Global Warming May Release Tons of Carbon Stored in Arctic Permafrost

Global warming may trigger the release of nitrogen and carbon stored in the Arctic permafrost over the next century, reveals a new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The study has estimated at least 44 billion tons of nitrogen and 850 billion tons of carbon to be stored in the Arctic permafrost.

Increase in global temperatures has caused significant rise in the melting of Arctic sea ice. With the global temperatures projected to rise over the next century, the Arctic permafrost will begin to thaw releasing nitrogen and carbon stored in it.

This might aggravate the warming temperatures, thus causing a major impact on the ecosystems, environments, water systems, lakes and rivers.

To estimate the nitrogen and carbon figures, researchers studied soils, known as gelisols, which are affected by permafrost. Experts wanted to study how these gelisols thaw under different climatic scenarios.

They found that all gelisols are not alike. Some gelisols have solid materials that are muddy with decaying organic matter that can burn easily and pass on thawed nitrogen into the atmosphere. There some other gelisols that have solid materials which impart nitrogen into the ecosystem.

All gelisols contribute carbon dioxide and some methane into the air due to decomposition, triggered by melting of Arctic permafrost. They will become new contributors to global warming.

"This study quantifies the impact on Earth's two most important chemical cycles, carbon and nitrogen, from thawing of permafrost under future climate warming scenarios," USGS Director Marcia McNutt said in a statement.

"While the permafrost of the polar latitudes may seem distant and disconnected from the daily activities of most of us, its potential to alter the planet's habitability when destabilized is very real," she said.

The findings of the study, "Field information links permafrost carbon to physical vulnerabilities of thawing," are published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.