Climate change and permafrost

Permafrost is ground that remains frozen year-round, and beneath the Arctic tundra it locks away enormous quantities of organic carbon accumulated over thousands of years. As rising temperatures cause this frozen soil to thaw, microbes break down the stored organic matter and release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere—gases that accelerate further warming in a self-reinforcing cycle known as the carbon feedback loop. Researchers are working to quantify how much carbon is at risk, how quickly it will be released, and how cascading changes—shrinking permafrost, shifting vegetation toward woody shrubs, and altered hydrology from waterlogged or drained soils—will modify the feedback's magnitude and timing. A central open question is whether Arctic ecosystems will become net carbon sources sooner than current climate models predict, with significant consequences for global temperature projections.

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Keywords

PermafrostArcticClimate ChangeCarbon FeedbackThawingMethane Emissions