Permafrost collapse after shrub removal shifts tundra ecosystem to a methane source

• Published in: Nature climate change Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 67 - 70
• Main Authors: Nauta, Ake L., Heijmans, Monique M. P. D., Blok, Daan, Limpens, Juul, Elberling, Bo, Gallagher, Angela, Li, Bingxi, Petrov, Roman E., Maximov, Trofim C., van Huissteden, Jacobus, Berendse, Frank
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.01.2015; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/158/2165; 704/106/125; 704/158/2445; alaska; arctic tundra; Climate Change; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Climatic conditions; Collapse; Ecosystems; Environment; Environmental Law/Policy/Ecojustice; expansion; Global warming; Greenhouse gases; ice; letter; Methane; Organic carbon; Permafrost; thaw; Thawing; Tundra; Vegetation changes; Vegetation cover; Woody plants; Russia, Siberia; PN, Arctic

The release of carbon from decomposing Arctic soils, following permafrost thaw, is a potentially important climate feedback. Research now shows how shrub cover protects permafrost carbon reservoirs. Manipulative experiments show that the loss of shrub cover leads to a transition of the tundra to wat...