOC and low soluble trace metals in the form of colloids in the main stem of the Ob River. Overall, seasonally-resolved transect studies of large riverine systems of western Siberia are needed to assess the hydrochemical response of this environmentally-important territory to on-going climate change.
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8
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Rawlins MA, Connolly CT, McClelland JW. Modeling Terrestrial Dissolved Organic Carbon Loading to Western Arctic Rivers. J Geophys Res Biogeosci 2021; 126:e2021JG006420. [PMID: 35864934 PMCID: PMC9286382 DOI: 10.1029/2021jg006420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The mobilization and land-to-ocean transfer of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in Arctic watersheds is intricately linked with the region's climate and water cycle, and furthermore at risk of changes from climate warming and associated impacts. This study quantifies model-simulated estimates of runoff, surface and active layer leachate DOC concentrations and loadings to western Arctic rivers, specifically for basins that drain into coastal waters between and including the Yukon and Mackenzie Rivers. Model validation leverages data from other field measurements, synthesis studies, and modeling efforts. The simulations effectively quantify DOC leaching in surface and subsurface runoff and broadly capture the seasonal cycle in DOC concentration and mass loadings reported from other studies that use river-based measurements. A marked east-west gradient in simulated spring and summer DOC concentrations of 24 drainage basins on the North Slope of Alaska is captured by the modeling, consistent with independent data derived from river sampling. Simulated loadings for the Mackenzie and Yukon show reasonable agreement with estimates of DOC export for annual totals and four of the six seasonal comparisons. Nearly equivalent loading occurs to rivers which drain north to the Beaufort Sea and west to the Bering and Chukchi Seas. The modeling framework provides a basis for understanding carbon export to coastal waters and for assessing impacts of hydrological cycle intensification and permafrost thaw with ongoing warming in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Craig T. Connolly
- Marine Science InstituteThe University of Texas at AustinPort AransasTXUSA
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9
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Abbott BW, Rocha AV, Shogren A, Zarnetske JP, Iannucci F, Bowden WB, Bratsman SP, Patch L, Watts R, Fulweber R, Frei RJ, Huebner AM, Ludwig SM, Carling GT, O'Donnell JA. Tundra wildfire triggers sustained lateral nutrient loss in Alaskan Arctic. Glob Chang Biol 2021; 27:1408-1430. [PMID: 33394532 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is creating widespread ecosystem disturbance across the permafrost zone, including a rapid increase in the extent and severity of tundra wildfire. The expansion of this previously rare disturbance has unknown consequences for lateral nutrient flux from terrestrial to aquatic environments. Lateral loss of nutrients could reduce carbon uptake and slow recovery of already nutrient-limited tundra ecosystems. To investigate the effects of tundra wildfire on lateral nutrient export, we analyzed water chemistry in and around the 10-year-old Anaktuvuk River fire scar in northern Alaska. We collected water samples from 21 burned and 21 unburned watersheds during snowmelt, at peak growing season, and after plant senescence in 2017 and 2018. After a decade of ecosystem recovery, aboveground biomass had recovered in burned watersheds, but overall carbon and nitrogen remained ~20% lower, and the active layer remained ~10% deeper. Despite lower organic matter stocks, dissolved organic nutrients were substantially elevated in burned watersheds, with higher flow-weighted concentrations of organic carbon (25% higher), organic nitrogen (59% higher), organic phosphorus (65% higher), and organic sulfur (47% higher). Geochemical proxies indicated greater interaction with mineral soils in watersheds with surface subsidence, but optical analysis and isotopes suggested that recent plant growth, not mineral soil, was the main source of organic nutrients in burned watersheds. Burned and unburned watersheds had similar δ15 N-NO3 - , indicating that exported nitrogen was of preburn origin (i.e., not recently fixed). Lateral nitrogen flux from burned watersheds was 2- to 10-fold higher than rates of background nitrogen fixation and atmospheric deposition estimated in this area. These findings indicate that wildfire in Arctic tundra can destabilize nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur previously stored in permafrost via plant uptake and leaching. This plant-mediated nutrient loss could exacerbate terrestrial nutrient limitation after disturbance or serve as an important nutrient release mechanism during succession.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin W Abbott
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Adrian V Rocha
- Department of Biological Sciences & the Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Arial Shogren
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jay P Zarnetske
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Frances Iannucci
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - William B Bowden
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Samuel P Bratsman
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Leika Patch
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Rachel Watts
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Randy Fulweber
- Toolik GIS, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Rebecca J Frei
