In contrast to glaciological studies in Mexico,periglacial studies are very recent and limited to the analysis of the general permafrost cover in the high mountains of the country.Although some of the studies on the r...In contrast to glaciological studies in Mexico,periglacial studies are very recent and limited to the analysis of the general permafrost cover in the high mountains of the country.Although some of the studies on the reconstruction of Pleistocene glaciers in Mexico mention the existence of rock glaciers,to date no work has been done to study their physical properties or determining their state of conservation.Since rock glaciers are the most important visible indicators of mountain permafrost(along with features such as gelifluction lobes and patterned ground)and given that the“Nevado”rock glacier is the main example of its kind in Mexico,this study analyzes its internal temperature and assesses its state of conservation.The investigation was carried out by drilling and thermal monitoring of rock profiles as well as air.The results indicate that at present,the“Nevado”seems to lack permafrost inside.Although there is evidence of surface freezing during the winter months in the upper part of the rock glacier,in the lower portion it is almost unnoticed;and in both parts the internal temperature shows a tendency towards positive values as depth increases,a situation that predominates throughout the year.In addition,according to the records of the climatological station located in the lower part of the rock glacier,although the annual rainfall regime could be favorable for the formation and feeding of interstitial or segregated ice,the air temperature conditions throughout the year prevent permanent freezing.The sum of the above determines that at present the“Nevado”could be considered as an inactive and relict-type rock glacier;the presence of vegetation on the surface of the debris that make it up corroborates its inactivity.展开更多
Permafrost,a critical component of Earth’s climate system,is increasingly subject to abrupt thaw events,which jeopardize infrastructure,reshape landforms,alter hydrological regimes,and disrupt ecosystems,thereby posi...Permafrost,a critical component of Earth’s climate system,is increasingly subject to abrupt thaw events,which jeopardize infrastructure,reshape landforms,alter hydrological regimes,and disrupt ecosystems,thereby posing substantial threats to global sustainability.However,the underlying mechanisms that trigger these abrupt transitions remain incompletely understood.Here,we present decade-long in-situ observations from HRQ1,a marginal permafrost site in the Headwater Area of the Yellow River,northeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.These data reveal the formation and growth of a talik,indicative of a permafrost tipping point.Absent before 2017,the talik subsequently formed and progressively deepened,extending to the maximum observation depth of 300 cm by 2024.The transition from perennially frozen to thawed conditions was accompanied by a substantial increase in mean annual soil temperature(MAST)throughout the entire soil profile.From 2015 to 2023,MAST in the upper 200 cm rose from sub-zero(−0.30 to−0.49℃)to consistently above 0℃(0.07 to 1.08℃).Concurrently,maximum daily soil temperatures in deeper layers(200–300 cm)became positive,indicating thaw propagation into the relict permafrost.This warming coincided with a marked increase in unfrozen soil moisture,particularly within the expanding talik.The rapid,non-linear deepening of the talik,far exceeding rates attributable to conductive heat transfer alone,was driven by a strong convective mechanism(Rayleigh-Darcy instability).This advective process was triggered when the soil profile became fully saturated,a condition resulting from the convergence of intensified rainfall and enhanced water retention linked to decadal vegetation greening.Intriguingly,despite the accelerated subsurface warming,the annual amplitude of ground surface temperature decreased from 29.0±2.8℃ to 24.5±3.6℃ following talik formation,likely due to the buffering effect of increased vegetation cover,which modified the surface energy balance.Our results demonstrate that climatic warming and wetting can initiate a cascade of internal feedbacks,propelling marginal permafrost beyond an abrupt tipping point.These findings emphasize the acute vulnerability of marginal permafrost and highlight the urgent necessity for sustained monitoring to assess ecosystem stability and quantify associated greenhouse gas emissions.展开更多
In 2022,the Russian Federation commenced development of a national system for permafrost monitoring.The conceptual design of this system reflects three objectives:(1)to collect data on the impact of climate change on ...In 2022,the Russian Federation commenced development of a national system for permafrost monitoring.The conceptual design of this system reflects three objectives:(1)to collect data on the impact of climate change on permafrost,(2)to provide data for evaluation of climate-permafrost feedback,and(3)to provide input to a model-based permafrost data assimilation system.It is intended that the system will eventually consist of 30 active layer monitoring sites and 140 boreholes situated near existing weather stations.As of October 2024,the network comprised 38 sites spanning from the High Arctic islands to the Altai Mountains and across western and eastern Siberia.Among these sites,the lowest recorded temperature at the depth of zero annual amplitude is-11.3℃and the minimum active layer thickness is 0.3 m,as observed on the New Siberian Archipelago.In most boreholes,a positive vertical temperature gradient exists below the depth of zero annual amplitude,indicative of ongoing warming of the upper permafrost layer attributable to climate change.The annual maximum active layer thickness is observed in September with only two exceptions:at the High Arctic sites on Franz Josef Land and Wiese Island and in the low-latitude Sayan Mountain region,where maximum thawing is observed at the end of August.Talik was found in boreholes in Salekhard and Altai where the upper boundary of the permafrost is located at depth of 6-10 m.展开更多
Bacterial communities play a crucial role in permafrost biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function maintenance.Bacterial interaction is one of the main factors in shaping soil bacterial communities.However,how woul...Bacterial communities play a crucial role in permafrost biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function maintenance.Bacterial interaction is one of the main factors in shaping soil bacterial communities.However,how would bacterial interaction influence the bacterial communities in permafrost of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)remains largely unknown.Here we collected paired soil samples from both the active and permafrost layers of two typical QTP permafrost regions in October 2020 for Tuotuohe River(TTH)and May 2022 for Aerjin(ARJ),and investigated the bacterial communities and the role of interactions in structuring the bacterial community and its assembly process through amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.Our study revealed distinct bacterial communities,with significant differences in the relative abundances of Proteobacteria(P<0.05),Acidobacteriota(P<0.001),Bacteroidota(P<0.05),and Planctomycetota(P<0.001)between the active layer and the permafrost layer.More importantly,we found that interspecies interactions,including both positive and negative associations,were strongly correlated with bacterial alpha-diversity and played a significant role in community variation and assembly process.Our findings also showed that the community assembly in both the active and permafrost layers was primarily driven by homogeneous selection of deterministic processes,with interspecies interactions accounting for more than 58%and 63%of all assembly mechanisms,respectively.This is the first study to quantify the contribution of bacterial interactions in shaping the bacterial community and its assembly process in permafrost of QTP,highlighting the importance of considering interspecies interactions in future modeling efforts.Our work also emphasizes the necessity of including interspecies interactions in microbial process projections to reduce uncertainty.展开更多
