Greenhouse gas balance over thaw-freeze cycles in discontinuous zone permafrost

Wilson, R. M.; Fitzhugh, L.; Whiting, G. J.; Frolking, S.; Harrison, M. D.; Dimova, N.; Burnett, W. C.; Chanton, J. P.

doi:10.1002/2016JG003600

Title: Greenhouse gas balance over thaw-freeze cycles in discontinuous zone permafrost

Journal Article · Thu Feb 02 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JG003600· OSTI ID:1466676

^[1]; Fitzhugh, L. ^[2]; Whiting, G. J. ^[3]; Frolking, S. ^[4]; Harrison, M. D. ^[3]; Dimova, N. ^[5]; Burnett, W. C. ^[1];

^[1]

Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States). Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Gulf Coast State College, Panama City, FL (United States). Natural Sciences
Christopher Newport Univ., Newport News, VA (United States). Organismal and Environmental Biology
Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States). Earth Systems Research Center
Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States). Geological Sciences

Abstract Peat in the discontinuous permafrost zone contains a globally significant reservoir of carbon that has undergone multiple permafrost‐thaw cycles since the end of the mid‐Holocene (~3700 years before present). Periods of thaw increase C decomposition rates which leads to the release of CO ₂ and CH ₄ to the atmosphere creating potential climate feedback. To determine the magnitude and direction of such feedback, we measured CO ₂ and CH ₄ emissions and modeled C accumulation rates and radiative fluxes from measurements of two radioactive tracers with differing lifetimes to describe the C balance of the peatland over multiple permafrost‐thaw cycles since the initiation of permafrost at the site. At thaw features, the balance between increased primary production and higher CH ₄ emission stimulated by warmer temperatures and wetter conditions favors C sequestration and enhanced peat accumulation. Flux measurements suggest that frozen plateaus may intermittently (order of years to decades) act as CO ₂ sources depending on temperature and net ecosystem respiration rates, but modeling results suggest that—despite brief periods of net C loss to the atmosphere at the initiation of thaw—integrated over millennia, these sites have acted as net C sinks via peat accumulation. In greenhouse gas terms, the transition from frozen permafrost to thawed wetland is accompanied by increasing CO ₂ uptake that is partially offset by increasing CH ₄ emissions. In the short‐term (decadal time scale) the net effect of this transition is likely enhanced warming via increased radiative C emissions, while in the long‐term (centuries) net C deposition provides a negative feedback to climate warming.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States); Christopher Newport Univ., Newport News, VA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0004632; SC0010580; SC0012088; SC0016440

OSTI ID:: 1466676

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1402166

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences, Vol. 122, Issue 2; ISSN 2169-8953

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 30 works

Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (64)

