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Melting Permafrost

Melting Permafrost

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 Since 2000, the Arctic has warmed more than other areas, up to 5°F. And that’s beginning to melt the permafrost. In the Arctic winter, the earth is frozen, from tens to thousands of feet down. In summer, the top several feet melt, creating a so-called active layer where plants can take root. Below that is permafrost: frozen soil that contains a great deal of ice. For these regions, it’s like bedrock—stabilizing the active layer and providing a solid footing for buildings. But as the melting reaches deeper into the ground, the permafrost is not so permanent and is becoming unstable. Roads in Alaska and Canada are beginning to undulate and ripple, and runways are at risk. Foundations are shifting, making some buildings and houses unusable. Surface water drains and floods unpredictably. What widespread effects could this have? Permafrost, like regular soil, contains organic material from dead plants and animals. As it melts, the organic matter decays, releasing CO2 and methane, both greenhouse gases. This could create a feedback loop of continued greenhouse gas release and further warming. But melting permafrost is also creating a deeper soil layer, which may allow forests to replace tundra. In other places, it’s toppling existing forests and replacing them with wetlands. These would absorb CO2. With permafrost covering nearly a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere, scientists are keeping a close eye on these changes and how they impact climate models.
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