The thawing and warming of ice-rich permafrost present a considerable threat to the long-term stability of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway(QXR)on the roof of the world—that is,the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau(QXP).In this revie...The thawing and warming of ice-rich permafrost present a considerable threat to the long-term stability of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway(QXR)on the roof of the world—that is,the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau(QXP).In this review,we explore the extent of the observed permafrost degradation and embankment damage under the coupled impacts of climate change and engineering construction.The ice-rich permafrost beneath the embankment presents a substantial threat to the thermal-mechanical stability of the embankment due to the permafrost’s accelerated and amplified degradation.The observed embankment deformation has a potential high risk of thaw settlement,especially for 656 embankment-bridge sections,whose potential high risk of thaw settlement may be as great as 25%.Several techniques for roadbed cooling can be used to alleviate these impacts,including crushed rock structure embankments(CRSEs),thermosyphons,and reinforcement measures,which have been demonstrated to be successful in cooling the underlying permafrost and stabilizing an embankment.Under future climate change and permafrost degradation,however,the QXR still faces a high risk of embankment damage caused by permafrost degradation and requires more effective methods to reinforce the thermal-mechanical stability of permafrost.Therefore,a better understanding of such high-risk regions is needed,and roadbed cooling techniques will require further adaption in order to address the issues brought by climate change.展开更多
The active layer,acting as an intermediary of water and heat exchange between permafrost and atmosphere,greatly influences biogeochemical cycles in permafrost areas and is notably sensitive to climate fluctuations.Uti...The active layer,acting as an intermediary of water and heat exchange between permafrost and atmosphere,greatly influences biogeochemical cycles in permafrost areas and is notably sensitive to climate fluctuations.Utilizing the Chinese Meteorological Forcing Dataset to drive the Community Land Model,version 5.0,this study simulates the spatial and temporal characteristics of active layer thickness(ALT)on the Tibetan Plateau(TP)from 1980 to 2020.Results show that the ALT,primarily observed in the central and western parts of the TP where there are insufficient station observations,exhibits significant interdecadal changes after 2000.The average thickness on the TP decreases from 2.54 m during 1980–1999 to 2.28 m during 2000–2020.This change is mainly observed in the western permafrost region,displaying a sharp regional inconsistency compared to the eastern region.A persistent increasing trend of ALT is found in the eastern permafrost region,rather than an interdecadal change.The aforementioned changes in ALT are closely tied to the variations in the surrounding atmospheric environment,particularly air temperature.Additionally,the area of the active layer on the TP displays a profound interdecadal change around 2000,arising from the permafrost thawing and forming.It consistently decreases before 2000 but barely changes after 2000.The regional variation in the permafrost active layer over the TP revealed in this study indicates a complex response of the contemporary climate under global warming.展开更多
Accurate initial soil conditions play a crucial role in simulating soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes in land surface process modeling.This study emphasized the influence of the initial soil temperature(ST)an...Accurate initial soil conditions play a crucial role in simulating soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes in land surface process modeling.This study emphasized the influence of the initial soil temperature(ST)and soil moisture(SM)conditions on a land surface energy and water simulation in the permafrost region in the Tibetan Plateau(TP)using the Community Land Model version 5.0(CLM5.0).The results indicate that the default initial schemes for ST and SM in CLM5.0 were simplistic,and inaccurately represented the soil characteristics of permafrost in the TP which led to underestimating ST during the freezing period while overestimating ST and underestimating SLW during the thawing period at the XDT site.Applying the long-term spin-up method to obtain initial soil conditions has only led to limited improvement in simulating soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes.The modified initial soil schemes proposed in this study comprehensively incorporate the characteristics of permafrost,which coexists with soil liquid water(SLW),and soil ice(SI)when the ST is below freezing temperature,effectively enhancing the accuracy of the simulated soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes.Consequently,the modified initial soil schemes greatly improved upon the results achieved through the long-term spin-up method.Three modified initial soil schemes experiments resulted in a 64%,88%,and 77%reduction in the average mean bias error(MBE)of ST,and a 13%,21%,and 19%reduction in the average root-mean-square error(RMSE)of SLW compared to the default simulation results.Also,the average MBE of net radiation was reduced by 7%,22%,and 21%.展开更多
During the construction of cast-in-place piles in warm permafrost,the heat carried by concrete and the cement hydration reaction can cause strong thermal disturbance to the surrounding permafrost.Since the bearing cap...During the construction of cast-in-place piles in warm permafrost,the heat carried by concrete and the cement hydration reaction can cause strong thermal disturbance to the surrounding permafrost.Since the bearing capacity of the pile is quite small before the full freeze-back,the quick refreezing of the native soils surrounding the cast-in-place pile has become the focus of the infrastructure construction in permafrost.To solve this problem,this paper innovatively puts forward the application of the artificial ground freezing(AGF)method at the end of the curing period of cast-in-place piles in permafrost.A field test on the AGF was conducted at the Beiluhe Observation and Research Station of Frozen Soil Engineering and Environment(34°51.2'N,92°56.4'E)in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau(QTP),and then a 3-D numerical model was established to investigate the thermal performance of piles using AGF under different engineering conditions.Additionally,the long-term thermal performance of piles after the completion of AGF under different conditions was estimated.Field experiment results demonstrate that AGF is an effective method to reduce the refreezing time of the soil surrounding the piles constructed in permafrost terrain,with the ability to reduce the pile-soil interface temperatures to below the natural ground temperature within 3 days.Numerical results further prove that AGF still has a good cooling effect even under unfavorable engineering conditions such as high pouring temperature,large pile diameter,and large pile length.Consequently,the application of this method is meaningful to save the subsequent latency time and solve the problem of thermal disturbance in pile construction in permafrost.The research results are highly relevant for the spread of AGF technology and the rapid building of pile foundations in permafrost.展开更多
