Collaborative Research: IRES Track 1: Transarctic Connections: Linking Alaskan Students with Finnish Arctic Scientists for Research in the Rapidly Changing Arctic

量化芬兰拉普兰湿地中储存的碳以及控制这些碳储量的水气候模式，将有助于理解北极在未来全球气候变化中的作用。IRES项目将与奥卢大学和帕拉斯野外站合作，对美国学生进行实地地球科学方法方面的培训，以确定气候模式的变化如何影响极地湿地及其在碳循环中的命运。该项目将使用前沿的现场、实验室和基于模型的方法，以更好地了解北方高纬度地区迅速变化的环境条件，并就特别与北极利益攸关方有关的问题培训下一代科学家。每年将招收四名来自阿拉斯加的学生(包括阿拉斯加原住民和两年制大学的学生)，前往芬兰学习科学知识，体验阿拉斯加(美国)以外的快速变化的北极。泥炭地是积累和储存富碳有机物的湿地。在气候变暖的情况下，这种碳的命运正在改变水文模式，对全球气候反馈具有重要影响。北纬较高的泥炭地储存着大量的碳，可能相当于全球土壤碳的25%(600GT)左右，可能是地球森林的两倍。然而，目前对泥炭地碳储量的估计相差超过100%(约500-1000GtC)，因为估计主要基于评估碳随时间变化的方法，而不是空间。由于地形和泥炭成分的差异，这些数据可能不能反映泥炭地的实际碳量。为了解决这一问题，我们将结合地质雷达(GPR)、沉积物岩芯和基于水同位素的气候模型，研究水文气候模式并估计各盆地的泥炭地碳储量。通过这种方法，我们将检验以下研究问题：1)帕拉斯地区泥炭地储存了多少碳？2)不同来源的水对泥炭地贡献的时空变异性是什么？3)不同的水停留时间如何影响泥炭地生态水文学的变化？4)变化的浅地表水文如何影响来自这些系统的碳(CO2或CH4)通量？5)水文学是否控制泥炭地深度？这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Quantifying carbon stored in the wetlands of Finnish Lapland and the hydroclimate patterns that control these carbon stocks will help to understand the role of the Arctic in future global climate changes. This IRES project will partner with the University of Oulu and Pallas Field Station to train U.S. students in field-based geoscience methods to determine how shifting climate patterns influence polar wetlands and their fate in the carbon cycle. This project will use cutting edge field, laboratory, and modeling-based methods to better understand rapidly changing environmental conditions in high northern latitudes and to train the next generation of scientists on issues especially relevant to Arctic stakeholders. Four students from Alaska (including Alaska Natives and those from 2-year colleges) will be recruited each year and travel to Finland to learn about science and experience the rapidly changing Arctic beyond what is seen in Alaska (USA). Peatlands are wetlands that accumulate and store carbon-rich organic matter. The fate of this carbon under a warming climate, which is changing hydrological patterns, has important consequences for global climate feedbacks. High northern latitude peatlands store large stocks of carbon, possibly equivalent to around 25% (600 Gt) of the global soil carbon and likely twice that of Earth’s forests. However, current estimates of peatland carbon stocks vary by over 100% (~500-1,000GtC), as estimates are largely based on methods used to assess carbon changes through time, not space. These data likely do not reflect the actual volume of carbon in a peatland due to differences in topography and peat composition. To address this, we will investigate hydroclimate patterns and estimate peatland carbon stocks across basins with a combination of ground penetrating radar (GPR), sediment cores, and water isotope-based climate models. Through this approach, we will test the following research questions: 1) How much carbon is stored in the Pallas area peatlands? 2) What is the spatial and temporal variability of various source water contributions to peatlands? 3) How do different water residence times impact changes in peatland ecohydrology? 4) How does variable shallow-surface hydrology impact the flux of carbon (CO2 or CH4) from these systems? and 5) Does hydrology control peatland depth?This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.