Increased Arctic NO3− Availability as a Hydrogeomorphic Consequence of Permafrost Degradation and Landscape Drying

Arendt, Carli A.; Heikoop, Jeffrey M.; Newman, Brent D.; Wilson, Cathy J.; Wainwright, Haruko; Kumar, Jitendra; Andersen, Christian G.; Wales, Nathan A.; Dafflon, Baptiste; Cherry, Jessica; Wullschleger, Stan D.

doi:10.3390/nitrogen3020021

Title: Increased Arctic NO3− Availability as a Hydrogeomorphic Consequence of Permafrost Degradation and Landscape Drying

Journal Article · 20 May 2022 · Nitrogen

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nitrogen3020021 · OSTI ID:1869320

Arendt, Carli A.; Heikoop, Jeffrey M.; Newman, Brent D.; Wilson, Cathy J.;

;

; Andersen, Christian G.; Wales, Nathan A.;

; Cherry, Jessica; Wullschleger, Stan D.

Climate-driven permafrost thaw alters the strongly coupled carbon and nitrogen cycles within the Arctic tundra, influencing the availability of limiting nutrients including nitrate (NO3−). Researchers have identified two primary mechanisms that increase nitrogen and NO3− availability within permafrost soils: (1) the ‘frozen feast’, where previously frozen organic material becomes available as it thaws, and (2) ‘shrubification’, where expansion of nitrogen-fixing shrubs promotes increased soil nitrogen. Through the synthesis of original and previously published observational data, and the application of multiple geospatial approaches, this study investigates and highlights a third mechanism that increases NO3− availability: the hydrogeomorphic evolution of polygonal permafrost landscapes. Permafrost thaw drives changes in microtopography, increasing the drainage of topographic highs, thus increasing oxic conditions that promote NO3− production and accumulation. We extrapolate relationships between NO3− and soil moisture in elevated topographic features within our study area and the broader Alaskan Coastal Plain and investigate potential changes in NO3− availability in response to possible hydrogeomorphic evolution scenarios of permafrost landscapes. These approximations indicate that such changes could increase Arctic tundra NO3− availability by ~250–1000%. Thus, hydrogeomorphic changes that accompany continued permafrost degradation in polygonal permafrost landscapes will substantially increase soil pore water NO3− availability and boost future fertilization and productivity in the Arctic.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

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

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1869320

Journal Information:: Nitrogen, Journal Name: Nitrogen Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 3; ISSN NITRC9; ISSN 2504-3129

Publisher:: MDPI AGCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Switzerland

Language:: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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polygonal permafrost
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Title: Increased Arctic NO3− Availability as a Hydrogeomorphic Consequence of Permafrost Degradation and Landscape Drying

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