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Amanda M Huebner
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Sarah M Ludwig
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Columbia University, NY, NY, USA
| | - Gregory T Carling
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
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10
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Manasypov RM, Pokrovsky OS, Shirokova LS, Auda Y, Zinner NS, Vorobyev SN, Kirpotin SN. Biogeochemistry of macrophytes, sediments and porewaters in thermokarst lakes of permafrost peatlands, western Siberia. Sci Total Environ 2021; 763:144201. [PMID: 33385841 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The chemical composition of thermokarst lake ecosystem components is a crucial indicator of current climate change and permafrost thaw. Despite high importance of macrophytes in shallow permafrost thaw lakes for control of major and trace nutrients in lake water, the trace element (TE) partitioning between macrophytes and lake water and sediments in the permafrost regions remains virtually unknown. Here we sampled dominant macrophytes in thermokarst lakes of discontinuous and continuous permafrost zones in the Western Siberia Lowland (WSL) and measured major and trace elements in plant biomass, lake water, lake sediments and sediment porewater. All six plant species (Hippuris vulgaris L., Glyceria maxima (Hartm.) Holmb., Comarum palustre L., Ranunculus spitzbergensis Hadac, Carex aquatilis Wahlenb s. str., Menyanthes trifoliata L.) sizably accumulated macronutrients (Na, Mg, Ca), micronutrients (B, Mo, Nu, Cu, Zn, Co) and toxicants (As, Cd). Accumulation of other trace elements, including rare earth elements (REE), in macrophytes relative to pore waters and sediments was highly variable among species. Using miltiparametric statistics, we described the behavior of ТЕ across two permafrost zones and identified several group of elements depending on their sources in the lake ecosystems and their affinity to sediments and macrophytes. Under future climate warming and shifting the permafrost border to the north, we anticipate an increasing uptake of heavy metals and lithogenic low mobile elements such as Ti, Al, Cr, As, Cu, Fe, Ni, Ga, Zr, and REEs by macrophytes in the discontinuous permafrost zone and Ba, Zn, Pb and Cd in the continuous permafrost zone. This may eventually diminish transport of metal micronutrients and geochemical tracers from soils to lakes and rivers and further to the Arctic Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinat M Manasypov
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, 36 av. Lenina, 634050 Tomsk, Russia.
| | - Oleg S Pokrovsky
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, 36 av. Lenina, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, Institute of Ecological Problem of the North, 23 Nab. Severnoi Dviny, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia; GET UMR 5563 CNRS University of Toulouse, 14 av. Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Liudmila S Shirokova
- Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, Institute of Ecological Problem of the North, 23 Nab. Severnoi Dviny, 163000 Arkhangelsk, Russia; GET UMR 5563 CNRS University of Toulouse, 14 av. Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Yves Auda
- GET UMR 5563 CNRS University of Toulouse, 14 av. Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Nadezhda S Zinner
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Tomsk State University, 36 av. Lenina, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; Department of Pharmacy, Siberian State Medical University, 2 Moskovsky trakt, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | - Sergey N Vorobyev
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, 36 av. Lenina, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | - Sergey N Kirpotin
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, 36 av. Lenina, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
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11
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Schwab MS, Hilton RG, Raymond PA, Haghipour N, Amos E, Tank SE, Holmes RM, Tipper ET, Eglinton TI. An Abrupt Aging of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Large Arctic Rivers. Geophys Res Lett 2020; 47:e2020GL088823. [PMID: 33380763 PMCID: PMC7757186 DOI: 10.1029/2020gl088823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Permafrost thaw in Arctic watersheds threatens to mobilize hitherto sequestered carbon. We examine the radiocarbon activity (F14C) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the northern Mackenzie River basin. From 2003-2017, DOC-F14C signatures (1.00 ± 0.04; n = 39) tracked atmospheric 14CO2, indicating export of "modern" carbon. This trend was interrupted in June 2018 by the widespread release of aged DOC (0.85 ± 0.16, n = 28) measured across three separate catchment areas. Increased nitrate concentrations in June 2018 lead us to attribute this pulse of 14C-depleted DOC to mobilization of previously frozen soil organic matter. We propose export through lateral perennial thaw zones that occurred at the base of the active layer weakened by preceding warm summer and winter seasons. Although we are not yet able to ascertain the broader significance of this "anomalous" mobilization event, it highlights the potential for rapid and large-scale release of aged carbon from permafrost.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter A. Raymond
- Yale School of Forestry and Environmental StudiesYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Negar Haghipour
