Why permafrost might thaw sooner than expected
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 4 May 2020
A study by AWI and HU Berlin shows that modeling thermokarst processes predicts widespread Siberian permafrost thaw by 2100, even in very cold regions—posing risks of Arctic landscape shifts and greenhouse gas release due to climate warming.
Keywords: Nature Communications, permafrost thaw, landscape change, Earth system models, anthropogenic warming, positive feedback, Arctic ecosystems.
Simulated deep-sea mining affects ecosystem functions at the seafloor
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 29 April 2020
A study shows deep-sea mining causes lasting harm to seabed ecosystems. In the DISCOL area, microbial activity stayed low even 26 years after simulated mining. Researchers urge strict environmental rules before any mining starts.
Keywords: cience Advances, Antje Boetius, Tobias Vonnahme, MiningImpact, Peru Basin, biogeochemical function, environmental impact
Beavers gnawing away at the permafrost
Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI)
Published: 30 June 2020
Beavers are moving into Alaska’s tundra as it warms, with dam numbers near Kotzebue rising 5,000% since 2002. Their dams form lakes that thaw permafrost and release greenhouse gases, further driving climate change.
Keywords: Kotzebue, Baldwin Peninsula, tundra ecosystems, methane emissions, water bodies, landscape engineers, greenhouse gases.
