Open AccessConditions favorable to new central Alaskan permafrost will not last
Author(s) -
Wendel JoAnna
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1002/2014eo260006
Subject(s) - permafrost , subarctic climate , climate change , arctic , environmental science , physical geography , ecosystem , greenhouse gas , global warming , earth science , geology , ecology , oceanography , geography , biology
Permafrost—ground that has been frozen for longer than 2 years—has been useful for tracking the effects of climate change because thawing permafrost has implications for greenhouse gas emissions and shifting ecosystems. In the last 30 years, shrinkage of Arctic and subarctic lakes has been tied to permafrost thaw. However, on the margins of recently receded lakes, scientists recently have witnessed permafrost growth, complicating how climate change may affect future Arctic lakes. Scientists question whether these new permafrost‐friendly conditions will continue into the future.