- Department of Earth SciencesETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Laboratory of Ion Beam PhysicsETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Edwin Amos
- Aurora Research InstituteInuvikNorthwest TerritoriesCanada
| | - Suzanne E. Tank
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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12
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Manasypov RM, Lim AG, Kriсkov IV, Shirokova LS, Vorobyev SN, Kirpotin SN, Pokrovsky OS. Spatial and Seasonal Variations of C, Nutrient, and Metal Concentration in Thermokarst Lakes of Western Siberia Across a Permafrost Gradient. Water 2020; 12:1830. [DOI: 10.3390/w12061830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Thermokarst lakes and ponds formed due to thawing of frozen peat in high-latitude lowlands are very dynamic and environmentally important aquatic systems that play a key role in controlling C emission to atmosphere and organic carbon (OC), nutrient, and metal lateral export to rivers and streams. However, despite the importance of thermokarst lakes in assessing biogeochemical functioning of permafrost peatlands in response to climate warming and permafrost thaw, spatial (lake size, permafrost zone) and temporal (seasonal) variations in thermokarst lake hydrochemistry remain very poorly studied. Here, we used unprecedented spatial coverage (isolated, sporadic, discontinuous, and continuous permafrost zone of the western Siberia Lowland) of 67 lakes ranging in size from 102 to 105 m2 for sampling during three main hydrological periods of the year: spring flood, summer baseflow, and autumn time before ice-on. We demonstrate a systematic, all-season decrease in the concentration of dissolved OC (DOC) and an increase in SO4, N-NO3, and some metal (Mn, Co, Cu, Mo, Sr, U, Sb) concentration with an increase in lake surface area, depending on the type of the permafrost zone. These features are interpreted as a combination of (i) OC and organically bound metal leaching from peat at the lake shore, via abrasion and delivery of these compounds by suprapermafrost flow, and (ii) deep groundwater feeding of large lakes (especially visible in the continuous permafrost zone). Analyses of lake water chemical composition across the permafrost gradient allowed a first-order empirical prediction of lake hydrochemical changes in the case of climate warming and permafrost thaw, employing a substituting space for time scenario. The permafrost boundary shift northward may decrease the concentrations and pools of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), Li, B, Mg, K, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ni, Cu, As, Rb, Mo, Sr, Y, Zr, rare Earth elements (REEs), Th, and U by a factor of 2–5 in the continuous permafrost zone, but increase the concentrations of CH4, DOC, NH4, Cd, Sb, and Pb by a factor of 2–3. In contrast, the shift of the sporadic to isolated zone may produce a 2–5-fold decrease in CH4, DOC, NH4, Al, P, Ti, Cr, Ni, Ga, Zr, Nb, Cs, REEs, Hf, Th, and U. The exact magnitude of this response will, however, be strongly seasonally dependent, with the largest effects observable during baseflow seasons.
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Pokrovsky OS, Manasypov RM, Kopysov SG, Krickov IV, Shirokova LS, Loiko SV, Lim AG, Kolesnichenko LG, Vorobyev SN, Kirpotin SN. Impact of Permafrost Thaw and Climate Warming on Riverine Export Fluxes of Carbon, Nutrients and Metals in Western Siberia. Water 2020; 12:1817. [DOI: 10.3390/w12061817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of riverine fluxes of carbon, nutrients, and metals in surface waters of permafrost-affected regions is crucially important for constraining adequate models of ecosystem functioning under various climate change scenarios. In this regard, the largest permafrost peatland territory on the Earth, the Western Siberian Lowland (WSL) presents a unique opportunity of studying possible future changes in biogeochemical cycles because it lies within a south–north gradient of climate, vegetation, and permafrost that ranges from the permafrost-free boreal to the Arctic tundra with continuous permafrost at otherwise similar relief and bedrocks. By applying a “substituting space for time” scenario, the WSL south-north gradient may serve as a model for future changes due to permafrost boundary shift and climate warming. Here we measured export fluxes (yields) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), major cations, macro- and micro- nutrients, and trace elements in 32 rivers, draining the WSL across a latitudinal transect from the permafrost-free to the continuous permafrost zone. We aimed at quantifying the impact of climate warming (water temperature rise and permafrost boundary shift) on DOC, nutrient and metal in rivers using a “substituting space for time” approach. We demonstrate that, contrary to common expectations, the climate warming and permafrost thaw in the WSL will likely decrease the riverine export of organic C and many elements. Based on the latitudinal pattern of riverine export, in the case of a northward shift in the permafrost zones, the DOC, P, N, Si, Fe, divalent heavy metals, trivalent and tetravalent hydrolysates are likely to decrease the yields by a factor of 2–5. The DIC, Ca, SO4, Sr, Ba, Mo, and U are likely to increase their yields by a factor of 2–3. Moreover, B, Li, K, Rb, Cs, N-NO3, Mg, Zn, As, Sb, Rb, and Cs may be weakly affected by the permafrost boundary migration (change of yield by a factor of 1.5 to 2.0). We conclude that modeling of C and element cycle in the Arctic and subarctic should be region-specific and that neglecting huge areas of permafrost peatlands might produce sizeable bias in our predictions of climate change impact.