Due to the great influences of both climate warming and human activities,permafrost on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau(QXP) has been undergoing considerable degradation.Continuous degradation of plateau permafrost dramatic...Due to the great influences of both climate warming and human activities,permafrost on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau(QXP) has been undergoing considerable degradation.Continuous degradation of plateau permafrost dramatically modifies the regional water cycle and hydrological processes,affecting the hydrogeological conditions,and ground hydrothermal status in cold regions.Permafrost thawing impacts the ecological environment,engineering facilities,and carbon storage functions,releasing some major greenhouse gases and exacerbating climate change.Despite the utilization of advanced research methodologies to investigate the changing hydrological processes and the corresponding influencing factors in permafrost regions,there still exist knowledge gaps in multivariate data,quantitative analysis of permafrost degradation's impact on various water bodies,and systematic hydrological modeling on the QXP.This review summarizes the main research methods in permafrost hydrology and elaborates on the impacts of permafrost degradation on regional precipitation distribution patterns,changes in surface runoff,expansion of thermokarst lakes/ponds,and groundwater dynamics on the QXP.Then,we discuss the current inadequacies and future research priorities,including multiple methods,observation data,and spatial and temporal scales,to provide a reference for a comprehensive analysis of the hydrological and environmental effects of permafrost degradation on the QXP under a warming climate.展开更多
In recent years,lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have become more responsive to climate change.In September 2011,Zonag Lake in Hoh Xil experienced sudden drainage,the water eventually flowed into Yanhu Lake,which ca...In recent years,lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have become more responsive to climate change.In September 2011,Zonag Lake in Hoh Xil experienced sudden drainage,the water eventually flowed into Yanhu Lake,which caused Yanhu Lake to continue to expand.The potential collapse of Yanhu Lake could directly threaten the operational safety of the adjacent Qinghai-Xizang Highway,Qinghai-Xizang Railway.To explore the implications of expanding lakes on the surrounding permafrost,we selected Hoh Xil Yanhu Lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study the effect of lake expansion on permafrost degradation.The permafrost degradation in the Yanhu Lake basin from October 2017 to December 2022 was inverted using Sentinel-1 satellite image data and small baseline subset interferometry synthetic aperture radar(SBAS-In SAR)technology.Additionally,permafrost degradation from February 2007 and February 2010 was analyzed using advanced land observing satellite phased array-type L-band synthetic aperture radar(ALOS PALSAR)satellite images and differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar(D-In SAR)technique.The results showed that the permafrost around Yanhu Lake experienced accelerated degradation.Prior to the expansion of Yanhu Lake,the average annual deformation rate along the line of sight(LOS)direction was 6.7 mm/yr.After the expansion,the rate increased to 20.9 mm/yr.The integration of spatial-temporal distribution maps of surface subsidence,Wudaoliang borehole geothermal data,meteorological data,Yanhu Lake surface area changes,and water level changes supports the assertion that the intensified permafrost degradation could be attributed to lake expansion rather than the rising air temperature.Furthermore,permafrost degradation around Yanhu Lake could impact vital infrastructure such as the adjacent Qinghai-Xizang Highway and Qinghai-Xizang Railway.展开更多
Permafrost regions of Qilian Mountains in China are rich in gas hydrate resources.Once greenhouse gases in deep frozen layer are released into the atmosphere during hydrate mining,a series of negative consequences occ...Permafrost regions of Qilian Mountains in China are rich in gas hydrate resources.Once greenhouse gases in deep frozen layer are released into the atmosphere during hydrate mining,a series of negative consequences occur.This study aims to evaluate the impact of hydrate thermal exploitation on regional permafrost and carbon budgets based on a multi-physical field coupling simulation.The results indicate that the permeability of the frozen soil is anisotropic,and the low permeability frozen layer can seal the methane gas in the natural state.Heat injection mining of hydrates causes the continuous melting of permafrost and the escape of methane gas,which transforms the regional permafrost from a carbon sink to a carbon source.A higher injection temperature concentrates the heat and causes uneven melting of the upper frozen layer,which provides a dominant channel for methane gas and results in increased methane emissions.However,dense heat injection wells cause more uniform melting of the lower permafrost layer,and the melting zone does not extend to the upper low permeability formation,which cannot provide advantageous channels for methane gas.Therefore,a reasonable and dense number of heat injection wells can reduce the risk of greenhouse gas emissions during hydrate exploitation.展开更多
This study aimed to investigate the performance evolution characteristics of concrete under permafrost ambient temperatures and to explore methods to mitigate the thermal perturbation by concrete on the permafrost env...This study aimed to investigate the performance evolution characteristics of concrete under permafrost ambient temperatures and to explore methods to mitigate the thermal perturbation by concrete on the permafrost environment.A program was designed to investigate the properties of various concretes at three curing conditions.The compressive strength development pattern of each group was evaluated and the concrete's performance was characterized by compressive strength damage degree,hydration temperature and SEM analysis in a low temperature environment.The experimental results show that the incorporation of fly ash alone or incombination with other admixtures in concrete under low-temperature curing does not deteriorate its microstructure,and at the same time,it can slow down the hydration rate of cement and significantly reduce the exothermic heat of hydration of concrete.These findings are expected to provide valuable references for the proportioning design of concrete in permafrost environments.展开更多
Soil erosion on highway side-slope has been recognized as a cause of environmental damage and a potential threat to road embankments in the high-altitude permafrost regions.To assess the risk to roads and to protect t...Soil erosion on highway side-slope has been recognized as a cause of environmental damage and a potential threat to road embankments in the high-altitude permafrost regions.To assess the risk to roads and to protect them effectively,it is crucial to clarify the mechanisms governing roadside erosion.However,the cold climate and extremely vulnerable environment under permafrost conditions may result in a unique process of roadside erosion,which differs from the results of current studies conducted at lower altitudes.In this study,a field survey was conducted to investigate side-slope rill erosion along the permafrost section of a highway on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China.Variations in erosion rates have been revealed,and intense erosion risks(with an average erosion rate of 13.05 kg/m^(2)/a)have been identified on the northern side of the Tanggula Mountains.In the case of individual rills,the detailed rill morphology data indicate that the rill heads are generally close to the slope top and that erosion predominantly occurs in the upper parts of highway slopes,as they are affected by road surface runoff.In the road segment scale,the Pearson correlation and principal component analysis results revealed that the protective effect of vegetation,which was influenced by precipitation,was greater than the erosive effect of precipitation on roadside erosion.A random forest model was then adopted to quantify the importance of influencing factors,and the slope gradient was identified as the most significant factor,with a value of 0.474.Accordingly,the integrated slope and slope length index(L0.5S2)proved to be a reliable predictor,and a comprehensive model was built for highway side-slope rill erosion prediction(model efficiency=0.802).These results could be helpful for highway side-slope conservation and ecological risk prediction in alpine permafrost areas.展开更多
