Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra
Thermokarst features, such as thaw ponds, are hotspots for methane emissions in warming lowland tundra. Presently we lack quantitative knowledge on the formation rates of thaw ponds and subsequent vegetation succession, necessary to determine their net contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This...
Published in: | Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences |
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Online Access: | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/rapid-vegetation-succession-and-coupled-permafrost-dynamics-in-ar https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005618 |
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ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/566958 2024-04-28T08:09:39+00:00 Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra Magnússon, Rúna Limpens, J. van Huissteden, Jacobus Kleijn, D. Maximov, Trofim C. Rotbarth, Ronny Sass-Klaassen, U.G.W. Heijmans, M.M.P.D. 2020 application/pdf https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/rapid-vegetation-succession-and-coupled-permafrost-dynamics-in-ar https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005618 en eng https://edepot.wur.nl/526552 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/rapid-vegetation-succession-and-coupled-permafrost-dynamics-in-ar doi:10.1029/2019JG005618 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wageningen University & Research Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 125 (2020) 7 ISSN: 2169-8953 Betula nana north-eastern Siberia permafrost thermokarst tundra vegetation succession Article/Letter to editor 2020 ftunivwagenin https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005618 2024-04-03T15:11:23Z Thermokarst features, such as thaw ponds, are hotspots for methane emissions in warming lowland tundra. Presently we lack quantitative knowledge on the formation rates of thaw ponds and subsequent vegetation succession, necessary to determine their net contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This study sets out to identify development trajectories and formation rates of small‐scale (<100 m2), shallow arctic thaw ponds in north‐eastern Siberia. We selected 40 ponds of different age classes based on a time‐series of satellite images and measured vegetation composition, microtopography, water table, and thaw depth in the field and measured age of colonizing shrubs in thaw ponds using dendrochronology. We found that young ponds are characterized by dead shrubs, while older ponds show rapid terrestrialization through colonization by sedges and Sphagnum moss. While dead shrubs and open water are associated with permafrost degradation (lower surface elevation, larger thaw depth), sites with sedge and in particular Sphagnum display indications of permafrost recovery. Recruitment of Betula nana on Sphagnum carpets in ponds indicates a potential recovery toward shrub‐dominated vegetation, although it remains unclear if and on what timescale this occurs. Our results suggest that thaw ponds display potentially cyclic vegetation succession associated with permafrost degradation and recovery. Pond formation and initial colonization by sedges can occur on subdecadal timescales, suggesting rapid degradation and initial recovery of permafrost. The rates of formation and recovery of small‐scale, shallow thaw ponds have implications for the greening/browning dynamics and carbon balance of this ecosystem. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Betula nana permafrost Thermokarst Tundra Siberia Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 125 7 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivwagenin |
language |
English |
topic |
Betula nana north-eastern Siberia permafrost thermokarst tundra vegetation succession |
spellingShingle |
Betula nana north-eastern Siberia permafrost thermokarst tundra vegetation succession Magnússon, Rúna Limpens, J. van Huissteden, Jacobus Kleijn, D. Maximov, Trofim C. Rotbarth, Ronny Sass-Klaassen, U.G.W. Heijmans, M.M.P.D. Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra |
topic_facet |
Betula nana north-eastern Siberia permafrost thermokarst tundra vegetation succession |
description |
Thermokarst features, such as thaw ponds, are hotspots for methane emissions in warming lowland tundra. Presently we lack quantitative knowledge on the formation rates of thaw ponds and subsequent vegetation succession, necessary to determine their net contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This study sets out to identify development trajectories and formation rates of small‐scale (<100 m2), shallow arctic thaw ponds in north‐eastern Siberia. We selected 40 ponds of different age classes based on a time‐series of satellite images and measured vegetation composition, microtopography, water table, and thaw depth in the field and measured age of colonizing shrubs in thaw ponds using dendrochronology. We found that young ponds are characterized by dead shrubs, while older ponds show rapid terrestrialization through colonization by sedges and Sphagnum moss. While dead shrubs and open water are associated with permafrost degradation (lower surface elevation, larger thaw depth), sites with sedge and in particular Sphagnum display indications of permafrost recovery. Recruitment of Betula nana on Sphagnum carpets in ponds indicates a potential recovery toward shrub‐dominated vegetation, although it remains unclear if and on what timescale this occurs. Our results suggest that thaw ponds display potentially cyclic vegetation succession associated with permafrost degradation and recovery. Pond formation and initial colonization by sedges can occur on subdecadal timescales, suggesting rapid degradation and initial recovery of permafrost. The rates of formation and recovery of small‐scale, shallow thaw ponds have implications for the greening/browning dynamics and carbon balance of this ecosystem. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Magnússon, Rúna Limpens, J. van Huissteden, Jacobus Kleijn, D. Maximov, Trofim C. Rotbarth, Ronny Sass-Klaassen, U.G.W. Heijmans, M.M.P.D. |
author_facet |
Magnússon, Rúna Limpens, J. van Huissteden, Jacobus Kleijn, D. Maximov, Trofim C. Rotbarth, Ronny Sass-Klaassen, U.G.W. Heijmans, M.M.P.D. |
author_sort |
Magnússon, Rúna |
title |
Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra |
title_short |
Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra |
title_full |
Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra |
title_fullStr |
Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra |
title_full_unstemmed |
Rapid Vegetation Succession and Coupled Permafrost Dynamics in Arctic Thaw Ponds in the Siberian Lowland Tundra |
title_sort |
rapid vegetation succession and coupled permafrost dynamics in arctic thaw ponds in the siberian lowland tundra |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/rapid-vegetation-succession-and-coupled-permafrost-dynamics-in-ar https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005618 |
genre |
Arctic Betula nana permafrost Thermokarst Tundra Siberia |
genre_facet |
Arctic Betula nana permafrost Thermokarst Tundra Siberia |
op_source |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 125 (2020) 7 ISSN: 2169-8953 |
op_relation |
https://edepot.wur.nl/526552 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/rapid-vegetation-succession-and-coupled-permafrost-dynamics-in-ar doi:10.1029/2019JG005618 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wageningen University & Research |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005618 |
container_title |
Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences |
container_volume |
125 |
container_issue |
7 |
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1797577923876618240 |