Open AccessExpanding shrub range slows Alaskan erosion
Author(s) -
Schultz Colin
Publication year - 2012
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 - 10.1029/2012eo050011
Subject(s) - permafrost , shrub , erosion , snow , vegetation (pathology) , environmental science , arctic vegetation , arctic , range (aeronautics) , physical geography , hydrology (agriculture) , earth science , soil science , ecology , geology , tundra , geomorphology , geography , oceanography , geotechnical engineering , materials science , medicine , pathology , composite material , biology
The relationship between permafrost, Arctic vegetation, soil erosion, and changing air temperatures is complicated. For instance, rising temperatures melt surface permafrost layers and increase shrub growth. These shrubs can catch drifting snow, thereby insulating the soil during the winter and accelerating permafrost degradation—facilitating their own proliferation. Alternatively, increased vegetation can shift energy transfer dynamics, cooling the surface and protecting permafrost. Hence, expanding Arctic shrub populations may either reinforce or counteract permafrost erosion. The complexity of the interactions makes firsthand accounts of these dynamics particularly important.