Hydrological conditions and peat constitution effect on DOC leaching from permafrost-affected soils: model experiment (Western Siberia, Russia)

Author(s):  
Maria Timofeeva ◽  
Olga Goncharova ◽  
Georgy Matyshak

<p>In the northern ecosystems’ soils, the carbon stock is preserved in peat soils which includes frozen peat. It is vulnerable to any climate changes. The permafrost degradation can affect both the quantity and the composition of dissolved organic carbon of permafrost-affected soils, especially peat soils.</p><p>The main aim of our study was to determine the relationship among peat type, water regime and the quantity and composition of water borne carbon export. The research site was located in the discontinuous permafrost zone (N65º18’, E72º52’). Monoliths of various peat soils were collected in summer 2019 for a laboratory experiment.</p><p>The experiments were carried out with 6 types of monoliths (oligotrophic fibric peat; oligotrophic hemic peat with lichen debris; eutrophic hemic peat with reindeer moss debris; eutrophic sapric peat; eutrophic sapric peat with a burnt horizon; oligotrophic fibric peat, underlied with sand). We try to understand how organic matter is leached from peat soils with different constitution and different degree of decomposition. In the model experiment, we simulated 3 types of hydrological conditions. Soil monoliths were watered, and the contents of DOC and POC were determined in the collected soil waters.</p><ol><li>Simulation of the moderate rainfall (70 mm) by adding distilled water during the week. DOC in this case ranged from 44,2±3.0 mg/l in oligotrophic peat to 80,6±28,7 mg/l in eutrophic peat.</li> <li>The simultaneous flow of large quantities of water, simulating prolonged rainfall or spring snowmelt. In this case DOC content leaching from fibric oligotrophic peat didn`t change much while DOC leaching from sapric eutrophic peat decreased in comparison with moderate rainfall.</li> <li>During modeling short stagnant regimen (spring conditions) we observed increase DOC, especially in sapric eutrophic peat (up to 291,0±11,3 mg/l). The mineral horizon under the peat layer reduced the rate of leaching of organic substances from the soil.</li> </ol><p>Our results indicate the significant role of both the peat constitution and hydrological regime of soils on the rate and amount of organic matter entering the hydrological basin from peat permafrost-affected soils. The data can be used to simulate the dynamics of permafrost ecosystems with changing climatic parameters or with the activation of anthropogenic load.</p><p>This research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant 18-04-00952)</p>