Dissolved organic matter in small streams along a gradient from discontinuous to continuous permafrost Kawahigashi, Masayuki; Kaiser, Klaus; Kalbitz, Karsten Global Change Biology, Vol. 10, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2004.00827.x	journal	September 2004
Organic matter accumulation, peat chemistry, and permafrost melting in peatlands of boreal Alberta Turetsky, Merritt R.; Wieder, R. Kelman; Williams, Christopher J. Écoscience, Vol. 7, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1080/11956860.2000.11682608	journal	January 2000
Vulnerability of Permafrost Carbon to Climate Change: Implications for the Global Carbon Cycle Schuur, Edward A. G.; Bockheim, James; Canadell, Josep G. BioScience, Vol. 58, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1641/B580807	journal	September 2008
Radiocarbon evidence for the importance of surface vegetation on fermentation and methanogenesis in contrasting types of boreal peatlands: IMPORTANCE OF SURFACE VEGETATION Chanton, J. P.; Glaser, P. H.; Chasar, L. S. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 22, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GB003274	journal	December 2008
Disequilibrium response of permafrost in boreal continental western Canada to climate change Halsey, Linda A.; Vitt, Dale H.; Zoltai, Stephen C. Climatic Change, Vol. 30, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01093225	journal	May 1995
Climate change and the permafrost carbon feedback Schuur, E. A. G.; McGuire, A. D.; Schädel, C. Nature, Vol. 520, Issue 7546 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14338	journal	April 2015
Detecting the signature of permafrost thaw in Arctic rivers: SIGNATURE OF PERMAFROST THAW IN RIVERS Spencer, Robert G. M.; Mann, Paul J.; Dittmar, Thorsten Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 42, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL063498	journal	April 2015
A 2200-Year Record of Permafrost Dynamics and Carbon Cycling in a Collapse-Scar Bog, Interior Alaska Jones, Miriam C.; Booth, Robert K.; Yu, Zicheng Ecosystems, Vol. 16, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9592-5	journal	September 2012
Permafrost carbon: Stock and decomposability of a globally significant carbon pool Zimov, S. A.; Davydov, S. P.; Zimova, G. M. Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 33, Issue 20 https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027484	journal	January 2006
Methane flux from Peltandra virginica: stable isotope tracing and chamber effects Chanton, Jeffrey P.; Whiting, Gary J.; Showers, William J. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 6, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1029/91GB02969	journal	March 1992
Surface production fuels deep heterotrophic respiration in northern peatlands: HETEROTROPHIC RESPIRATION IN PEATLANDS Elizabeth Corbett, J.; Burdige, David J.; Tfaily, Malak M. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 27, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GB004677	journal	December 2013
Variation in methane production pathways associated with permafrost decomposition in collapse scar bogs of Alberta, Canada: VARIATION IN METHANE PRODUCTION Prater, James L.; Chanton, Jeffrey P.; Whiting, Gary J. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 21, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GB002866	journal	October 2007
Rapid carbon loss and slow recovery following permafrost thaw in boreal peatlands Jones, Miriam C.; Harden, Jennifer; O'Donnell, Jonathan Global Change Biology, Vol. 23, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13403	journal	October 2016
Soil incubations reproduce field methane dynamics in a subarctic wetland Hodgkins, Suzanne B.; Chanton, Jeffrey P.; Langford, Lauren C. Biogeochemistry, Vol. 126, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-015-0142-z	journal	October 2015
Forward to the lead-210 dating anniversary series Appleby, P. G. Journal of Paleolimnology, Vol. 9, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00677517	journal	January 1993
Holocene Carbon Stocks and Carbon Accumulation Rates Altered in Soils Undergoing Permafrost Thaw Hicks Pries, Caitlin E.; Schuur, Edward A. G.; Crummer, K. Grace Ecosystems, Vol. 15, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-011-9500-4	journal	November 2011
The Effects of Permafrost Thaw on Soil Hydrologic, Thermal, and Carbon Dynamics in an Alaskan Peatland O’Donnell, Jonathan A.; Jorgenson, M. Torre; Harden, Jennifer W. Ecosystems, Vol. 15, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-011-9504-0	journal	November 2011
The assessment of 210Pb data from sites with varying sediment accumulation rates Appleby, P. G.; Oldfieldz, F. Hydrobiologia, Vol. 103, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028424	journal	July 1983
Winter precipitation and snow accumulation drive the methane sink or source strength of Arctic tussock tundra Blanc-Betes, Elena; Welker, Jeffrey M.; Sturchio, Neil C. Global Change Biology, Vol. 22, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13242	journal	May 2016
How northern peatlands influence the Earth's radiative budget: Sustained methane emission versus sustained carbon sequestration Frolking, Steve; Roulet, Nigel; Fuglestvedt, Jan Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 111, Issue G1 https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JG000091	journal	January 2006
The response of heterotrophic CO2 flux to soil warming Eliasson, Peter E.; McMurtrie, Ross E.; Pepper, David A. Global Change Biology, Vol. 11, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2004.00878.x	journal	January 2005
