Observation for evaluation of soil organic carbon decomposition and response of carbon dynamics in the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem to permafrost thaw.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26302002
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: National Institute for Environmental Studies
• Principal Investigator: Kondo Miyuki 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 環境計測研究センター, 研究員 (30467211)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 米村 正一郎 国立研究開発法人農業環境技術研究所, 大気環境研究領域, 上席研究員 (20354128) ; 大塚 俊之 岐阜大学, 流域圏科学研究センター, 教授 (90272351)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 極域 / 気候変動 / 凍土融解 / 物質循環 / 放射性炭素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The dynamics of carbon preserved within permafrost in Sub-Arctic and Arctic is important implications for the current and future carbon cycle with global warming. However, little is known on the microbial decomposability of permafrost organic mater and CO2 emission once permafrost thaws, and response of carbon dynamics in the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem to permafrost thaw. We conducted field observation and soil chemical analysis at the Permafrost Experimental Station, which was established in 1945, Alaska. We also conducted soil incubations using flow-through-chamber technique in order to assess the inherent decomposability of soil organic matter under aerobic condition at a temperature from -15 to 15 C. We observed that both C input to soil and CO2 emission were accelerated at the completely disturbed site, where the surface vegetation and he organic material was removed. This suggests that soil carbon dynamics may be directly linked to surface vegetation at the Arctic region.

Free Research Field

同位体生態学