From Soil to Ocean: Transfer of terrigenous organic carbon from permafrost soils to the Arctic Ocean
In order to estimate the effect of rising global temperatures on organic carbon stocks in the temperature-sensitivity Arctic environment, we investigate
- Organic carbon dynamics in the active layer of permafrost soils in Ny-Alesund and in the Lena Delta
- Carbon transfer from permafrost soils to the Arctic Ocean
For this study, soil, river and marine sediments were sampled at the AWI Arctic Research Base at Ny-Alesund in Summer 2008. In a second sampling campaign, Soil, suspended particles, river and marine sediment from the Lena Delta were sampled in August 2009.
To study alteration processes occurring in the soil and during organic matter transport into marine sediments, we use bulk soil and sediments analysis combined with compound-specific isotopic (13C and 14C) analysis of selected lipid biomarkers. Particular focus will be put on terrigenous biomarkers like soil-derived tetraether lipids and lignin phenols.