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (21) ◽  
pp. 6637-6648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinghui Wang ◽  
Robert G. M. Spencer ◽  
David C. Podgorski ◽  
Anne M. Kellerman ◽  
Harunur Rashid ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) accounts for approximately 70 % of global alpine permafrost and is an area sensitive to climate change. The thawing and mobilization of ice-rich and organic-carbon-rich permafrost impact hydrologic conditions and biogeochemical processes on the QTP. Despite numerous studies of Arctic permafrost, there are no reports to date for the molecular-level in-stream processing of permafrost-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the QTP. In this study, we examine temporal and spatial changes of DOM along an alpine stream (3850–3207 m above sea level) by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and UV–visible spectroscopy. Compared to downstream sites, dissolved organic matter (DOM) at the headstream site exhibited older radiocarbon age, higher mean molecular weight, higher aromaticity and fewer highly unsaturated compounds. At the molecular level, 6409 and 1345 formulas were identified as unique to the active layer (AL) leachate and permafrost layer (PL) leachate, respectively. Comparing permafrost leachates to the downstream site, 59 % of AL-specific formulas and 90 % of PL-specific formulas were degraded, likely a result of rapid in-stream degradation of permafrost-derived DOM. From peak discharge in the summer to low flow in late autumn, the DOC concentration at the headstream site decreased from 13.9 to 10.2 mg L−1, while the 14C age increased from 745 to 1560 years before present (BP), reflecting an increase in the relative contribution of deep permafrost carbon due to the effect of changing hydrological conditions over the course of the summer on the DOM source (AL vs. PL). Our study thus demonstrates that hydrological conditions impact the mobilization of permafrost carbon in an alpine fluvial network, the signature of which is quickly lost through in-stream mineralization and transformation.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinghui Wang ◽  
Robert G. M. Spencer ◽  
David Podgorski ◽  
Anne Kellerman ◽  
Harunur Rashid ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) accounts for approximately 70 % of global alpine permafrost and is an area sensitive to climate change. The thawing and mobilization of ice and organic carbon-rich permafrost impact hydrologic conditions and biogeochemical processes on the QTP. Despite numerous studies of Arctic permafrost, there are no reports to date for the molecular-level in-stream processing of permafrost-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the QTP. In this study, we examine temporal and spatial changes of chemical composition of DOM and 14C age of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) along an alpine stream (3850–3207 m above sea level) by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and UV-visible spectroscopy. Compared to downstream sites, the DOM at the headstream exhibited older radiocarbon (14C-DOC) age, higher mean molecular weight, higher aromaticity and fewer polyunsaturated components. At the molecular level, 6409 and 1345 formulas were identified as unique to the active layer (AL) leachate and permafrost layer (PL) leachate, respectively. Comparing permafrost leachates to the downstream site, 59 % of AL-specific formulas and 90 % of PL-specific formulas were degraded, likely a result of rapid instream degradation of permafrost-derived DOM. From peak discharge in the summer to low flow in late autumn, the DOC concentration at the headstream site decreased from 13.9 to 10.2 mg/L, while the 14C-DOC age increased from 745 to 1560 years before present (BP), reflecting an increase in relative contribution of deep permafrost carbon due to the effect of changing hydrological conditions over the course of the summer on DOM source (AL vs. PL). Our study thus demonstrates that hydrological conditions impact the mobilization of permafrost carbon in an alpine fluvial network, the signature of which is quickly lost through in-stream metabolism.


Author(s):  

This study analyzes hydrological conditions and concentrations of biogenic elements (BE) and organic matter (OM) in the Rybinsk Reservoir for the 2001-2012 period. It also assesses the influence of the reservoir’s hydrological regime on BE and OM. The study suggests that the hydrological regime has a crucial effect on BE and OM concentrations both in seasonal and annual aspects.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marttiina V. Rantala ◽  
Carsten Meyer-Jacob ◽  
E. Henriikka Kivilä ◽  
Tomi P. Luoto ◽  
Antti. E. K. Ojala ◽  
...  

AbstractGlobal environmental change alters the production, terrestrial export, and photodegradation of organic carbon in northern lakes. Sedimentary biogeochemical records can provide a unique means to understand the nature of these changes over long time scales, where observational data fall short. We deployed in situ experiments on two shallow subarctic lakes with contrasting light regimes; a clear tundra lake and a dark woodland lake, to first investigate the photochemical transformation of carbon and nitrogen elemental (C/N ratio) and isotope (δ13C, δ15N) composition in lake water particulate organic matter (POM) for downcore inferences. We then explored elemental, isotopic, and spectral (inferred lake water total organic carbon [TOC] and sediment chlorophyll a [CHLa]) fingerprints in the lake sediments to trace changes in aquatic production, terrestrial inputs and photodegradation before and after profound human impacts on the global carbon cycle prompted by industrialization. POM pool in both lakes displayed tentative evidence of UV photoreactivity, reflected as increasing δ13C and decreasing C/N values. Through time, the tundra lake sediments traced subtle shifts in primary production, while the woodland lake carried signals of changing terrestrial contributions, indicating shifts in terrestrial carbon export but possibly also photodegradation rates. Under global human impact, both lakes irrespective of their distinct carbon regimes displayed evidence of increased productivity but no conspicuous signs of increased terrestrial influence. Overall, sediment biogeochemistry can integrate a wealth of information on carbon regulation in northern lakes, while our results also point to the importance of considering the entire spectrum of photobiogeochemical fingerprints in sedimentary studies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1825-1838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Engel ◽  
Hannes Wagner ◽  
Frédéric A. C. Le Moigne ◽  
Samuel T. Wilson

