Linking permafrost thaw to shifting biogeochemistry and food web resources in an arctic river. (25th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kendrick, Michael R.; Huryn, Alexander D.; Bowden, William B.; Deegan, Linda A.; Findlay, Robert H.; Hershey, Anne E.; Peterson, Bruce J.; Beneš, Joshua P.; Schuett, Elissa B.
• Is Part Of: Global change biology. Volume 24:Number 12(2018)
• Page Start: 5738
• Page End: 5750
• Publication Date: 2018-10-25
• Subjects: biogeochemistry -- carbon stable isotope -- climate change -- ecosystem; Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Troposphere -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Biodiversity conservation -- Periodicals; Eutrophication -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14448
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-1013

Abstract

Abstract: Rapidly, increasing air temperatures across the Arctic are thawing permafrost and exposing vast quantities of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus to microbial processing. Shifts in the absolute and relative supplies of these elements will likely alter patterns of ecosystem productivity and change the way carbon and nutrients are delivered from upland areas to surface waters such as rivers and lakes. The ultra‐oligotrophic nature of surface waters across the Arctic renders these ecosystems particularly susceptible to changes in productivity and food web dynamics as permafrost thaw alters terrestrial‐aquatic linkages. The objectives of this study were to evaluate decadal‐scale patterns in surface water chemistry and assess potential implications of changing water chemistry to benthic organic matter and aquatic food webs. Data were collected from the upper Kuparuk River on the North Slope of Alaska by the U.S. National Science Foundation's Long‐Term Ecological Research program during 1978–2014. Analyses of these data show increases in stream water alkalinity and cation concentrations consistent with signatures of permafrost thaw. Changes are also documented for discharge‐corrected nitrate concentrations (+), discharge‐corrected dissolved organic carbon concentrations (−), total phosphorus concentrations (−), and δ 13 C isotope values of aquatic invertebrate consumers (−). These changes show that warming temperatures and thawing permafrost in the upland environment are leading to shifts in the supply of carbon and nutrients available to surface waters and consequently changing resources that support aquatic food webs. This demonstrates that physical, geochemical, and biological changes associated with warming permafrost are fundamentally altering linkages between upland and aquatic ecosystems in rapidly changing arctic environments. Abstract : Rapidly increasing temperatures across the Arctic are thawing permafrost soils and changing the way carbon and nutrients are delivered from upland areas to surface waters such as rivers and lakes. Analysis of long‐term data from Arctic Alaska show increases in stream water alkalinity and cation concentrations consistent with signatures of permafrost thaw. Changes are also documented for concentrations of nitrate (+), dissolved organic carbon (−), and total phosphorus (−), as well as δ 13 C isotope values of aquatic invertebrates (−). These changes show that warming temperatures and thawing permafrost are leading to shifts in the supply of carbon and nutrients to aquatic ecosystems and consequently changing resources that support aquatic food webs.