Biological and landscape controls on the net greenhouse gas balance of High Arctic ecosystems

自20世纪50年代的S以来，北极陆地上的年气温上升了2°C到3°C，而冬季气温上升了4°C。这些变暖的温度可能会引起北极陆地生态系统的级联变化，例如：由于降水增加而改变了水文循环，植物群落的分布发生了变化，地表属性发生了变化，如地表反照率降低，以及永久冻土融化增加。冻土含有全球土壤碳库的大约一半，因此，由于冻土融化而导致的碳流失速度增加，可能会加速未来的气候变化。与此同时，永久冻土融化可以释放植物养分，提高植物生产力和碳储量，对未来变暖产生负面反馈。为了预测北极生态系统未来对气候变化的反应，我们需要在一系列空间和时间尺度上了解北极高生态系统中关键的温室气体(GHG)循环过程。

Since the 1950’s, annual air temperatures over Arctic landmasses have risen between 2°C and 3°C, while winter temperatures have increased as much as 4°C. These warmer temperatures could induce cascading changes to terrestrial Arctic ecosystems, such as: altered hydrological cycles from increasing precipitation, shifting distribution of plant communities, altered surface properties such as decreased surface albedo, and increased permafrost thawing. Permafrost soils contain approximately half of the global soil carbon reservoir, so an increased rate of carbon loss due to permafrost thawing could accelerate future climate change. At the same time, permafrost thawing could liberate plant nutrients, increasing plant productivity and carbon storage, creating a negative feedback on future warming. To predict the future response of arctic ecosystems to changes in climate, we need to understand key greenhouse gas (GHG) cycling processes in high Arctic ecosystems at a range of spatial and temporal scales.