Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas G. Sim, Graeme T. Swindles, Paul J. Morris, Andy J. Baird, Claire L. Cooper, Angela Gallego-Sala, Dan J. Charman, Thomas P. Roland, Werner Borken, Donal J. Mullan, Marco A. Aquino-Lopez, Mariusz Galka
Summary: Permafrost peatlands in high-latitude regions store significant amounts of soil organic carbon but are now experiencing rapid warming causing permafrost thaw and carbon release. Recent research in northern Sweden shows that different peatlands are responding differently to climate change, with some becoming wetter leading to reduced carbon sequestration while others becoming drier without a clear relationship. Bryophyte-dominated vegetation in these peatlands demonstrates resistance and in some cases, resilience, to climatic and hydrological shifts.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Stephanie N. Wright, Lauren M. Thompson, David Olefeldt, Ryan F. Connon, Olivia A. Carpino, Casey R. Beel, William L. Quinton
Summary: Rising air temperatures, intensifying wildfire activity, and human disturbance are driving rapid permafrost thaw across the subarctic. The Taiga Plains and Taiga Shield ecozones of northwestern Canada have recently experienced significant permafrost thaw, leading to concerns and knowledge gaps in the affected communities. These thaw-induced changes include landcover, hydrology, and water quality, with the main drivers being increased thermokarst wetland extent and enhanced connectivity between surface water and groundwater.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Lin Chen, Yuanming Lai, Daniel Fortier, Stuart A. Harris
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of snow cover on the air circulation pattern and finds that snow greatly weakens the cooling effect of closed embankment slopes. On the other hand, a U-shape closed embankment performs better in cooling due to stronger air convection in winter. The results suggest that a U-shape embankment can be a potential long-term solution to mitigate permafrost thaw.
Article
Thermodynamics
Lin Chen, Wenbing Yu, Yan Lu, Pan Wu, Fenglei Han
Summary: This study quantifies how lateral and vertical heat fluxes from a buried warm oil pipeline increase the permafrost thawing rate and promote talik development in subarctic regions. Results show that increasing insulation thickness significantly decreases the mean annual heat flux.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mark J. Lara, Yaping Chen, Benjamin M. Jones
Summary: The study analyzed the drivers of gradual and catastrophic lake drainage in northern Alaska over 45 years using Landsat observations. Results showed that drivers of gradual drainage were mainly related to lake morphology and temperature, while catastrophic drainage was associated with thawing season length and precipitation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinyue Feng, Liangliang Duan, Barret L. Kurylyk, Tijiu Cai
Summary: Permafrost thaw is altering hydrological processes in the Arctic, leading to increased connectivity and hydraulic conductivity. This study analyzes streamflow recession characteristics in the Tahe watershed and finds a link between streamflow recession and permafrost degradation. The results suggest that permafrost degradation can extend the duration of recession flow and impact flooding dynamics and water resources.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Taylor D. Sullivan, Andrew D. Parsekian, Janelle Sharp, Philip J. Hanke, Frederic Thalasso, Mark Shapley, Melanie Engram, Katey Walter Anthony
Summary: The occurrence and magnitude of natural fossil methane emissions in the Arctic are poorly known, with particular interest in geologic CH4 emissions due to the potential for positive feedback to climate warming. In Esieh Lake, geologic CH4 is being vented through pockmarks on the lake bottom, making it one of the highest flux geologic CH4 seep fields known on land. The poleward retreat of continuous permafrost may lead to more subcap methane release with increased permafrost thaw.