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14
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Mu C, Zhang F, Chen X, Ge S, Mu M, Jia L, Wu Q, Zhang T. Carbon and mercury export from the Arctic rivers and response to permafrost degradation. Water Res 2019; 161:54-60. [PMID: 31176884 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Arctic rivers export a large amount of organic carbon (OC) and mercury (Hg) to Arctic oceans. Because there are only a few direct calculations of OC and Hg exports from these large rivers, very little is known about their response to changes in the active layer in northern permafrost-dominated areas. In this study, multiyear data sets from the Arctic Great Rivers Observatory (ArcticGRO) are used to estimate the export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) from the six largest rivers (Yenisey, Lena, Ob, Mackenzie, Yukon and Kolyma) draining to the Arctic Ocean. From 2003 to 2017, annual DOC and POC export to the Arctic Ocean was approximately 21612 Gg and 2728 Gg, and the exports of Hg and MeHg to the Arctic Ocean were approximately 20090 kg and 110 kg (0.002% of the total Hg stored in the northern hemisphere active layer). There were great variations in seasonal OC and Hg concentrations and chemical characteristics, with higher fluxes in spring and lower fluxes in winter (baseline). DOC and Hg concentrations are significantly positively correlated to discharge, as discharge continues to increase in response to a deepening active layer thickness during recent past decades. This study shows that previous results likely underestimated DOC exports from rivers in the circum-Arctic regions, and both OC and Hg exports will increase under predicted climate warming scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuicui Mu
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of the Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resource, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China.
| | - Feng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Shemin Ge
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mei Mu
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Lin Jia
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qingbai Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resource, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Tingjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; University Cooperation of Polar Research, Beijing, 100875, China.
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15
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Shogren AJ, Zarnetske JP, Abbott BW, Iannucci F, Frei RJ, Griffin NA, Bowden WB. Revealing biogeochemical signatures of Arctic landscapes with river chemistry. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12894. [PMID: 31501454 PMCID: PMC6733942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49296-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Riverine fluxes of carbon and inorganic nutrients are increasing in virtually all large permafrost-affected rivers, indicating major shifts in Arctic landscapes. However, it is currently difficult to identify what is causing these changes in nutrient processing and flux because most long-term records of Arctic river chemistry are from small, headwater catchments draining <200 km2 or from large rivers draining >100,000 km2. The interactions of nutrient sources and sinks across these scales are what ultimately control solute flux to the Arctic Ocean. In this context, we performed spatially-distributed sampling of 120 subcatchments nested within three Arctic watersheds spanning alpine, tundra, and glacial-lake landscapes in Alaska. We found that the dominant spatial scales controlling organic carbon and major nutrient concentrations was 3-30 km2, indicating a continuum of diffuse and discrete sourcing and processing dynamics. These patterns were consistent seasonally, suggesting that relatively fine-scale landscape patches drive solute generation in this region of the Arctic. These network-scale empirical frameworks could guide and benchmark future Earth system models seeking to represent lateral and longitudinal solute transport in rapidly changing Arctic landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arial J Shogren
- Michigan State University, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA.
