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Large emissions of CO2 and CH4 due to active-layer warming in Arctic tundra

Author

Listed:
  • Margaret S. Torn

    (Berkeley Lab
    University of California)

  • Rose Z. Abramoff

    (Berkeley Lab
    Wintergreen Earth Science)

  • Lydia J. S. Vaughn

    (Berkeley Lab
    San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI))

  • Oriana E. Chafe

    (Berkeley Lab
    University of Oregon)

  • J. Bryan Curtis

    (Berkeley Lab)

  • Biao Zhu

    (Berkeley Lab
    Peking University)

Abstract

Climate warming may accelerate decomposition of Arctic soil carbon, but few controlled experiments have manipulated the entire active layer. To determine surface-atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide and methane under anticipated end-of-century warming, here we used heating rods to warm (by 3.8 °C) to the depth of permafrost in polygonal tundra in Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska and measured fluxes over two growing seasons. We show that ecosystem respiration is ~30% higher in warmed plots than in control plots (0.99 μmol m−2 s−1 versus 0.67 μmol m−2 s−1, p

Suggested Citation

  • Margaret S. Torn & Rose Z. Abramoff & Lydia J. S. Vaughn & Oriana E. Chafe & J. Bryan Curtis & Biao Zhu, 2025. "Large emissions of CO2 and CH4 due to active-layer warming in Arctic tundra," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-54990-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54990-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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