Title: Permafrost thaw causes large carbon loss in boreal peatlands while changes to peat quality are limited
Citation: Harris, Lorna; Olefeldt, David (2023). Permafrost thaw causes large carbon loss in boreal peatlands while changes to peat quality are limited [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.47d7wm3kk
Study Site: Western Canada
Purpose: Rapid, ongoing permafrost thaw of peatlands in the discontinuous permafrost zone is exposing a globally significant store of soil carbon (C) to microbial processes. Mineralisation and release of this peat C to the atmosphere as greenhouse gases is a potentially important feedback to climate change. Here we investigated the effects of permafrost thaw on peat C at a peatland complex in western Canada.
Abstract: We collected 15 complete peat cores (between 2.7 abd 4.5 m deep) along four chronosequences, from elevated permafrost plateaus to saturated thermokarst bogs that thawed up to 600 years ago. The peat cores were analysed for peat C storage and peat quality, as indicated by decomposition proxies (FTIR and C/N ratios) and potential decomposability using a 200-day aerobic incubation.
Supplemental Information Summary:
Research: Campus Alberta Innovates Program
Further Info: Harris, L.I., Olefeldt, D., Pelletier, N., Blodau, C., Knorr, K., Talbot, J., Heffernan, L., & Turetsky, M. (2023). Permafrost thaw causes large carbon loss in boreal peatlands while changes to peat quality are limited. Global Change Biology: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16894
Status: Complete
Keywords:
soil carbon,
peat properties,
Climate change,
Permafrost,
Geographical coordinates: North: 61.297572328592054, South: 61.297572328592054 East: -121.29775031282645 West: -121.29775031282645
Bounding Temporal Extent: Start Date: 2013-07-01, End
Date: 2013-07-31