| | - Jay P Zarnetske
- Michigan State University, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
| | - Benjamin W Abbott
- Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Provo, Utah, 84602, USA
| | - Frances Iannucci
- University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
| | - Rebecca J Frei
- Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Provo, Utah, 84602, USA
- University of Alberta, Department of Renewable Resources, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Natasha A Griffin
- Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Provo, Utah, 84602, USA
| | - William B Bowden
- University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
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16
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Song C, Wang G, Mao T, Chen X, Huang K, Sun X, Hu Z. Importance of active layer freeze-thaw cycles on the riverine dissolved carbon export on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau permafrost region. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7146. [PMID: 31245186 PMCID: PMC6585901 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is experiencing severe permafrost degradation, which can affect the hydrological and biogeochemical processes. Yet how the permafrost change affects riverine carbon export remains uncertain. Here, we investigated the seasonal variations of dissolved inorganic and organic carbon (DIC and DOC) during flow seasons in a watershed located in the central QTP permafrost region. The results showed that riverine DIC concentrations (27.81 ± 9.75 mg L-1) were much higher than DOC concentrations (6.57 ± 2.24 mg L-1). DIC and DOC fluxes were 3.95 and 0.94 g C m-2 year-1, respectively. DIC concentrations increased from initial thaw (May) to freeze period (October), while DOC concentrations remained relatively steady. Daily dissolved carbon concentrations were more closely correlated with baseflow than that with total runoff. Spatially, average DIC and DOC concentrations were positively correlated with vegetation coverage but negatively correlated with bare land coverage. DIC concentrations increased with the thawed and frozen depths due to increased soil interflow, more thaw-released carbon, more groundwater contribution, and possibly more carbonate weathering by soil CO2 formed carbonic acid. The DIC and DOC fluxes increased with thawed depth and decreased with frozen layer thickness. The seasonality of riverine dissolved carbon export was highly dependent on active layer thawing and freezing processes, which highlights the importance of changing permafrost for riverine carbon export. Future warming in the QTP permafrost region may alter the quantity and mechanisms of riverine carbon export.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlin Song
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Genxu Wang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | | | | | - Kewei Huang
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyang Sun
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhaoyong Hu
- Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
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17
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Guo Y, Song C, Tan W, Wang X, Lu Y. Export of dissolved nitrogen in catchments underlain by permafrost in northeast China. Sci Total Environ 2019; 660:1210-1218. [PMID: 30743916 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 12/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Eurasian permafrost serves as an important nitrogen source for linked aquatic and oceanic ecosystems. To fill in the data gaps in the southern margin of the Eurasian permafrost, nitrogen dynamics in the two rivers that drain the permafrost in the Great Xing'an Mountains of northeast China were investigated during the 2012-2015 growing seasons. The mean concentration of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in the two catchments was 0.63 mg L-1, which is generally higher than other permafrost catchments around the Arctic Ocean. The dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) constituted the majority of TDN, and the mean DON:TDN ratio was as high as 0.84. The seasonal flood patterns broadly influenced the concentrations and annual loads of DON, as well as the dissolved organic carbon (DOC):DON ratios in the two rivers. River discharge was positively related to DON concentration during growing seasons, while the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), namely ammonium and nitrate, demonstrated no relationship with discharge. The estimated annual TDN yield, 190 kg km-2 yr-1 on average, was much higher than in the large Arctic rivers that drain permafrost. This yield accounts for 42.7% of the total atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the study area, which indicates a great potential for dissolved nitrogen export from the permafrost area in the Great Xing'an Mountains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuedong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China.
| | - Changchun Song
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China.
| | - Wenwen Tan
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Xianwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
| | - Yongzheng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
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18
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Raudina TV, Loiko SV, Lim A, Manasypov RM, Shirokova LS, Istigechev GI, Kuzmina DM, Kulizhsky SP, Vorobyev SN, Pokrovsky OS. Permafrost thaw and climate warming may decrease the CO 2, carbon, and metal concentration in peat soil waters of the Western Siberia Lowland. Sci Total Environ 2018; 634:1004-1023. [PMID: 29660859 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Soil pore waters are a vital component of the ecosystem as they are efficient tracers of mineral weathering, plant litter leaching, and nutrient uptake by vegetation. In the permafrost environment, maximal hydraulic connectivity and element transport from soils to rivers and lakes occurs via supra-permafrost flow (i.e. water, gases, suspended matter, and solutes migration over the permafrost table). To assess possible consequences of permafrost thaw and climate warming on carbon and Green House gases (GHG) dynamics we used a "substituting space for time" approach in the largest frozen peatland of the world. We sampled stagnant supra-permafrost (active layer) waters in peat columns of western Siberia Lowland (WSL) across substantial gradients of climate (-4.0 to -9.1°C mean annual temperature, 360 to 600mm annual precipitation), active layer thickness (ALT) (>300 to 40cm), and permafrost coverage (sporadic, discontinuous and continuous). We analyzed CO2, CH4, dissolved carbon, and major and trace elements (TE) in 93 soil pit samples corresponding to several typical micro landscapes constituting the WSL territory (peat mounds, hollows, and permafrost subsidences and depressions). We expected a decrease in intensity of DOC and TE mobilization from soil and vegetation litter to the supra-permafrost water with increasing permafrost coverage, decreasing annual temperature and ALT along a latitudinal transect from 62.3°N to 67.4°N. However, a number of solutes (DOC, CO2, alkaline earth metals, Si, trivalent and tetravalent hydrolysates, and micronutrients (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, V, Mo) exhibited a northward increasing trend with highest concentrations within the continuous permafrost zone. Within the "substituting space for time" climate change scenario and northward shift of the permafrost boundary, our results suggest that CO2, DOC, and many major and trace elements will decrease their concentration in soil supra-permafrost waters at the boundary between thaw and frozen layers. As a result, export of DOC and elements from peat soil to lakes and rivers of the WSL (and further to the Arctic Ocean) may decrease.
