Canopy cover and microtopography control precipitation-enhanced thaw of ecosystem-protected permafrost

Bibliographic Data

ID15544455
AuthorsJoel Eklof (0000-0003-4840-834X, University of Washington, corresponding author), Benjamin M Jones (0000-0003-0331-5625), Benjamin Jones (0000-0002-4312-6995, University of Alaska Fairbanks), Baptiste Dafflon (0000-0001-9871-5650, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), Élise Devoie (Queen's University), Élise G Devoie (0000-0003-1752-8437), Katie M Ring (0000-0002-4645-621X, University of Washington), M English (0000-0001-7769-8724, University of Washington), Mark P Waldrop (0000-0003-1829-7140, United States Geological Survey), Rebecca B Neumann (0000-0003-3464-9046, University of Washington)
Year2024
Volume19
Issue4
Pages044055-044055
Publication date2024-03-08
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironmental Research Letters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326
PublisherIOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1088/1748-9326/ad31d7
OpenAlexW4392578513
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited59

Northern high-latitudes are projected to get warmer and wetter, which will affect rates of permafrost thaw and mechanisms by which thaw occurs. To better understand the impact of rain, as well as other factors such as snow depth, canopy cover, and microtopography, we instrumented a degrading permafrost plateau in south-central Alaska with high-resolution soil temperature sensors. The site contains ecosystem-protected permafrost, which persists in unfavorable climates due to favorable ecologic conditions. Our study (2020–2022) captured three of the snowiest years and three of the four wettest years since the site was first studied in 2015. Average thaw rates along an across-site transect increased nine-fold from 6 ± 5 cm yr −1 (2015–2020) to 56 ± 12 cm yr −1 (2020–2022). This thaw was not uniform. Hummock locations, residing on topographic high points with relatively dense canopy, experienced only 8 ± 9 cm yr −1 of thaw, on average. Hollows, topographic low points with low canopy cover, and transition locations, which had canopy cover and elevation between hummocks and hollows, thawed 44 ± 6 cm yr −1 and 39 ± 13 cm yr −1 , respectively. Mechanisms of thaw differed between these locations. Hollows had high warm-season soil moisture, which increased thermal conductivity, and deep cold-season snow coverage, which insulated soil. Transition locations thawed primarily due to thermal energy transported through subsurface taliks during individual rain events. Most increases in depth to permafrost occurred below the ∼45 cm thickness seasonally frozen layer, and therefore, expanded existing site taliks. Results highlight the importance of canopy cover and microtopography in controlling soil thermal inputs, the ability of subsurface runoff from individual rain events to trigger warming and thaw, and the acceleration of thaw caused by consecutive wet and snowy years. As northern high-latitudes become warmer and wetter, and weather events become more extreme, the importance of these controls on soil warming and thaw is likely to increase

Atmospheric sciences · Canopy · Geography · Growing season · Hydrology (agriculture · Permafrost · Physical geography · Transect · Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics · Climate change and permafrost · Cryospheric studies and observations · Environmental Science · Ecology · Geology · Oceanography