NVCL - Soil Carbon Response to Environmental Change · National Virtual Climate Laboratory

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Soil Carbon Response to Environmental Change

Our research measures and characterizes carbon stored in soil and evaluates its potential responses to environmental change. Climate change is threatening to destabilize huge amounts of carbon preserved in the cold and frozen permafrost soils in the north, potentially accelerating the rate of global warming. We aim to reduce uncertainties in estimating the carbon stored in permafrost region soils, determine where and how it is distributed, and assess how susceptible this carbon is to decomposition and release to the atmosphere.

Keywords	Arctic, boreal, boreal Boreal forests (sometimes called "taiga") are a mosaic of forest types — from sunny aspen groves to spruce bogs-intermingled with meadows, marshes, lakes, and rivers — in the northern high latitude regions. This ecosystem is characterized by cold weather, long winters, and permafrost. Source: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Source carbon, decomposition, field observations, ground ice, infrared spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy Infrared (IR) spectroscopy deals with the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. IR wavelengths are longer, with a lower frequency than visible light. IR can be used to identify and study chemicals. Source: Radboud University - systems chemistry Source laboratory incubations, nitrogen, nitrogen Classified as a nonmetal, nitrogen is a gas at room temperature. Nitrogen dilutes oxygen and prevents rapid burning at the Earth's surface, and accounts for ~78 percent of Earth's atmosphere. Source: National library of medicine Source permafrost, soil, soil microbes, microbe Microbes are tiny living things that are found all around us and are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They live in water, soil, and in the air. Source: NIH Source soil organic matter, tundra tundra A type of ecosystem dominated by lichens, mosses, grasses, and woody plants. Generally located at high latitudes (arctic tundra) and high altitudes (alpine tundra). Source: NASA earth observatory Source
TYPE	Scientific Focus Area

Keywords

Arctic, boreal, carbon, decomposition, field observations, ground ice, infrared spectroscopy, laboratory incubations, nitrogen, permafrost, soil, soil microbes, soil organic matter, tundra

TYPE

Scientific Focus Area

Principal Investigator (PI)

Julie Jastrow

Lead Institution

Other Collaborators

Oregon State University University of Alaska Fairbanks University of Minnesota Twin-Cities

Opening a pit to observe and sample the soil profile of a low-centered ice-wedge polygon on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. (Image credit: Julie Jastrow, ANL)

For more information

Julie Jastrow
Argonne National Laboratory
Roser Matamala
Argonne National Laboratory

https://tessfa.evs.anl.gov/