Arctic peatlands may release potent greenhouse gas as permafrost thaws
The study by a team of Scandinavian scientists indicated that thawing permafrost could release nitrous oxide (N2O) - also known as 'laughing gas' - under increasing temperatures. Based on an analysis of frozen peat cores exposed to warming conditions in the laboratory, they estimated nitrous oxide emissions could occur from surfaces covering almost one-fourth of the entire Arctic. The highest emissions, from bare peat samples, were on a par with tropical forest soils - the largest known natural source of nitrous oxide - they reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read more
Evidence from Siberian caves suggests that a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius could see permanently frozen ground thaw over a large area of Siberia, threatening release of carbon from soils, and damage to natural and human environments. Read more
Satellite are seeing changes in land surfaces in high detail at northern latitudes, indicating thawing permafrost. This releases greenhouse gases into parts of the Arctic, exacerbating the effects of climate change. Permafrost is ground that remains at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years and usually appears in areas at high latitudes such as Alaska, Siberia and Northern Scandinavia, or at high altitudes like the Andes, Himalayas and the Alps. Read more