There is 78%permafrost and seasonal frozen soil in the Yangtze River’s Source Region(SRYR),which is situated in the middle of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.Three distinct scenarios were developed in the Soil and Water A...There is 78%permafrost and seasonal frozen soil in the Yangtze River’s Source Region(SRYR),which is situated in the middle of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.Three distinct scenarios were developed in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT)to model the effects of land cover change(LCC)on various water balance components.Discharge and percolation of groundwater have decreased by mid-December.This demonstrates the seasonal contributions of subsurface water,which diminish when soil freezes.During winter,when surface water inputs are low,groundwater storage becomes even more critical to ensure water supply due to this periodic trend.An impermeable layer underneath the active layer thickness decreases GWQ and PERC in LCC+permafrost scenario.The water transport and storage phase reached a critical point in August when precipitation,permafrost thawing,and snowmelt caused LATQ to surge.To prevent waterlogging and save water for dry periods,it is necessary to control this peak flow phase.Hydrological processes,permafrost dynamics,and land cover changes in the SRYR are difficult,according to the data.These interactions enhance water circulation throughout the year,recharge of groundwater supplies,surface runoff,and lateral flow.For the region’s water resource management to be effective in sustaining ecohydrology,ensuring appropriate water storage,and alleviating freshwater scarcity,these dynamics must be considered.展开更多
Permafrost in Northeast China is undergoing extensive and rapid degradation,and it is of great importance to understand the dynamics of vegetation response to permafrost degradation during different periods in this re...Permafrost in Northeast China is undergoing extensive and rapid degradation,and it is of great importance to understand the dynamics of vegetation response to permafrost degradation during different periods in this region.Based on the meteorological station data and MODIS land surface temperature data,we mapped the distribution of permafrost using the surface frost number(SFN)model to analyze the permafrost degradation processes in Northeast China from 1981 to 2020.We investigated the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of vegetation and its response to permafrost degradation during different periods from 1982 to 2020 using the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI).We further discussed the dominant factors influencing the vegetation dynamics in the permafrost degradation processes.Results indicated that the permafrost area in Northeast China decreased significantly by 1.01×10^(5) km^(2) in the past 40 a.The permafrost stability continued to weaken,with large areas of stable permafrost(SP)converted to semi-stable permafrost(SSP)and unstable permafrost(UP)after 2000.From 1982 to 2020,NDVI exhibited a significant decreasing trend in the seasonal frost(SF)region,while it exhibited an increasing trend in the permafrost region.NDVI in the UP and SSP regions changed from a significant increasing trend before 2000 to a nonsignificant decreasing trend after 2000.In 78.63%of the permafrost region,there was a negative correlation between the SFN and NDVI from 1982 to 2020.In the SP and SSP regions,the correlation between the SFN and NDVI was predominantly negative,while in the UP region,it was predominantly positive.Temperature was the dominant factor influencing the NDVI variations in the permafrost region from 1982 to 2020,and the impact of precipitation on NDVI variations increased after 2000.The findings elucidate the complex dynamics of vegetation in the permafrost region of Northeast China and provide deeper insights into the response mechanisms of vegetation in cold regions to permafrost degradation induced by climate change.展开更多
Soil microbial communities are pivotal in permafrost biogeochemical cycles,yet the variations of abundant and rare microbial taxa and their impacts on greenhouse gas emissions in different seasons,remain elusive,espec...Soil microbial communities are pivotal in permafrost biogeochemical cycles,yet the variations of abundant and rare microbial taxa and their impacts on greenhouse gas emissions in different seasons,remain elusive,especially in the case of soil archaea.Here,we conducted a study on soil abundant and rare archaeal taxa during the growing and non-growing seasons in the active layer of alpine permafrost in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.The results suggested that,for the archaeal communities in the sub-layer,abundant taxa exhibited higher diversity,while rare taxa maintained a more stable composition from the growing to non-growing season.Water soluble organic carbon and soil porosity were the most significant environmental variables affecting the compositions of abundant and rare taxa,respectively.Stochastic and deterministic processes dominated the assemblies of rare and abundant taxa,respectively.The archaeal ecological network influenced N_(2)O flux through different modules.Rare taxa performed an essential role in stabilizing the network and exerting important effects on N_(2)O flux.Our study provides a pioneering and comprehensive investigation aimed at unravelling the mechanisms by which archaea or other microorganisms influence greenhouse gas emissions in the alpine permafrost.展开更多
The Tibetan Plateau(TP)has undergone significant warming and humidification in recent years,resulting in rapid permafrost degradation and spatiotemporal variations in hydrological processes,such as subsurface water tr...The Tibetan Plateau(TP)has undergone significant warming and humidification in recent years,resulting in rapid permafrost degradation and spatiotemporal variations in hydrological processes,such as subsurface water transport,hydrothermal conversion,and runoff generation.Understanding the mechanisms of hydrological processes in permafrost areas under changing climate is crucial for accurately evaluating hydrological responses on the TP.This study comprehensively discusses the permafrost hydrological processes of the TP under changing climate.Topics include climate conditions and permafrost states,subsurface water transport under freeze-thaw conditions,development of thermokarst lakes and hydrothermal processes,and runoff response during permafrost degradation.This study offers a comprehensive understanding of permafrost changes and their hydrological responses,contributing significantly to water security and sustainable development on the TP.展开更多
Thermal infrared satellite imagery is increasingly utilized in permafrost studies.One useful application of the land surface temperature(LST)products is classification and mapping of landscapes in permafrost regions,a...Thermal infrared satellite imagery is increasingly utilized in permafrost studies.One useful application of the land surface temperature(LST)products is classification and mapping of landscapes in permafrost regions,as LST values can help differentiate between frozen and unfrozen ground.This article describes a new approach to the use of LST.The essence of the new approach lies in the fact that in the territory where it is impossible to determine(indicate)the state of the underlying ground according to the same morphological characteristics(relief,vegetation,soil composition,etc.),the LST parameter,which reflects the thermal state of the landscape,allows as an additional criterion(indicator)identify frozen/un-frozen landscapes.In this work,using the above approach,a map has been compiled,which shows the permafrost natural-territorial complexes of the Elkon Massif,Eastern Siberia,including topography,slope aspect,slope angle,vegetation,snow cover and LST.The map provides a more detailed and updated description of permafrost distribution in the study area.展开更多