Localized Permafrost Peatlands in Western Canada: Definition, Distributions, and Degradation Beilman, David W.; Vitt, Dale H.; Halsey, Linda A. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol. 33, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2001.12003406	journal	February 2001
Exploring the relationship between peatland net carbon balance and apparent carbon accumulation rate at century to millennial time scales Frolking, Steve; Talbot, Julie; Subin, Zack M. The Holocene, Vol. 24, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683614538078	journal	June 2014
Effect of permafrost thaw on CO ₂ and CH ₄ exchange in a western Alaska peatland chronosequence Johnston, Carmel E.; Ewing, Stephanie A.; Harden, Jennifer W. Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 9, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/9/8/085004	journal	August 2014
Moving Beyond Global Warming Potentials to Quantify the Climatic Role of Ecosystems Neubauer, Scott C.; Megonigal, J. Patrick Ecosystems, Vol. 18, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-015-9879-4	journal	May 2015
Permafrost thaw and soil moisture driving CO ₂ and CH ₄ release from upland tundra Natali, Susan M.; Schuur, Edward A. G.; Mauritz, Marguerite Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol. 120, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JG002872	journal	March 2015
Potential Carbon Losses From Peat Profiles: Effects of Temperature, Drought Cycles, and Fire Hogg, Edward H.; Lieffers, Victor J.; Wein, Ross W. Ecological Applications, Vol. 2, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.2307/1941863	journal	August 1992
Spatial and temporal trends in carbon storage of peatlands of continental western Canada through the Holocene Vitt, Dale H.; Halsey, Linda A.; Bauer, Ilka E. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol. 37, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1139/e99-097	journal	May 2000
The effect of fire and permafrost interactions on soil carbon accumulation in an upland black spruce ecosystem of interior Alaska: implications for post-thaw carbon loss: PERMAFROST AND FIRE CONTROLS ON SOIL CARBON O'Donnell, Jonathan A.; Harden, Jennifer W.; McGUIRE, A. David Global Change Biology, Vol. 17, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2010.02358.x	journal	December 2010
Methane transport mechanisms and isotopic fractionation in emergent macrophytes of an Alaskan tundra lake Chanton, Jeffrey P.; Martens, Christopher S.; Kelley, Cheryl A. Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 97, Issue D15 https://doi.org/10.1029/90JD01542	journal	January 1992
The disappearance of relict permafrost in boreal north America: Effects on peatland carbon storage and fluxes Turetsky, M. R.; Wieder, R. K.; Vitt, D. H. Global Change Biology, Vol. 13, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2007.01381.x	journal	September 2007
Impacts of permafrost degradation on arctic river biogeochemistry Frey, Karen E.; McClelland, James W. Hydrological Processes, Vol. 23, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.7196	journal	January 2009
The changing landscape of Canada's western boreal forest: the current dynamics of permafrost Vitt, Dale H.; Halsey, Linda A.; Zoltai, Stephen C. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 30, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1139/x99-214	journal	February 2000
Potential carbon emissions dominated by carbon dioxide from thawed permafrost soils Schädel, Christina; Bader, Martin K. -F.; Schuur, Edward A. G. Nature Climate Change, Vol. 6, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1038/NCLIMATE3054	journal	June 2016
Long-term CO2 production following permafrost thaw Elberling, Bo; Michelsen, Anders; Schädel, Christina Nature Climate Change, Vol. 3, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1955	journal	July 2013
Recent change of Arctic tundra ecosystems from a net carbon dioxide sink to a source Oechel, Walter C.; Hastings, Steven J.; Vourlrtis, George Nature, Vol. 361, Issue 6412 https://doi.org/10.1038/361520a0	journal	February 1993
Estimated stocks of circumpolar permafrost carbon with quantified uncertainty ranges and identified data gaps Hugelius, G.; Strauss, J.; Zubrzycki, S. Biogeosciences, Vol. 11, Issue 23 https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6573-2014	journal	January 2014
Physiological responses of a black spruce forest to weather Goulden, Michael L.; Daube, Bruce C.; Fan, Song-Miao Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 102, Issue D24 https://doi.org/10.1029/97JD01111	journal	December 1997
Wetland succession in a permafrost collapse: interactions between fire and thermokarst Myers-Smith, I. H.; Harden, J. W.; Wilmking, M. Biogeosciences Discussions, Vol. 4, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.5194/bgd-4-4507-2007	journal	January 2007
Dating recent peat deposits Turetsky, Merritt R.; Manning, Sturt W.; Wieder, R. Kelman Wetlands, Vol. 24, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1672/0277-5212(2004)024[0324:DRPD]2.0.CO;2	journal	June 2004
Climate Change Disequilibrium of Boreal Permafrost Peatlands Caused by Local Processes Camill, Philip; Clark, James S. The American Naturalist, Vol. 151, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1086/286112	journal	March 1998
Differential response of carbon fluxes to climate in three peatland ecosystems that vary in the presence and stability of permafrost: Carbon fluxes and permafrost thaw Euskirchen, E. S.; Edgar, C. W.; Turetsky, M. R. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol. 119, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JG002683	journal	August 2014
