Climate warming and the carbon cycle in the permafrost zone of the former Soviet Union
The continuous permafrost zone of the former Soviet Union occupies 5% of the land surface area of the earth and stores a significant amount of carbon. Climate warming could disrupt the balance between carbon (C) accumulation and decomposition processes within the permafrost zone. Increased temperatures may accelerate the rate of organic matter decomposition. At the same time, the productivity of vegetation may increase in response to warming. To assess the future carbon cycle within the permafrost zone under a climate-warming scenario, it is necessary to quantify present carbon pools and fluxes. The present carbon cycle was assessed on the basis of an ecosystem/ecoregion approach. Under the present climate, the phytomass carbon pool was estimated at 17.0 Giga tons. The mortmass (coarse woody debris) carbon pool was estimated at 16.1 Giga tons. The soil carbon pool, including peatlands, was 139.4 Giga tons. The present rate of carbon turnover was 1.6 Giga tons/yr. (Copyright (c) 1993 by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.)
- Research Organization:
- Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering
- OSTI ID:
- 7239871
- Report Number(s):
- PB-94-159332/XAB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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