Thomas Stanton

Permafrost is an integral component of the world’s ecosystems, with unparalleled carbon storage capacity amongst terrestrial environments. Permafrost underlays about 10% of land globally, and is estimated to store 50% of the planet's total carbon. With projected temperature increases in Northern environments expected to continue thawing these ice rich zones, portions of their landscape are projected to change into upland thermokarst. Upland thermokarst is a type of landscape caused by thawing permafrost and is responsible for a large scale shift in Arctic hydrology and nutrient cycling. This shift is expected to potentially cause a positive feedback loop whereby when permafrost thaws, it releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHG), further warming the climate and thawing even more permafrost. The previously frozen carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients released via permafrost thaw will have profound effects on surface water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Upland thermokarst features are projected to occupy 20 - 50% of all upland ecosystems in the Arctic by 2100. The key question concerning the coming ubiquity of these disturbances is how they will contribute to the possible climate-carbon feedback loop, how they will influence water quality and watershed nutrient budgets, and how net losses of carbon and nutrients via thermokarst will affect Arctic ecosystems. The objectives of this study will be to assess major changes in carbon and nutrient cycling within upland thermokarst features, including to ascertain key GHG fluxes and to evaluate changes in soil nutrient cycling processes and how they are likely to change with projected changes in climate.