Melting Tundra to Lead to Increased Carbon Emissions in Arctic Ocean
30.12.2009 - Atmosphere & Space, Water & Oceans, Land & Geology, Ice & Snow, Arctic
According to research conducted by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, the release of organic material from the Arctic tundra as it thaws will ultimately result in additional carbon dioxide emissions.
Focusing on the Baltic Sea and the coastal waters north of Siberia (the Laptev Sea, the East Siberian Sea and the Chukchi Sea), researchers have shown that as temperatures rise and tundra thaws, this process will release large amounts of organic carbon into streams and rivers, which will eventually make their way to the Arctic Ocean. As the organic carbon degrades in coastal waters, this process will release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