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Affiliation(s)
- T V Raudina
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia
| | - S V Loiko
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia
| | - A Lim
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia
| | - R M Manasypov
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia; N Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Russian Academy of Science, Arkhangelsk, Russia
| | - L S Shirokova
- N Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Russian Academy of Science, Arkhangelsk, Russia; Geoscience and Environment Toulouse (GET), UMR 5563 CNRS University of Toulouse, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - G I Istigechev
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia
| | - D M Kuzmina
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia
| | - S P Kulizhsky
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia
| | - S N Vorobyev
- BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Lenina av, 36 Tomsk, Russia
| | - O S Pokrovsky
- Geoscience and Environment Toulouse (GET), UMR 5563 CNRS University of Toulouse, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France,.
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19
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Ci Z, Peng F, Xue X, Zhang X. Temperature sensitivity of gaseous elemental mercury in the active layer of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau permafrost. Environ Pollut 2018; 238:508-515. [PMID: 29605610 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Soils represent the single largest mercury (Hg) reservoir in the global environment, indicating that a tiny change of Hg behavior in soil ecosystem could greatly affect the global Hg cycle. Climate warming is strongly altering the structure and functions of permafrost and then would influence the Hg cycle in permafrost soils. However, Hg biogeochemistry in climate-sensitive permafrost is poorly investigated. Here we report a data set of soil Hg (0) concentrations in four different depths of the active layer in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau permafrost. We find that soil Hg (0) concentrations exhibited a strongly positive and exponential relationship with temperature and showed different temperature sensitivity under the frozen and unfrozen condition. We conservatively estimate that temperature increases following latest temperature scenarios of the IPCC could result in up to a 54.9% increase in Hg (0) concentrations in surface permafrost soils by 2100. Combining the simultaneous measurement of air-soil Hg (0) exchange, we find that enhanced Hg (0) concentrations in upper soils could favor Hg (0) emissions from surface soil. Our findings indicate that Hg (0) emission could be stimulated by permafrost thawing in a warmer world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Ci
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
| | - Fei Peng
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xian Xue
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xiaoshan Zhang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
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20
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Tetzlaff D, Piovano T, Ala‐Aho P, Smith A, Carey SK, Marsh P, Wookey PA, Street LE, Soulsby C. Using stable isotopes to estimate travel times in a data-sparse Arctic catchment: Challenges and possible solutions. Hydrol Process 2018; 32:1936-1952. [PMID: 30034089 PMCID: PMC6049890 DOI: 10.1002/hyp.13146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Use of isotopes to quantify the temporal dynamics of the transformation of precipitation into run-off has revealed fundamental new insights into catchment flow paths and mixing processes that influence biogeochemical transport. However, catchments underlain by permafrost have received little attention in isotope-based studies, despite their global importance in terms of rapid environmental change. These high-latitude regions offer limited access for data collection during critical periods (e.g., early phases of snowmelt). Additionally, spatio-temporal variable freeze-thaw cycles, together with the development of an active layer, have a time variant influence on catchment hydrology. All of these characteristics make the application of traditional transit time estimation approaches challenging. We describe an isotope-based study undertaken to provide a preliminary assessment of travel times at Siksik Creek in the western Canadian Arctic. We adopted a model-data fusion approach to estimate the volumes and isotopic characteristics of snowpack and meltwater. Using samples collected in the spring/summer, we characterize the isotopic composition of summer rainfall, melt from snow, soil water, and stream water. In addition, soil moisture dynamics and the temporal evolution of the active layer profile were monitored. First approximations of transit times were estimated for soil and streamwater compositions using lumped convolution integral models and temporally variable inputs including snowmelt, ice thaw, and summer rainfall. Comparing transit time estimates using a variety of inputs revealed that transit time was best estimated using all available inflows (i.e., snowmelt, soil ice thaw, and rainfall). Early spring transit times were short, dominated by snowmelt and soil ice thaw and limited catchment storage when soils are predominantly frozen. However, significant and increasing mixing with water in the active layer during the summer resulted in more damped steam water variation and longer mean travel times (~1.5 years). The study has also highlighted key data needs to better constrain travel time estimates in permafrost catchments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doerthe Tetzlaff