The distribution and variations of permafrost in the Xidatan region, the northern permafrost boundary of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, were examined and analyzed using ground penetrating radar(GPR), borehole drilling, an...The distribution and variations of permafrost in the Xidatan region, the northern permafrost boundary of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, were examined and analyzed using ground penetrating radar(GPR), borehole drilling, and thermal monitoring data. Results from GPR profiles together with borehole verification indicate that the lowest elevation limit of permafrost occurrence is 4369 m above sea level in 2012. Compared to previous studies, the maximal rise of permafrost limit is 28 m from 1975 to 2012. The total area of permafrost in the study region has been decreased by 13.8%. One of the two previously existed permafrost islands has disappeared and second one has reduced by 76% in area during the past ~40 years. In addition, the ground temperature in the Xidatan region has increased from 2012 to 2016, with a mean warming rate of ~0.004℃ a^(-1) and ~0.003℃ a^(-1) at the depths of 6 and 15 m, respectively. The rising of permafrost limit in the Xidatan region is mainly due to globalwarming. However, some non-climatic factors such as hydrologic processes and anthropic disturbances have also induced permafrost degradation. If the air temperature continues to increase, the northern permafrost boundary in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau may continue rising in the future.展开更多
In boreal forest ecosystems, permafrost and forest types are mutually interdependent;permafrost degradation impacts forest ecosystem structure and functions. The Xing’an permafrost in Northeast China is on the southe...In boreal forest ecosystems, permafrost and forest types are mutually interdependent;permafrost degradation impacts forest ecosystem structure and functions. The Xing’an permafrost in Northeast China is on the southern margin of the Eastern Asia latitudinal permafrost body. Under a warming climate, permafrost undergoes rapid and extensive degradation. In this study, the frost-number (Fn) model based on air temperatures and ground surface temperatures was used to predict the distribution of the Xing’an permafrost, and, temporal and spatial changes in air and ground-surface temperatures from 1961 to 2019 are analyzed. The results show that Northeast China has experienced a rapid and substantial climate warming over the past 60 years. The rises in mean annual air and mean annual ground-surface temperatures were higher in permafrost zones than those in the seasonal frost zone. The frost numbers of air and ground-surface temperatures were calculated for determining the southern limit of latitudinal permafrost and for permafrost zonation. The southern limits of discontinuous permafrost, sporadic permafrost, and latitudinal permafrost moved northward significantly. According to the air-temperature frost-number criteria for permafrost zoning, compared with that in the 1960s, the extent of Xing’an permafrost in Northeast China had decreased by 40.6% by the 2010s. With an average rate of increase in mean annual air temperatures at 0.03 ℃ a^(−1), the extent of permafrost in Northeast China will decrease to 26.42 × 10^(4) by 2020, 14.69 × 10^(4) by 2040 and to 11.24 × 10^(4) km^(2) by 2050. According to the ground-surface temperature frost-number criteria, the southern limit of latitudinal permafrost was at the 0.463. From the 1960s to the 2010s, the extent of latitudinal permafrost declined significantly. Due to the nature of the ecosystem-protected Xing’an-Baikal permafrost, management and protection (e.g., more prudent and effective forest fire management and proper logging of forests) of the Xing’an permafrost eco-environment should be strengthened.展开更多
文摘In contrast to glaciological studies in Mexico,periglacial studies are very recent and limited to the analysis of the general permafrost cover in the high mountains of the country.Although some of the studies on the reconstruction of Pleistocene glaciers in Mexico mention the existence of rock glaciers,to date no work has been done to study their physical properties or determining their state of conservation.Since rock glaciers are the most important visible indicators of mountain permafrost(along with features such as gelifluction lobes and patterned ground)and given that the“Nevado”rock glacier is the main example of its kind in Mexico,this study analyzes its internal temperature and assesses its state of conservation.The investigation was carried out by drilling and thermal monitoring of rock profiles as well as air.The results indicate that at present,the“Nevado”seems to lack permafrost inside.Although there is evidence of surface freezing during the winter months in the upper part of the rock glacier,in the lower portion it is almost unnoticed;and in both parts the internal temperature shows a tendency towards positive values as depth increases,a situation that predominates throughout the year.In addition,according to the records of the climatological station located in the lower part of the rock glacier,although the annual rainfall regime could be favorable for the formation and feeding of interstitial or segregated ice,the air temperature conditions throughout the year prevent permanent freezing.The sum of the above determines that at present the“Nevado”could be considered as an inactive and relict-type rock glacier;the presence of vegetation on the surface of the debris that make it up corroborates its inactivity.
基金funded by the Science and Technology program of Gansu Province(Grant No.23ZDFA017)Longyuan Young Talents(D.Luo),Western Young Scholars Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(D.Luo)National Natural Science Foundation of China(U2243214).
文摘Permafrost,a critical component of Earth’s climate system,is increasingly subject to abrupt thaw events,which jeopardize infrastructure,reshape landforms,alter hydrological regimes,and disrupt ecosystems,thereby posing substantial threats to global sustainability.However,the underlying mechanisms that trigger these abrupt transitions remain incompletely understood.Here,we present decade-long in-situ observations from HRQ1,a marginal permafrost site in the Headwater Area of the Yellow River,northeastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.These data reveal the formation and growth of a talik,indicative of a permafrost tipping point.Absent before 2017,the talik subsequently formed and progressively deepened,extending to the maximum observation depth of 300 cm by 2024.The transition from perennially frozen to thawed conditions was accompanied by a substantial increase in mean annual soil temperature(MAST)throughout the entire soil profile.From 2015 to 2023,MAST in the upper 200 cm rose from sub-zero(−0.30 to−0.49℃)to consistently above 0℃(0.07 to 1.08℃).Concurrently,maximum daily soil temperatures in deeper layers(200–300 cm)became positive,indicating thaw propagation into the relict permafrost.This warming coincided with a marked increase in unfrozen soil moisture,particularly within the expanding talik.The rapid,non-linear deepening of the talik,far exceeding rates attributable to conductive heat transfer alone,was driven by a strong convective mechanism(Rayleigh-Darcy instability).This advective process was triggered when the soil profile became fully saturated,a condition resulting from the convergence of intensified rainfall and enhanced water retention linked to decadal vegetation greening.Intriguingly,despite the accelerated subsurface warming,the annual amplitude of ground surface temperature decreased from 29.0±2.8℃ to 24.5±3.6℃ following talik formation,likely due to the buffering effect of increased vegetation cover,which modified the surface energy balance.Our results demonstrate that climatic warming and wetting can initiate a cascade of internal feedbacks,propelling marginal permafrost beyond an abrupt tipping point.These findings emphasize the acute vulnerability of marginal permafrost and highlight the urgent necessity for sustained monitoring to assess ecosystem stability and quantify associated greenhouse gas emissions.
