Isotopic seasonality of fluvial-derived greenhouse gases implies active layer deepening

Bibliographic Data

ID15545693
AuthorsMelissa Schwab (0000-0001-5600-4439, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, corresponding author), Clayton D Elder (0000-0001-9831-2106, Ames Research Center), Xiaomei Xu (0000-0001-5677-2497, University of California, Irvine), C I Czimczik (0000-0002-8251-6603, University of California, Irvine), Charles E Miller (0000-0002-9380-4838, Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Year2024
Volume19
Issue11
Pages114096-114096
Publication date2024-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironmental Research Letters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326
PublisherIOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1088/1748-9326/ad820f
OpenAlexW4403055375
LanguageEN
References cited105

Climate change in the northern circumpolar regions is rapidly thawing organic-rich permafrost soils, leading to the substantial release of dissolved CO 2 and CH 4 into river systems. This mobilization impacts local ecosystems and regional climate feedback loops, playing a crucial role in the Arctic carbon cycle. Here, we analyze the stable carbon ( δ 13 C) and radiocarbon (F 14 C) isotopic compositions of dissolved CO 2 and CH 4 in the Sagavanirktok and Kuparuk River watersheds on the North Slope, Alaska. By examining spatial and seasonal variations in these isotopic signatures, we identify patterns of carbon release and transport across the river continuum. We find consistent CO 2 isotopic values along the geomorphological gradient, reflecting a mixture of geogenic and biogenic sources integrated throughout the watershed. Bayesian mixing models further demonstrate a systematic depletion in 13 C and 14 C signatures of dissolved CO 2 sources from spring to fall, indicating increasing contributions of aged carbon as the active layer deepens. This seasonal deepening allows percolating groundwater to access deeper, older soil horizons, transporting CO 2 produced by aerobic and anaerobic soil respiration to streams and rivers. In contrast, we observe no clear relationships between the 13 C and 14 C compositions of dissolved CH 4 and landscape properties. Given the reduced solubility of CH 4 , which facilitates outgassing and limits its transport in aquatic systems, the isotopic signatures are likely indicative of localized contributions from streambeds, adjacent water saturated soils, and lake outflows. Our study illustrates that dissolved greenhouse gases are sensitive indicators of old carbon release from thawing permafrost and serve as early warning signals for permafrost carbon feedbacks. It establishes a crucial baseline for understanding the role of CO 2 and CH 4 in regional carbon cycling and Arctic environmental change

Active layer · Atmospheric sciences · Climatology · Earth science · Fluvial · Geomorphology · Geotechnical engineering · Greenhouse gas · Hydrology (agriculture · Layer (electronics · Seasonality · Statistics · Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Mathematics · Geology · Oceanography