- Northern Rivers Institute, School of GeosciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenAB24 3UEUnited Kingdom
- IGB Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBerlinGermany
- Department of GeographyHumboldt University BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Thea Piovano
- Northern Rivers Institute, School of GeosciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenAB24 3UEUnited Kingdom
| | - Pertti Ala‐Aho
- Northern Rivers Institute, School of GeosciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenAB24 3UEUnited Kingdom
| | - Aaron Smith
- Northern Rivers Institute, School of GeosciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenAB24 3UEUnited Kingdom
| | - Sean K. Carey
- School of Geography and Earth SciencesMcMaster UniversityHamiltonOntarioCanada
| | - Philip Marsh
- Dept. of Geography and Cold Regions Research CentreWilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterlooCanada
| | - Philip A. Wookey
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Biological & Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingFK9 4LAUnited Kingdom
| | - Lorna E. Street
- School of GeoSciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Chris Soulsby
- Northern Rivers Institute, School of GeosciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenAB24 3UEUnited Kingdom
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Vorobyev S, Pokrovsky O, Serikova S, Manasypov R, Krickov I, Shirokova L, Lim A, Kolesnichenko L, Kirpotin S, Karlsson J. Permafrost Boundary Shift in Western Siberia May Not Modify Dissolved Nutrient Concentrations in Rivers. Water 2017; 9:985. [DOI: 10.3390/w9120985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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22
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Tanski G, Lantuit H, Ruttor S, Knoblauch C, Radosavljevic B, Strauss J, Wolter J, Irrgang AM, Ramage J, Fritz M. Transformation of terrestrial organic matter along thermokarst-affected permafrost coasts in the Arctic. Sci Total Environ 2017; 581-582:434-447. [PMID: 28088543 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The changing climate in the Arctic has a profound impact on permafrost coasts, which are subject to intensified thermokarst formation and erosion. Consequently, terrestrial organic matter (OM) is mobilized and transported into the nearshore zone. Yet, little is known about the fate of mobilized OM before and after entering the ocean. In this study we investigated a retrogressive thaw slump (RTS) on Qikiqtaruk - Herschel Island (Yukon coast, Canada). The RTS was classified into an undisturbed, a disturbed (thermokarst-affected) and a nearshore zone and sampled systematically along transects. Samples were analyzed for total and dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (TOC, DOC, TN, DN), stable carbon isotopes (δ13C-TOC, δ13C-DOC), and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), which were compared between the zones. C/N-ratios, δ13C signatures, and ammonium (NH4-N) concentrations were used as indicators for OM degradation along with biomarkers (n-alkanes, n-fatty acids, n-alcohols). Our results show that OM significantly decreases after disturbance with a TOC and DOC loss of 77 and 55% and a TN and DN loss of 53 and 48%, respectively. C/N-ratios decrease significantly, whereas NH4-N concentrations slightly increase in freshly thawed material. In the nearshore zone, OM contents are comparable to the disturbed zone. We suggest that the strong decrease in OM is caused by initial dilution with melted massive ice and immediate offshore transport via the thaw stream. In the mudpool and thaw stream, OM is subject to degradation, whereas in the slump floor the nitrogen decrease is caused by recolonizing vegetation. Within the nearshore zone of the ocean, heavier portions of OM are directly buried in marine sediments close to shore. We conclude that RTS have profound impacts on coastal environments in the Arctic. They mobilize nutrients from permafrost, substantially decrease OM contents and provide fresh water and nutrients at a point source.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Tanski
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany; Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Hugues Lantuit
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany; Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Saskia Ruttor
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany; Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.
| | | | - Boris Radosavljevic
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany; Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Jens Strauss
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Juliane Wolter
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany; Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Anna M Irrgang
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany; Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Justine Ramage
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany; Potsdam University, Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Michael Fritz
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Periglacial Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany.
