A recent computer model based study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences predicts the impact of biomass CO2 releases from thawing permafrost may be an even larger problem than previously expected, transitioning from a carbon reducing ecosystem to a carbon producing system by the end of the century.
Of course, since this is just a model based study the results will have to be confirmed in the field before the situation merits screaming “The End is Nigh.”
The study disagrees with previous permafrost models that predicted future vegetation in the former tundra would soak up enough carbon to induce a net carbon loss of the permafrost system but that may not be the case as several hundred years’ worth of decay finally gets some fresh air.
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rwahrens
August 25, 2011 at 03:28 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
“That’s ok, Jesus will fix it any day now…”
F
August 25, 2011 at 05:41 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
CO2? What about the CH4? (Won’t somebody please think of the CH4!) There has been an awful lot of research on this, and one researcher I particularly admire is Katey Walter Anthony. Methane, of course, can be converted into carbon dioxide by doing this.
Assassin Actual
August 25, 2011 at 12:27 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Large ammounts of methane was a factor in this model from what I understand. Methane release from the soil has already made several water systems toxic.
But my question is would Methane capture be cost effective on a large scale with it bubbling up…well…everywhere?
F
August 26, 2011 at 00:12 (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Wow – methane capture. I really don’t know how you could go about doing that effectively. Unless there is a good way to do this in permafrost which is still capped by thick ice? There certainly seems not to be a way to stop humans from increasing the global average temperature.