基金supported by the Key Innovative Project of National Importance“Unified National System for Monitoring Climate-active Substances”。
文摘In 2022,the Russian Federation commenced development of a national system for permafrost monitoring.The conceptual design of this system reflects three objectives:(1)to collect data on the impact of climate change on permafrost,(2)to provide data for evaluation of climate-permafrost feedback,and(3)to provide input to a model-based permafrost data assimilation system.It is intended that the system will eventually consist of 30 active layer monitoring sites and 140 boreholes situated near existing weather stations.As of October 2024,the network comprised 38 sites spanning from the High Arctic islands to the Altai Mountains and across western and eastern Siberia.Among these sites,the lowest recorded temperature at the depth of zero annual amplitude is-11.3℃and the minimum active layer thickness is 0.3 m,as observed on the New Siberian Archipelago.In most boreholes,a positive vertical temperature gradient exists below the depth of zero annual amplitude,indicative of ongoing warming of the upper permafrost layer attributable to climate change.The annual maximum active layer thickness is observed in September with only two exceptions:at the High Arctic sites on Franz Josef Land and Wiese Island and in the low-latitude Sayan Mountain region,where maximum thawing is observed at the end of August.Talik was found in boreholes in Salekhard and Altai where the upper boundary of the permafrost is located at depth of 6-10 m.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Excellent Young Scientists Fund Program(No.42222105)the National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program(No.42171144)+1 种基金the Assessment of Ecosystem Carbon Stock and Turnover Patterns in Qinghai Province(No.2021-SFA7-1-1)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(No.2021QZKK0100)。
文摘Bacterial communities play a crucial role in permafrost biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function maintenance.Bacterial interaction is one of the main factors in shaping soil bacterial communities.However,how would bacterial interaction influence the bacterial communities in permafrost of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)remains largely unknown.Here we collected paired soil samples from both the active and permafrost layers of two typical QTP permafrost regions in October 2020 for Tuotuohe River(TTH)and May 2022 for Aerjin(ARJ),and investigated the bacterial communities and the role of interactions in structuring the bacterial community and its assembly process through amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.Our study revealed distinct bacterial communities,with significant differences in the relative abundances of Proteobacteria(P<0.05),Acidobacteriota(P<0.001),Bacteroidota(P<0.05),and Planctomycetota(P<0.001)between the active layer and the permafrost layer.More importantly,we found that interspecies interactions,including both positive and negative associations,were strongly correlated with bacterial alpha-diversity and played a significant role in community variation and assembly process.Our findings also showed that the community assembly in both the active and permafrost layers was primarily driven by homogeneous selection of deterministic processes,with interspecies interactions accounting for more than 58%and 63%of all assembly mechanisms,respectively.This is the first study to quantify the contribution of bacterial interactions in shaping the bacterial community and its assembly process in permafrost of QTP,highlighting the importance of considering interspecies interactions in future modeling efforts.Our work also emphasizes the necessity of including interspecies interactions in microbial process projections to reduce uncertainty.
基金financially supported in part by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(2021QZKK0205)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42230512).
文摘The thawing and warming of ice-rich permafrost present a considerable threat to the long-term stability of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway(QXR)on the roof of the world—that is,the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau(QXP).In this review,we explore the extent of the observed permafrost degradation and embankment damage under the coupled impacts of climate change and engineering construction.The ice-rich permafrost beneath the embankment presents a substantial threat to the thermal-mechanical stability of the embankment due to the permafrost’s accelerated and amplified degradation.The observed embankment deformation has a potential high risk of thaw settlement,especially for 656 embankment-bridge sections,whose potential high risk of thaw settlement may be as great as 25%.Several techniques for roadbed cooling can be used to alleviate these impacts,including crushed rock structure embankments(CRSEs),thermosyphons,and reinforcement measures,which have been demonstrated to be successful in cooling the underlying permafrost and stabilizing an embankment.Under future climate change and permafrost degradation,however,the QXR still faces a high risk of embankment damage caused by permafrost degradation and requires more effective methods to reinforce the thermal-mechanical stability of permafrost.Therefore,a better understanding of such high-risk regions is needed,and roadbed cooling techniques will require further adaption in order to address the issues brought by climate change.
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(STEP)program[grant number 2019QZKK0102]the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS[grant number 2021073]the special fund of the Yunnan University“double firstclass”construction.
文摘The active layer,acting as an intermediary of water and heat exchange between permafrost and atmosphere,greatly influences biogeochemical cycles in permafrost areas and is notably sensitive to climate fluctuations.Utilizing the Chinese Meteorological Forcing Dataset to drive the Community Land Model,version 5.0,this study simulates the spatial and temporal characteristics of active layer thickness(ALT)on the Tibetan Plateau(TP)from 1980 to 2020.Results show that the ALT,primarily observed in the central and western parts of the TP where there are insufficient station observations,exhibits significant interdecadal changes after 2000.The average thickness on the TP decreases from 2.54 m during 1980–1999 to 2.28 m during 2000–2020.This change is mainly observed in the western permafrost region,displaying a sharp regional inconsistency compared to the eastern region.A persistent increasing trend of ALT is found in the eastern permafrost region,rather than an interdecadal change.The aforementioned changes in ALT are closely tied to the variations in the surrounding atmospheric environment,particularly air temperature.Additionally,the area of the active layer on the TP displays a profound interdecadal change around 2000,arising from the permafrost thawing and forming.It consistently decreases before 2000 but barely changes after 2000.The regional variation in the permafrost active layer over the TP revealed in this study indicates a complex response of the contemporary climate under global warming.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.U20A2081)West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.xbzg-zdsys-202102)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(STEP)Project(Grant No.2019QZKK0105).
文摘Accurate initial soil conditions play a crucial role in simulating soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes in land surface process modeling.This study emphasized the influence of the initial soil temperature(ST)and soil moisture(SM)conditions on a land surface energy and water simulation in the permafrost region in the Tibetan Plateau(TP)using the Community Land Model version 5.0(CLM5.0).The results indicate that the default initial schemes for ST and SM in CLM5.0 were simplistic,and inaccurately represented the soil characteristics of permafrost in the TP which led to underestimating ST during the freezing period while overestimating ST and underestimating SLW during the thawing period at the XDT site.Applying the long-term spin-up method to obtain initial soil conditions has only led to limited improvement in simulating soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes.The modified initial soil schemes proposed in this study comprehensively incorporate the characteristics of permafrost,which coexists with soil liquid water(SLW),and soil ice(SI)when the ST is below freezing temperature,effectively enhancing the accuracy of the simulated soil hydrothermal and surface energy fluxes.Consequently,the modified initial soil schemes greatly improved upon the results achieved through the long-term spin-up method.Three modified initial soil schemes experiments resulted in a 64%,88%,and 77%reduction in the average mean bias error(MBE)of ST,and a 13%,21%,and 19%reduction in the average root-mean-square error(RMSE)of SLW compared to the default simulation results.Also,the average MBE of net radiation was reduced by 7%,22%,and 21%.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42071095)the Program of the State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering(Grant No.SKLFSE-ZQ-59)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Project of Gansu Province(Grant No.22JR5RA086)the Science and Technology Research and Development Program of the Qinghai-Tibet Group Corporation(Grant No.QZ2022-G02).
