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Siberian larch forests and the ion content of thaw lakes form a geochemically functional entity

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  • Ulrike Herzschuh

    (Periglacial Research Section, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg A43, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
    Institute for Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Karl- Liebknecht-Strasse 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany)

  • Luidmila A. Pestryakova

    (Northeastern Federal University of Yakutsk, Belinskogo 58, 67700 Yakutsk, Russia)

  • Larissa A. Savelieva

    (Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, 199034 Saint-Petersburg, Russia)

  • Liv Heinecke

    (Periglacial Research Section, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg A43, 14473 Potsdam, Germany)

  • Thomas Böhmer

    (Periglacial Research Section, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg A43, 14473 Potsdam, Germany)

  • Boris K. Biskaborn

    (Periglacial Research Section, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg A43, 14473 Potsdam, Germany)

  • Andrei Andreev

    (Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 49a, 50674 Köln, Germany)

  • Arne Ramisch

    (Periglacial Research Section, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg A43, 14473 Potsdam, Germany)

  • Avery L.C. Shinneman

    (University of Washington)

  • H. John B. Birks

    (University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020 Bergen, Norway
    Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London
    School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University)

Abstract

Siberian larch forests growing on shallow permafrost soils have not, until now, been considered to be controlling the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the vast number of thaw-lake ecosystems. Here we show, using four independent data sets (a modern data set from 201 lakes from the tundra to taiga, and three lake-core records), that lake-water geochemistry in Yakutia is highly correlated with vegetation. Alkalinity increases with catchment forest density. We postulate that in this arid area, higher evapotranspiration in larch forests compared with that in the tundra vegetation leads to local salt accumulation in soils. Solutes are transported to nearby thaw lakes during rain events and snow melt, but are not fully transported into rivers, because there is no continuous groundwater flow within permafrost soils. This implies that potentially large shifts in the chemical characteristics of aquatic ecosystems to known warming are absent because of the slow response of catchment forests to climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Ulrike Herzschuh & Luidmila A. Pestryakova & Larissa A. Savelieva & Liv Heinecke & Thomas Böhmer & Boris K. Biskaborn & Andrei Andreev & Arne Ramisch & Avery L.C. Shinneman & H. John B. Birks, 2013. "Siberian larch forests and the ion content of thaw lakes form a geochemically functional entity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3408
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3408
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