Evidence for non-steady-state carbon emissions from snow-scoured alpine tundra
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Abstract
High-latitude warming is capable of accelerating permafrost degradation and the decomposition of previously frozen carbon. The existence of an analogous high-altitude feedback, however, has yet to be directly evaluated. We address this knowledge gap by coupling a radiocarbon-based model to 7 years (2008–2014) of continuous eddy covariance data from a snow-scoured alpine tundra meadow in Colorado, USA, where solifluction lobes are associated with discontinuous permafrost. On average, the ecosystem was a net annual source of 232 ± 54 g C m−2 (mean ± 1 standard deviation) to the atmosphere, and respiration of relatively radiocarbon-depleted (i.e., older) substrate contributes to carbon emissions during the winter. Given that alpine soils with permafrost occupy 3.6 × 106 km2 land area and are estimated to contain 66.3 Pg of soil organic carbon (4.5% of the global pool), this scenario has global implications for the mountain carbon balance and corresponding resource allocation to lower elevations.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Evidence for non-steady-state carbon emissions from snow-scoured alpine tundra |
| Series title | Nature Communications |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41467-019-09149-2 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Year Published | 2019 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| Contributing office(s) | Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center |
| Description | Article number: 1306; 9 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| Other Geospatial | Niwot Ridge |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |