EventScientists sampling sediment cores near Herschel Island found that permafrost thaw is adding up to 0.02 GtC of ancient carbon to the Arctic Ocean each year, but roughly 90% becomes buried in the seabed; only about 10% is broken down by microbes into CO₂, limiting greenhouse‑gas release.
The Arctic’s permafrost stores vast organic carbon that remains locked unless ground thaws or coastal sections erode—events that would release the carbon into the surrounding environment. This potential release could contribute significantly to atmospheric greenhouse gases.
A new study shows that most of the ancient carbon released from Arctic permafrost and carried into the ocean is buried rather than emitted as greenhouse gas, potentially dampening climate feedbacks.
Permafrost thaw in the Arctic is releasing ancient carbon into the ocean, and scientists worry microbes might convert this material into greenhouse gases.
Researchers sampling sediment cores near Canada’s Herschel Island found that most permafrost‑derived carbon entering the Arctic Ocean is buried in the seafloor; only about ten percent becomes active and microbes prefer fresh marine material, reducing greenhouse gas release potential.
