earthandscience:Scientists are using ring growth data, like these shown in a willow shrub, to assess
earthandscience:Scientists are using ring growth data, like these shown in a willow shrub, to assess the age and growth of shrubs in a huge study of the Arctic tundra. Recent studies on arctic shrubs show that they grow more rapidly when temperatures are warmer (makes sense! however, this increased growth results in taller shrubs that reflect more heat and alter carbon cycling. These changes create a positive feedback that may exacerbate the effects of climate change.Read more about the study here.“Shrub species in wet landscapes at mid-latitudes of the Arctic are the most sensitive to climate warming, the study found. These areas are vulnerable to change as they store large amounts of carbon in frozen soil, which could be released by warming and permafrost thaw.”I talked with a soil scientist the other day who said that the real issue is that no one really knows how much carbon is stored in the soils, because most soil surveys aren’t very deep. This is a HUGE hole in the climate modeling projections… -- source link
#arctic#tundra#carbon#permafrost#science