Abstract. In the ocean, sinking of particulate organic matter (POM) drives carbon export from the euphotic zone and supplies nutrition to mesopelagic communities, the feeding and degradation activities of which in turn lead to export flux attenuation. Oxygen (O2) minimum zones (OMZs) with suboxic water layers (< 5 µmol O2 kg−1) show a lower carbon flux attenuation compared to well-oxygenated waters (> 100 µmol O2 kg−1), supposedly due to reduced heterotrophic activity. This study focuses on sinking particle fluxes through hypoxic mesopelagic waters (< 60 µmol O2 kg−1); these represent  ∼  100 times more ocean volume globally compared to suboxic waters, but they have less been studied. Particle export fluxes and attenuation coefficients were determined in the eastern tropical North Atlantic (ETNA) using two surface-tethered drifting sediment trap arrays with seven trapping depths located between 100 and 600 m. Data on particulate matter fluxes were fitted to the normalized power function Fz =  F100 (z∕100)−b, with F100 being the flux at a depth (z) of 100 m and b being the attenuation coefficient. Higher b values suggest stronger flux attenuation and are influenced by factors such as faster degradation at higher temperatures. In this study, b values of organic carbon fluxes varied between 0.74 and 0.80 and were in the intermediate range of previous reports, but lower than expected from seawater temperatures within the upper 500 m. During this study, highest b values were determined for fluxes of particulate hydrolyzable amino acids (PHAA), followed by particulate organic phosphorus (POP), nitrogen (PN), carbon (POC), chlorophyll a (Chl a) and transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), pointing to a sequential degradation of organic matter components during sinking. Our study suggests that in addition to O2 concentration, organic matter composition co-determines transfer efficiency through the mesopelagic. The magnitude of future carbon export fluxes may therefore also depend on how organic matter quality in the surface ocean changes under influence of warming, acidification and enhanced stratification.


1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Courchesne ◽  
J.-F. Laberge ◽  
A. Dufresne

The role of soil organic matter (OM) on SO4 retention was investigated by comparing OM content, SO4 retention, and the distribution of Fe, Al and Si compounds in OM-poor (Grands-Jardins, PGJ) and OM-rich (Hermine, HER) Podzols from Québec, Canada. At both sites, four pedons were sampled by horizon; soil pH in H2O, organic C, phosphate-extractable SO4 and, sodium pyrophosphate, acid ammonium oxalate and dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB) extractable Fe, Al and Si were measured for each mineral horizon. The mineralogy of the clay (<2 µm) and fine silt (2–20 µm) fractions of selected horizons was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). Weighted mean organic C and pyrophosphate extractable Fe and Al contents were significantly higher in the HER than in the PGJ sola, while the PGJ soils were richer in amorphous inorganic Al. No trends were observed for inorganic Fe compounds. Chemical dissolution and IR allowed the identification of short-range ordered aluminosilicates, probably allophane, in the OM-poor and slightly acidic to neutral PGJ soils. These materials were absent from the OM-rich and acidic HER soils. Phosphate extractions showed that the weighted mean native SO4 content was five times higher in the PGJ than in the HER soil. Finally, native SO4 was strongly related to inorganic Fe, Al and Si (associated with allophane) at PGJ but only to inorganic Fe at HER. These results indicate that OM indirectly affects SO4 sorption through the influence organic substances exerts on the nature and distribution of pedogenic Fe, Al and Si compounds, such as allophane, in Podzolic profiles. Key words: Organic matter, sulfate, imogolite, allophane, silica, Podzol


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Xiong Xiao ◽  
Guanxing Wang