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Lewis TL, Lindberg MS, Schmutz JA, Heglund PJ, Rover J, Koch JC, Bertram MR. Pronounced chemical response of Subarctic lakes to climate-driven losses in surface area. Glob Chang Biol 2015; 21:1140-1152. [PMID: 25294238 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Losses in lake area have been observed for several Arctic and Subarctic regions in recent decades, with unknown consequences for lake ecosystems. These reductions are primarily attributed to two climate-sensitive mechanisms, both of which may also cause changes in water chemistry: (i) increased imbalance of evaporation relative to inflow, whereby increased evaporation and decreased inflow act to concentrate solutes into smaller volumes; and (ii) accelerated permafrost degradation, which enhances sublacustrine drainage while simultaneously leaching previously frozen solutes into lakes. We documented changes in nutrients [total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP)] and ions (calcium, chloride, magnesium, sodium) over a 25 year interval in shrinking, stable, and expanding Subarctic lakes of the Yukon Flats, Alaska. Concentrations of all six solutes increased in shrinking lakes from 1985-1989 to 2010-2012, while simultaneously undergoing little change in stable or expanding lakes. This created a present-day pattern, much weaker or absent in the 1980s, in which shrinking lakes had higher solute concentrations than their stable or expanding counterparts. An imbalanced evaporation-to-inflow ratio (E/I) was the most likely mechanism behind such changes; all four ions, which behave semiconservatively and are prone to evapoconcentration, increased in shrinking lakes and, along with TN and TP, were positively related to isotopically derived E/I estimates. Moreover, the most conservative ion, chloride, increased >500% in shrinking lakes. Conversely, only TP concentration was related to probability of permafrost presence, being highest at intermediate probabilities. Overall, the substantial increases of nutrients (TN >200%, TP >100%) and ions (>100%) may shift shrinking lakes towards overly eutrophic or saline states, with potentially severe consequences for ecosystems of northern lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler L Lewis
- Department of Biology and Wildlife and Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99775, USA
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Granger J, Prokopenko MG, Sigman DM, Mordy CW, Morse ZM, Morales LV, Sambrotto RN, Plessen B. Coupled nitrification-denitrification in sediment of the eastern Bering Sea shelf leads to15N enrichment of fixed N in shelf waters. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010jc006751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Griffin CG, Frey KE, Rogan J, Holmes RM. Spatial and interannual variability of dissolved organic matter in the Kolyma River, East Siberia, observed using satellite imagery. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010jg001634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Abstract
For several years, measures to insure healthy river functions and to protect biodiversity have focused on management at the scale of drainage basins. Indeed, rivers bear witness to the health of their drainage basins, which justifies integrated basin management. However, this vision should not mask two other aspects of the protection of aquatic and riparian biodiversity as well as services provided by rivers. First, although largely depending on the ecological properties of the surrounding terrestrial environment, rivers are ecological systems by themselves, characterized by their linearity: they are organized in connected networks, complex and ever changing, open to the sea. Second, the structure and functions of river networks respond to manipulations of their hydrology, and are particularly vulnerable to climatic variations. Whatever the scale considered, river networks represent "hotlines" for sharing water between ecological and societal systems, as well as for preserving both systems in the face of global change. River hotlines are characterized by spatial as well as temporal legacies: every human impact to a river network may be transmitted far downstream from its point of origin, and may produce effects only after a more or less prolonged latency period. Here, I review some of the current issues of river ecology in light of the linear character of river networks.
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Hood E, Berner L. Effects of changing glacial coverage on the physical and biogeochemical properties of coastal streams in southeastern Alaska. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2009jg000971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Tremblay JÉ, Gagnon J. The effects of irradiance and nutrient supply on the productivity of Arctic waters: a perspective on climate change. Influence of Climate Change on the Changing Arctic and Sub-Arctic Conditions 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-9460-6_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Smith LC, Pavelsky TM, MacDonald GM, Shiklomanov AI, Lammers RB. Rising minimum daily flows in northern Eurasian rivers: A growing influence of groundwater in the high-latitude hydrologic cycle. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006jg000327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laurence C. Smith
- Department of Geography; University of California; Los Angeles California USA
| | - Tamlin M. Pavelsky
- Department of Geography; University of California; Los Angeles California USA
| | - Glen M. MacDonald
- Department of Geography; University of California; Los Angeles California USA
| | - Alexander I. Shiklomanov
- Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space; University of New Hampshire; Durham New Hampshire USA
| | - Richard B. Lammers
- Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space; University of New Hampshire; Durham New Hampshire USA
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McClelland JW, Stieglitz M, Pan F, Holmes RM, Peterson BJ. Recent changes in nitrate and dissolved organic carbon export from the upper Kuparuk River, North Slope, Alaska. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006jg000371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. W. McClelland
- Marine Science Institute; University of Texas at Austin; Port Aransas Texas USA
| | - M. Stieglitz
- School of Atmospheric Sciences; Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta Georgia USA
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta Georgia USA
| | - Feifei Pan
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Georgia Institute of Technology; Atlanta Georgia USA
| | - R. M. Holmes
- Woods Hole Research Center; Woods Hole Massachusetts USA
| | - B. J. Peterson
- Ecosystems Center; Marine Biological Laboratory; Woods Hole Massachusetts USA
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