Organic matter transformation in the peat column at Marcell Experimental Forest: Humification and vertical stratification: Organic matter dynamics Tfaily, Malak M.; Cooper, William T.; Kostka, Joel E. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol. 119, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JG002492	journal	April 2014
Global change belowground: impacts of elevated CO2, nitrogen, and summer drought on soil food webs and biodiversity Eisenhauer, Nico; Cesarz, Simone; Koller, Robert Global Change Biology, Vol. 18, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02555.x	journal	October 2011
The Influence of Permafrost and Fire upon Carbon Accumulation in High Boreal Peatlands, Northwest Territories, Canada Robinson, S. D.; Moore, T. R. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol. 32, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2000.12003351	journal	May 2000
Investigating dissolved organic matter decomposition in northern peatlands using complimentary analytical techniques Tfaily, Malak M.; Hamdan, Rasha; Corbett, Jane E. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol. 112 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2013.03.002	journal	July 2013
Soil Warming and Carbon-Cycle Feedbacks to the Climate System Melillo, J. M. Science, Vol. 298, Issue 5601 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1074153	journal	December 2002
Temperature and peat type control CO ₂ and CH ₄ production in Alaskan permafrost peats Treat, C. C.; Wollheim, W. M.; Varner, R. K. Global Change Biology, Vol. 20, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12572	journal	April 2014
Patterns of Bryophyte Diversity in Peatlands of Continental Western Canada Vitt, Dale H.; Li, Yenhung; Belland, René J. The Bryologist, Vol. 98, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.2307/3243306	journal	July 1995
Annual carbon gas budget for a subarctic peatland, Northern Sweden Bäckstrand, K.; Crill, P. M.; Jackowicz-Korczyñski, M. Biogeosciences, Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-7-95-2010	journal	January 2010
Cyclic Development of Permafrost in the Peatlands of Northwestern Alberta, Canada Zoltai, S. C. Arctic and Alpine Research, Vol. 25, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.2307/1551820	journal	August 1993
The calculation of lead-210 dates assuming a constant rate of supply of unsupported 210Pb to the sediment Appleby, P. G.; Oldfield, F. CATENA, Vol. 5, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0341-8162(78)80002-2	journal	April 1978
Thawing permafrost increases old soil and autotrophic respiration in tundra: Partitioning ecosystem respiration using δ ¹³ C and ∆ ¹⁴ C Hicks Pries, Caitlin E.; Schuur, Edward A. G.; Crummer, Kathryn G. Global Change Biology, Vol. 19, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12058	journal	November 2012
Sediment Accumulation Rates and the Completeness of Stratigraphic Sections Sadler, Peter M. The Journal of Geology, Vol. 89, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1086/628623	journal	September 1981
Controls on CH ₄ emissions from a northern peatland Bellisario, L. M.; Bubier, J. L.; Moore, T. R. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 13, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1029/1998GB900021	journal	March 1999
Increased plant productivity in Alaskan tundra as a result of experimental warming of soil and permafrost: Increased plant productivity in Alaskan tundra Natali, Susan M.; Schuur, Edward A. G.; Rubin, Rachel L. Journal of Ecology, Vol. 100, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2011.01925.x	journal	November 2011
Current disturbance and the diminishing peatland carbon sink Turetsky, Merritt Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 29, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1029/2001GL014000	journal	January 2002
Carbon dioxide and climate impulse response functions for the computation of greenhouse gas metrics: a multi-model analysis Joos, F.; Roth, R.; Fuglestvedt, J. S. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 13, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-2793-2013	journal	January 2013
Effects of fires on carbon cycling in North American boreal peatlands Zoltai, S. C.; Morrissey, L. A.; Livingston, G. P. Environmental Reviews, Vol. 6, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1139/a98-002	journal	March 1998
Soil organic carbon pools in the northern circumpolar permafrost region: SOIL ORGANIC CARBON POOLS Tarnocai, C.; Canadell, J. G.; Schuur, E. A. G. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Vol. 23, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GB003327	journal	June 2009
Localized Permafrost Peatlands in Western Canada: Definition, Distributions, and Degradation Beilman, David W.; Vitt, Dale H.; Halsey, Linda A. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol. 33, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.2307/1552279	journal	February 2001
Patterns of boreal permafrost peatland vegetation across environmental gradients sensitive to climate warming Camill, Philip Canadian Journal of Botany, Vol. 77, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1139/b99-008	journal	October 1999
The Influence of Permafrost and Fire upon Carbon Accumulation in High Boreal Peatlands, Northwest Territories, Canada Robinson, S. D.; Moore, T. R. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, Vol. 32, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.2307/1552447	journal	May 2000
Greenhouse carbon balance of wetlands: methane emission versus carbon sequestration: Greenhouse carbon balance of wetlands Whiting, Gary J.; Chanton, Jeffrey P. Tellus B, Vol. 53, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0889.2001.530501.x	journal	November 2001