文摘During the construction of cast-in-place piles in warm permafrost,the heat carried by concrete and the cement hydration reaction can cause strong thermal disturbance to the surrounding permafrost.Since the bearing capacity of the pile is quite small before the full freeze-back,the quick refreezing of the native soils surrounding the cast-in-place pile has become the focus of the infrastructure construction in permafrost.To solve this problem,this paper innovatively puts forward the application of the artificial ground freezing(AGF)method at the end of the curing period of cast-in-place piles in permafrost.A field test on the AGF was conducted at the Beiluhe Observation and Research Station of Frozen Soil Engineering and Environment(34°51.2'N,92°56.4'E)in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau(QTP),and then a 3-D numerical model was established to investigate the thermal performance of piles using AGF under different engineering conditions.Additionally,the long-term thermal performance of piles after the completion of AGF under different conditions was estimated.Field experiment results demonstrate that AGF is an effective method to reduce the refreezing time of the soil surrounding the piles constructed in permafrost terrain,with the ability to reduce the pile-soil interface temperatures to below the natural ground temperature within 3 days.Numerical results further prove that AGF still has a good cooling effect even under unfavorable engineering conditions such as high pouring temperature,large pile diameter,and large pile length.Consequently,the application of this method is meaningful to save the subsequent latency time and solve the problem of thermal disturbance in pile construction in permafrost.The research results are highly relevant for the spread of AGF technology and the rapid building of pile foundations in permafrost.
基金supported by the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,CAS(Grant No.ZDBS-LY-DQC026).
文摘Due to the great influences of both climate warming and human activities,permafrost on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau(QXP) has been undergoing considerable degradation.Continuous degradation of plateau permafrost dramatically modifies the regional water cycle and hydrological processes,affecting the hydrogeological conditions,and ground hydrothermal status in cold regions.Permafrost thawing impacts the ecological environment,engineering facilities,and carbon storage functions,releasing some major greenhouse gases and exacerbating climate change.Despite the utilization of advanced research methodologies to investigate the changing hydrological processes and the corresponding influencing factors in permafrost regions,there still exist knowledge gaps in multivariate data,quantitative analysis of permafrost degradation's impact on various water bodies,and systematic hydrological modeling on the QXP.This review summarizes the main research methods in permafrost hydrology and elaborates on the impacts of permafrost degradation on regional precipitation distribution patterns,changes in surface runoff,expansion of thermokarst lakes/ponds,and groundwater dynamics on the QXP.Then,we discuss the current inadequacies and future research priorities,including multiple methods,observation data,and spatial and temporal scales,to provide a reference for a comprehensive analysis of the hydrological and environmental effects of permafrost degradation on the QXP under a warming climate.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Qinghai Province,China(No.2021-ZJ940Q)。
文摘In recent years,lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have become more responsive to climate change.In September 2011,Zonag Lake in Hoh Xil experienced sudden drainage,the water eventually flowed into Yanhu Lake,which caused Yanhu Lake to continue to expand.The potential collapse of Yanhu Lake could directly threaten the operational safety of the adjacent Qinghai-Xizang Highway,Qinghai-Xizang Railway.To explore the implications of expanding lakes on the surrounding permafrost,we selected Hoh Xil Yanhu Lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study the effect of lake expansion on permafrost degradation.The permafrost degradation in the Yanhu Lake basin from October 2017 to December 2022 was inverted using Sentinel-1 satellite image data and small baseline subset interferometry synthetic aperture radar(SBAS-In SAR)technology.Additionally,permafrost degradation from February 2007 and February 2010 was analyzed using advanced land observing satellite phased array-type L-band synthetic aperture radar(ALOS PALSAR)satellite images and differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar(D-In SAR)technique.The results showed that the permafrost around Yanhu Lake experienced accelerated degradation.Prior to the expansion of Yanhu Lake,the average annual deformation rate along the line of sight(LOS)direction was 6.7 mm/yr.After the expansion,the rate increased to 20.9 mm/yr.The integration of spatial-temporal distribution maps of surface subsidence,Wudaoliang borehole geothermal data,meteorological data,Yanhu Lake surface area changes,and water level changes supports the assertion that the intensified permafrost degradation could be attributed to lake expansion rather than the rising air temperature.Furthermore,permafrost degradation around Yanhu Lake could impact vital infrastructure such as the adjacent Qinghai-Xizang Highway and Qinghai-Xizang Railway.
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(No.2019QZKK0904)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42107190,41972287 and 42277144)。
文摘Permafrost regions of Qilian Mountains in China are rich in gas hydrate resources.Once greenhouse gases in deep frozen layer are released into the atmosphere during hydrate mining,a series of negative consequences occur.This study aims to evaluate the impact of hydrate thermal exploitation on regional permafrost and carbon budgets based on a multi-physical field coupling simulation.The results indicate that the permeability of the frozen soil is anisotropic,and the low permeability frozen layer can seal the methane gas in the natural state.Heat injection mining of hydrates causes the continuous melting of permafrost and the escape of methane gas,which transforms the regional permafrost from a carbon sink to a carbon source.A higher injection temperature concentrates the heat and causes uneven melting of the upper frozen layer,which provides a dominant channel for methane gas and results in increased methane emissions.However,dense heat injection wells cause more uniform melting of the lower permafrost layer,and the melting zone does not extend to the upper low permeability formation,which cannot provide advantageous channels for methane gas.Therefore,a reasonable and dense number of heat injection wells can reduce the risk of greenhouse gas emissions during hydrate exploitation.
基金Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52068035,52078372,and 52478272)。
文摘This study aimed to investigate the performance evolution characteristics of concrete under permafrost ambient temperatures and to explore methods to mitigate the thermal perturbation by concrete on the permafrost environment.A program was designed to investigate the properties of various concretes at three curing conditions.The compressive strength development pattern of each group was evaluated and the concrete's performance was characterized by compressive strength damage degree,hydration temperature and SEM analysis in a low temperature environment.The experimental results show that the incorporation of fly ash alone or incombination with other admixtures in concrete under low-temperature curing does not deteriorate its microstructure,and at the same time,it can slow down the hydration rate of cement and significantly reduce the exothermic heat of hydration of concrete.These findings are expected to provide valuable references for the proportioning design of concrete in permafrost environments.
基金funded by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(STEP),grant number 2021QZKK0203the National Key Research and Development Program of China,grant number 2021YFB2600105.
