Catchment-scale thawing and greening decreases long-term nitrogen export in NE Greenland
Speir, Shannon L.; Tank, Jennifer L.; Pastor, Ada; Muller, Marc F.; Mastepanov, Mikhail; Riis, Tenna (2024-04-23)
Speir, Shannon L.
Tank, Jennifer L.
Pastor, Ada
Muller, Marc F.
Mastepanov, Mikhail
Riis, Tenna
Institute of physics publishing
23.04.2024
Shannon L Speir et al 2024 Environ. Res. Lett. 19 054031, DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad3e8e
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202501271363
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202501271363
Tiivistelmä
Abstract
Climate change is expected to alter nitrogen (N) export from Arctic rivers, with potential implications for fragile coastal ecosystems and fisheries. Yet, the directionality of change is poorly understood, as increased mobilization of N in a 'thawing' Arctic is countered by higher rates of vegetative uptake in a 'greening' Arctic, particularly in the understudied region of Greenland. We use an unprecedented dataset of long-term (n = 18 years) river chemistry, streamflow, and catchment-scale changes in snow and vegetation to document changing riverine N loss in Greenland. We documented decreasing inorganic and organic N loads, linked to decreasing snow stores, warming soils, and enhanced plant uptake. Higher variability in N export across years also points to the increasing role of high flow events in driving downstream N loss. This alteration in N cycling may significantly reduce both inorganic and organic N transport across the terrestrial-aquatic boundary during the open water season in a rapidly warming Greenland.
Climate change is expected to alter nitrogen (N) export from Arctic rivers, with potential implications for fragile coastal ecosystems and fisheries. Yet, the directionality of change is poorly understood, as increased mobilization of N in a 'thawing' Arctic is countered by higher rates of vegetative uptake in a 'greening' Arctic, particularly in the understudied region of Greenland. We use an unprecedented dataset of long-term (n = 18 years) river chemistry, streamflow, and catchment-scale changes in snow and vegetation to document changing riverine N loss in Greenland. We documented decreasing inorganic and organic N loads, linked to decreasing snow stores, warming soils, and enhanced plant uptake. Higher variability in N export across years also points to the increasing role of high flow events in driving downstream N loss. This alteration in N cycling may significantly reduce both inorganic and organic N transport across the terrestrial-aquatic boundary during the open water season in a rapidly warming Greenland.
Kokoelmat
- Avoin saatavuus [38840]