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Iron mineral dissolution releases iron and associated organic carbon during permafrost thaw

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [3];  [6]
  1. Univ. of Tubingen (Germany). Center for Applied Geosciences. Geomicrobiology; OSTI
  2. Technische Univ. Munchen, Freising (Germany). Chair of Soil Science; Copenhagen Univ. (Denmark). Dept. of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management
  3. Univ. of Tubingen (Germany). Center for Applied Geosciences. Geomicrobiology
  4. Univ. of Tubingen (Germany). Chair of Soil Science and Geomorphology
  5. Technische Univ. Munchen, Freising (Germany). Chair of Soil Science
  6. Univ. of Tubingen (Germany). Center for Applied Geosciences. Geomicrobiology; Bristol Univ. (United Kingdom). School of Earth Sciences
  7. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States). Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences. Dept. of Chemistry
It has been shown that reactive soil minerals, specifically iron(III) (oxyhydr)oxides, can trap organic carbon in soils overlying intact permafrost, and may limit carbon mobilization and degradation as it is observed in other environments. However, the use of iron(III)-bearing minerals as terminal electron acceptors in permafrost environments, and thus their stability and capacity to prevent carbon mobilization during permafrost thaw, is poorly understood. We have followed the dynamic interactions between iron and carbon using a space-for-time approach across a thaw gradient in Abisko (Sweden), where wetlands are expanding rapidly due to permafrost thaw. We show through bulk (selective extractions, EXAFS) and nanoscale analysis (correlative SEM and nanoSIMS) that organic carbon is bound to reactive Fe primarily in the transition between organic and mineral horizons in palsa underlain by intact permafrost (41.8 ±10.8 mg carbon per g soil, 9.9 to 14.8% of total soil organic carbon). During permafrost thaw, water-logging and O2 limitation lead to reducing conditions and an increase in abundance of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria which favor mineral dissolution and drive mobilization of both iron and carbon along the thaw gradient. By providing a terminal electron acceptor, this rusty carbon sink is effectively destroyed along the thaw gradient and cannot prevent carbon release with thaw.
Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515
OSTI ID:
1816797
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 11; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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