Cited By (4)

Respiration of aged soil carbon during fall in permafrost peatlands enhanced by active layer deepening following wildfire but limited following thermokarst Estop-Aragonés, Cristian; Czimczik, Claudia I.; Heffernan, Liam Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 13, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aad5f0	journal	August 2018
Tropical peatland carbon storage linked to global latitudinal trends in peat recalcitrance Hodgkins, Suzanne B.; Richardson, Curtis J.; Dommain, René Nature Communications, Vol. 9, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06050-2	journal	September 2018
Ecosystem carbon response of an Arctic peatland to simulated permafrost thaw Voigt, Carolina; Marushchak, Maija E.; Mastepanov, Mikhail Global Change Biology, Vol. 25, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14574	journal	February 2019
Tropical peatland carbon storage linked to global latitudinal trends in peat recalcitrance Hodgkins, Suzanne B.; Richardson, Curtis J.; Dommain, René Universität Potsdam https://doi.org/10.25932/publishup-45965	text	January 2021

Similar Records

Carbon Accumulation, Flux, and Fate in Stordalen Mire, a Permafrost Peatland in Transition

Journal Article · Fri Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2022 · Global Biogeochemical Cycles · OSTI ID:1466676

Holmes, M. E.; Crill, P. M.; Burnett, W. C.; +11 more

Permafrost thaw driven changes in hydrology and vegetation cover increase trace gas emissions and climate forcing in Stordalen Mire from 1970 to 2014

Journal Article · Mon Dec 06 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. A, Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences · OSTI ID:1466676

Varner, Ruth K.; Crill, Patrick M.; Frolking, Steve; +6 more

Controls on Soil Organic Matter Degradation and Subsequent Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across a Permafrost Thaw Gradient in Northern Sweden

Journal Article · Mon Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Frontiers in Earth Science · OSTI ID:1466676

AminiTabrizi, Roya; Wilson, Rachel M.; Fudyma, Jane D.; +6 more

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
peatland
greenhouse gas
carbon balance
radiative forcing
discontinuous permafrost zone

Title: Greenhouse gas balance over thaw-freeze cycles in discontinuous zone permafrost

Citation Formats

References (64)

Cited By (4)

Similar Records

Related Subjects