&lt;p&gt;Permafrost degradation under global warming may change the hydrological regime of the headwater catchments in alpine area such as the Tibetan Plateau (TP). In this study, he runoff generation processes in permafrost-influenced area of the Heihe River Headwater were investigated with the following results: 1) The observed stable isotope values of various water types on average was roughly in the order of snowfall and snowmelt &lt; bulk soil water (BSW) &lt; rainfall , stream water, mobile soil water (MSW) , and lateral subsurface flow. The depleted spring snowmelt and enriched summer rainfall formed tightly bound soil water and MSW, respectively. The dynamic mixing between tightly bound soil water and MSW resuted in BSW with more depleted and variable stable isotopic feature than MSW. 2) Along with the thawing of the frozen soil, surface runoff and shallowsubsurface flow (SSF) at 30&amp;#8722;60 cm was the major flow pathway in the permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope during spring snowmelt and summer rainfall period, reapectively, with the frozen soil maintaining supra-permafrost water level. 3) Comparison between two neighouring catchments under similar precipitation conditions indicated that streamflow of the lower catchment with less permafrost proportion and earlier thawing time has larger SSF and higher based flow component, indicating the potential changes of hydrological regims subject to future warming.&lt;/p&gt;


2016 ◽  
Vol 85 ◽  
pp. 36-56
Author(s):  
Z.S. Artemyeva ◽  
◽  
A.A. Yurtaev ◽  
A.L. Alexandrovskiy ◽  
E.P. Zazovskaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Kara Sea ◽  

2021 ◽  
Vol 901 (1) ◽  
pp. 012017
Author(s):  
A N Ulanov ◽  
V N Kovshova ◽  
O G Mokrushina ◽  
A V Smirnova ◽  
A L Glubokovskih ◽  
...  

Abstract In the context of the implementation of environmental, resource-saving systems of agriculture, research in the system of biogeocenosis is very relevant: soil – plant-feed-animal-livestock products. Peatlands and developed peat soils are a kind of environment for human activity in this system. As a result of many years of research, it was found that perennial grasses grown on peat soils have differences in chemical composition compared to plants grown on mineral soils. They contain more organic matter and raw protein. However, their digestibility of nutrients is lower than in herbs grown on mineral soils. Therefore, for a full-fledged balanced feeding of cows, the realization of the genetic potential of animal productivity, and the preservation of their health, scientifically-based diets are necessary, developed on the basis of bulky feeds obtained from peat and developed soils, with the introduction of appropriate feed additives in them.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vjacheslav Polyakov ◽  
Evgeny Abakumov

&lt;p&gt;Black carbon is one of the short-lived climatically significant factors. This term refers to climate-forming substances that are located for a short amount of time in the atmosphere - from several days to several years. To identify the role of cryoconite in the conditions of a possible climatic crisis, the stabilization of organic matter isolated from cryoconite holes was assessed. Humic acids are part of the organic matter accumulating in soils and cryoconites and are heterogeneous systems of high-molecular condensed compounds formed as a result of the decomposition of organic remains of plants and animals in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Climatic parameters, precursors of humification, and the local position in the landscape determine the diversity of the composition and properties of HAs. Stabilization of organic material is defined as the transformation of organic matter into a state inaccessible to soil microorganisms, and the very property of stabilization is a characteristic stage in the dynamics of carbon. Using 13C NMR spectroscopy, we determined the proportion of aromatic and aliphatic compounds in the composition of HAs in order to assess the stabilization of organic matter in cryoconites from Mount Elbrus (Caucasus Mountains, Russia), the Arctic (Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, Russia) and Antarctica (King George Island, West Antarctica).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Samples for qualitative analysis of carbon accumulated in cryoconites were carried out during fieldwork in 2020. The studied samples were analyzed at the Department of Applied Ecology, St. Petersburg State University. Humic acids (HAs) were extracted from each sample according to a published IHSS protocol. Solid-state CP/MAS &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C-NMR spectra of HAs were measured with a Bruker Avance 500 NMR spectrometer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thus, it follows from the obtained results that aliphatic fragments of humic acids predominate in all studied cryoconites. A similar composition of humic acids testifies to a single mechanism of accumulation and development of organic matter in glacier regions. Low biological activity and climatic features prevent condensation of high-molecular compounds in the organic matter of cryoconite holes. This is an essential prerequisite for high rates of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere under the conditions of deglaciation of the studied regions. With the thawing of glaciers and the ingress of cryoconites into warmer conditions, an additional contribution of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere can occur and, therefore, increase the possible climate crisis on our planet.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This study was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research No. 19-05-50107.&lt;/p&gt;


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