PERMAFROST AND PERIGLACIAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gang Wu, Guoyu Li, Yapeng Cao, Dun Chen, Shunshun Qi, Fei Wang, Kai Gao, Qingsong Du, Xinbin Wang, Hongyuan Jing, Zhenrong Zhang
Summary: Human engineering activities and climate warming have led to permafrost degradation in the Da Xing'anling Mountains, which may have adverse effects on the distribution of permafrost and the safety of infrastructure. Using the electrical resistivity tomography method, this study investigates the distribution and degradation characteristics of permafrost and influencing factors near the China-Russia Crude Oil Pipeline. The results show that the isolated permafrost in this area is vulnerable to degradation due to warm oil pipelines and thermal erosion.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kristen L. Manies, Miriam C. Jones, Mark P. Waldrop, Mary-Cathrine Leewis, Christopher Fuller, Robert S. Cornman, Kristen Hoefke
Summary: The study quantified permafrost peat plateau and post-thaw carbon stocks in Interior Alaska, showing that carbon losses due to thaw could be up to 46% of the available carbon, which was more than 50% lower than losses in other Alaskan peatland chronosequences. The difference in carbon loss may be attributed to the process by which permafrost aggraded, with sites forming permafrost at different times experiencing different levels of absolute carbon loss with thaw.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Fenglei Han, Wenbing Yu, Lianxia Ma, Xin Yi, Xuefu Zhang
Summary: Addressing the impact of climate warming and anthropic activities, crushed-rock layer (CRL) is a zero-carbon emission technology that uses natural cold air to protect infrastructures in permafrost regions. However, in cold sandy environments, the issue of cold energy capacity due to aeolian sand clogging needs to be solved. This study conducted field experiments on the Tibet Plateau to quantitatively determine the dynamic evolution of natural cold energy accumulation in CRL and its controlling factors. The findings provide important insights for the efficient application of CRL and solve the scientific evaluation issue of its cold energy storage capacity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THERMAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chao Liu, Yanyu Song, Xingfeng Dong, Xianwei Wang, Xiuyan Ma, Guangying Zhao, Shuying Zang
Summary: Peatland is a key component of terrestrial ecosystems in permafrost regions and has significant effects on climate warming. Soil enzymes play an important role in the biogeochemical cycle of soil nutrients, and their activities are affected by permafrost type as well as soil physicochemical properties. Permafrost degradation may alter soil enzyme activities by changing soil properties, with soil inorganic nitrogen and moisture content being the main influencing factors.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Miao Yu, Nadezhda Pavlova, Changlei Dai, Xianfeng Guo, Xiaohong Zhang, Shuai Gao, Yiru Wei
Summary: This study analyzed the exploration and geophysical research results of the Melnikov Permafrost Institute in central Yakutia. It simulated and analyzed the dynamic characteristics of groundwater in the perennially unfrozen zones based on hydro-meteorological data, snow data, and remote sensing data. The study provides a reference for the reasonable exploitation and utilization of groundwater in areas influenced by perennially unfrozen zones.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Juan Gui, Zongxing Li, Fa Du, Jian Xue, Baijuan Zhang, Dongpeng Wang, Junling Ruan
Summary: The study quantified the soil water sources in the Qilian Mountains using stable isotope data. It found that the stable isotopes of soil water were influenced by evaporation and showed a spatial gradient. Precipitation and ground ice meltwater were identified as the main contributors to soil water, with their proportions varying with elevation. This research provides valuable data and insights into the water cycle in cold regions.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Brenden S. Disher, Ryan F. Connon, Kristine M. Haynes, Christopher Hopkinson, William L. Quinton
Summary: The study investigates the development of treed wetlands in regions with discontinuous permafrost and how they interact hydrologically with adjacent peat plateaus and collapse scars. Treed wetlands have different physical, thermal, and hydrological properties compared to their predecessors, impacting the landscape's hydrological processes.
Article
Environmental Studies
Liudmila Lebedeva, Nadezhda Pavlova, Ivan Khristoforov
Summary: The objective of this study was to evaluate the geology, configuration, ground temperature, and groundwater level of subaerial taliks in the continuous permafrost environment of Central Yakutia. The study included geophysical surveys, borehole drilling, and measurements of ground temperature and groundwater level variation. The results show that the talik aquifer has variations in thickness, with several water-conducting branches, and is characterized by a constant filtration of water and convective heat transfer. The groundwater level, although relatively close to the land surface, has weak response to snowmelt and precipitation events.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Olivia A. Carpino, Aaron A. Berg, William L. Quinton, Justin R. Adams
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2018)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Olivia Carpino, Kristine Haynes, Ryan Connon, James Craig, Elise Devoie, William Quinton
Summary: The discontinuous permafrost zone in northwestern Canada is experiencing rapid landscape transitions due to unprecedented permafrost thaw caused by climatic warming. This study investigates the current trajectory of land cover change in the region, utilizing a north-south space-for-time substitution and geomatics data to predict future changes. The study shows a gradient of wetland transition across latitudes, with forested plateau-wetland complexes dominating higher latitudes, forest-wetland patchwork prevalent in medial latitudes, and forested peatlands increasingly present in lower latitudes.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
William Quinton, Aaron Berg, Michael Braverman, Olivia Carpino, Laura Chasmer, Ryan Connon, James Craig, Elise Devoie, Masaki Hayashi, Kristine Haynes, David Olefeldt, Alain Pietroniro, Fereidoun Rezanezhad, Robert Schincariol, Oliver Sonnentag
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2019)