Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback

E. A.G. Schuur; A. D. McGuire; C. Schädel; G. Grosse; J. W. Harden; D. J. Hayes; G. Hugelius; C. D. Koven; P. Kuhry; D. M. Lawrence; S. M. Natali; D. Olefeldt; V. E. Romanovsky; K. Schaefer; M. R. Turetsky; C. C. Treat; J. E. Vonk

doi:10.1038/nature14338

Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback

E. A.G. Schuur, A. D. McGuire, C. Schädel, G. Grosse, J. W. Harden, D. J. Hayes, G. Hugelius, C. D. Koven, P. Kuhry, D. M. Lawrence, S. M. Natali, D. Olefeldt, V. E. Romanovsky, K. Schaefer, M. R. Turetsky, C. C. Treat, J. E. Vonk

Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

2376 Scopus citations

Abstract

Large quantities of organic carbon are stored in frozen soils (permafrost) within Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. A warming climate can induce environmental changes that accelerate the microbial breakdown of organic carbon and the release of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane. This feedback can accelerate climate change, but the magnitude and timing of greenhouse gas emission from these regions and their impact on climate change remain uncertain. Here we find that current evidence suggests a gradual and prolonged release of greenhouse gas emissions in a warming climate and present a research strategy with which to target poorly understood aspects of permafrost carbon dynamics.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	171-179
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nature
Volume	520
Issue number	7546
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14338
State	Published - Apr 9 2015

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Schuur, E. A. G., McGuire, A. D., Schädel, C., Grosse, G., Harden, J. W., Hayes, D. J., Hugelius, G., Koven, C. D., Kuhry, P., Lawrence, D. M., Natali, S. M., Olefeldt, D., Romanovsky, V. E., Schaefer, K., Turetsky, M. R., Treat, C. C., & Vonk, J. E. (2015). Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback. Nature, 520(7546), 171-179. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14338

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title = "Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback",

abstract = "Large quantities of organic carbon are stored in frozen soils (permafrost) within Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. A warming climate can induce environmental changes that accelerate the microbial breakdown of organic carbon and the release of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane. This feedback can accelerate climate change, but the magnitude and timing of greenhouse gas emission from these regions and their impact on climate change remain uncertain. Here we find that current evidence suggests a gradual and prolonged release of greenhouse gas emissions in a warming climate and present a research strategy with which to target poorly understood aspects of permafrost carbon dynamics.",

author = "Schuur, {E. A.G.} and McGuire, {A. D.} and C. Sch{\"a}del and G. Grosse and Harden, {J. W.} and Hayes, {D. J.} and G. Hugelius and Koven, {C. D.} and P. Kuhry and Lawrence, {D. M.} and Natali, {S. M.} and D. Olefeldt and Romanovsky, {V. E.} and K. Schaefer and Turetsky, {M. R.} and Treat, {C. C.} and Vonk, {J. E.}",

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AU - Schuur, E. A.G.

AU - McGuire, A. D.

AU - Schädel, C.

AU - Grosse, G.

AU - Harden, J. W.

AU - Hayes, D. J.

AU - Hugelius, G.

AU - Koven, C. D.

AU - Kuhry, P.

AU - Lawrence, D. M.

AU - Natali, S. M.

AU - Olefeldt, D.

AU - Romanovsky, V. E.

AU - Schaefer, K.

AU - Turetsky, M. R.

AU - Treat, C. C.

AU - Vonk, J. E.

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N2 - Large quantities of organic carbon are stored in frozen soils (permafrost) within Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. A warming climate can induce environmental changes that accelerate the microbial breakdown of organic carbon and the release of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane. This feedback can accelerate climate change, but the magnitude and timing of greenhouse gas emission from these regions and their impact on climate change remain uncertain. Here we find that current evidence suggests a gradual and prolonged release of greenhouse gas emissions in a warming climate and present a research strategy with which to target poorly understood aspects of permafrost carbon dynamics.

AB - Large quantities of organic carbon are stored in frozen soils (permafrost) within Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. A warming climate can induce environmental changes that accelerate the microbial breakdown of organic carbon and the release of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane. This feedback can accelerate climate change, but the magnitude and timing of greenhouse gas emission from these regions and their impact on climate change remain uncertain. Here we find that current evidence suggests a gradual and prolonged release of greenhouse gas emissions in a warming climate and present a research strategy with which to target poorly understood aspects of permafrost carbon dynamics.

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JO - Nature

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Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback

Abstract

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