Mobilization of particulate organic matter and minerals in Zackenberg valley, Greenland ...

• Main Authors: Bröder, Lisa, Hirst, Catherine, Opfergelt, Sophie, Lattaud, Julie, Haghipour, Negar, Eglinton, Timothy I., Vonk, Jorien, Fouché, Julien
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: ETH Zurich 2021
• Subjects: Greenland; permafrost; Zackenberg
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000521299; http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/521299

Ongoing warming of the Northern high latitudes has intensified abrupt thaw processes throughout the permafrost zone. The resulting terrain disturbances are prone to release large amounts of particulate organic matter (OM) from deeper permafrost soils with thus far poorly constrained decay kinetics. Organo-mineral interactions may inhibit OM decomposition, thereby mediating the release of carbon to the atmosphere. Yet how these interactions evolve upon release and during transport along the fluvial continuum is still insufficiently understood. Here we investigate the mobilization of particulate OM from disturbed permafrost soils to the aquatic environment in the Zackenberg watershed in Northeastern Greenland. We collected soil samples in a thermo-erosion gully and a retrogressive thaw slump, as well as suspended solids and stream sediments along the glacio-nival Zackenberg River, including its tributaries, and a small headwater stream (Grænselv) affected by abrupt permafrost thaw. To evaluate the organic and ... : EGUsphere ...