文摘Soil erosion on highway side-slope has been recognized as a cause of environmental damage and a potential threat to road embankments in the high-altitude permafrost regions.To assess the risk to roads and to protect them effectively,it is crucial to clarify the mechanisms governing roadside erosion.However,the cold climate and extremely vulnerable environment under permafrost conditions may result in a unique process of roadside erosion,which differs from the results of current studies conducted at lower altitudes.In this study,a field survey was conducted to investigate side-slope rill erosion along the permafrost section of a highway on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China.Variations in erosion rates have been revealed,and intense erosion risks(with an average erosion rate of 13.05 kg/m^(2)/a)have been identified on the northern side of the Tanggula Mountains.In the case of individual rills,the detailed rill morphology data indicate that the rill heads are generally close to the slope top and that erosion predominantly occurs in the upper parts of highway slopes,as they are affected by road surface runoff.In the road segment scale,the Pearson correlation and principal component analysis results revealed that the protective effect of vegetation,which was influenced by precipitation,was greater than the erosive effect of precipitation on roadside erosion.A random forest model was then adopted to quantify the importance of influencing factors,and the slope gradient was identified as the most significant factor,with a value of 0.474.Accordingly,the integrated slope and slope length index(L0.5S2)proved to be a reliable predictor,and a comprehensive model was built for highway side-slope rill erosion prediction(model efficiency=0.802).These results could be helpful for highway side-slope conservation and ecological risk prediction in alpine permafrost areas.
基金supported by the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41830752)the General Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.42101397,42071033,41961134003).
文摘There is 78%permafrost and seasonal frozen soil in the Yangtze River’s Source Region(SRYR),which is situated in the middle of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.Three distinct scenarios were developed in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT)to model the effects of land cover change(LCC)on various water balance components.Discharge and percolation of groundwater have decreased by mid-December.This demonstrates the seasonal contributions of subsurface water,which diminish when soil freezes.During winter,when surface water inputs are low,groundwater storage becomes even more critical to ensure water supply due to this periodic trend.An impermeable layer underneath the active layer thickness decreases GWQ and PERC in LCC+permafrost scenario.The water transport and storage phase reached a critical point in August when precipitation,permafrost thawing,and snowmelt caused LATQ to surge.To prevent waterlogging and save water for dry periods,it is necessary to control this peak flow phase.Hydrological processes,permafrost dynamics,and land cover changes in the SRYR are difficult,according to the data.These interactions enhance water circulation throughout the year,recharge of groundwater supplies,surface runoff,and lateral flow.For the region’s water resource management to be effective in sustaining ecohydrology,ensuring appropriate water storage,and alleviating freshwater scarcity,these dynamics must be considered.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41641024)the Science and the Technology Project of Heilongjiang Communications Investment Group(JT-100000-ZC-FW-2021-0182)the Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education-Geological Environment System of the Permafrost Area in Northeast China(MEORS-PGSNEC).
文摘Permafrost in Northeast China is undergoing extensive and rapid degradation,and it is of great importance to understand the dynamics of vegetation response to permafrost degradation during different periods in this region.Based on the meteorological station data and MODIS land surface temperature data,we mapped the distribution of permafrost using the surface frost number(SFN)model to analyze the permafrost degradation processes in Northeast China from 1981 to 2020.We investigated the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of vegetation and its response to permafrost degradation during different periods from 1982 to 2020 using the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI).We further discussed the dominant factors influencing the vegetation dynamics in the permafrost degradation processes.Results indicated that the permafrost area in Northeast China decreased significantly by 1.01×10^(5) km^(2) in the past 40 a.The permafrost stability continued to weaken,with large areas of stable permafrost(SP)converted to semi-stable permafrost(SSP)and unstable permafrost(UP)after 2000.From 1982 to 2020,NDVI exhibited a significant decreasing trend in the seasonal frost(SF)region,while it exhibited an increasing trend in the permafrost region.NDVI in the UP and SSP regions changed from a significant increasing trend before 2000 to a nonsignificant decreasing trend after 2000.In 78.63%of the permafrost region,there was a negative correlation between the SFN and NDVI from 1982 to 2020.In the SP and SSP regions,the correlation between the SFN and NDVI was predominantly negative,while in the UP region,it was predominantly positive.Temperature was the dominant factor influencing the NDVI variations in the permafrost region from 1982 to 2020,and the impact of precipitation on NDVI variations increased after 2000.The findings elucidate the complex dynamics of vegetation in the permafrost region of Northeast China and provide deeper insights into the response mechanisms of vegetation in cold regions to permafrost degradation induced by climate change.
基金supported by Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Program(22ZD6FA005)"Light of the West"Cross-team Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(xbzgzdsys-202214)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41871064)Qinghai Province High-level Innovative"Thousand Talents"Program.
文摘Soil microbial communities are pivotal in permafrost biogeochemical cycles,yet the variations of abundant and rare microbial taxa and their impacts on greenhouse gas emissions in different seasons,remain elusive,especially in the case of soil archaea.Here,we conducted a study on soil abundant and rare archaeal taxa during the growing and non-growing seasons in the active layer of alpine permafrost in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.The results suggested that,for the archaeal communities in the sub-layer,abundant taxa exhibited higher diversity,while rare taxa maintained a more stable composition from the growing to non-growing season.Water soluble organic carbon and soil porosity were the most significant environmental variables affecting the compositions of abundant and rare taxa,respectively.Stochastic and deterministic processes dominated the assemblies of rare and abundant taxa,respectively.The archaeal ecological network influenced N_(2)O flux through different modules.Rare taxa performed an essential role in stabilizing the network and exerting important effects on N_(2)O flux.Our study provides a pioneering and comprehensive investigation aimed at unravelling the mechanisms by which archaea or other microorganisms influence greenhouse gas emissions in the alpine permafrost.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.42201015,U2240217,and U2340213)the Jiangsu Funding Program for Excellent Postdoctoral Talent(Grant No.2022ZB173)the Special Fund of the National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention(Grant No.523024862).
文摘The Tibetan Plateau(TP)has undergone significant warming and humidification in recent years,resulting in rapid permafrost degradation and spatiotemporal variations in hydrological processes,such as subsurface water transport,hydrothermal conversion,and runoff generation.Understanding the mechanisms of hydrological processes in permafrost areas under changing climate is crucial for accurately evaluating hydrological responses on the TP.This study comprehensively discusses the permafrost hydrological processes of the TP under changing climate.Topics include climate conditions and permafrost states,subsurface water transport under freeze-thaw conditions,development of thermokarst lakes and hydrothermal processes,and runoff response during permafrost degradation.This study offers a comprehensive understanding of permafrost changes and their hydrological responses,contributing significantly to water security and sustainable development on the TP.
文摘Thermal infrared satellite imagery is increasingly utilized in permafrost studies.One useful application of the land surface temperature(LST)products is classification and mapping of landscapes in permafrost regions,as LST values can help differentiate between frozen and unfrozen ground.This article describes a new approach to the use of LST.The essence of the new approach lies in the fact that in the territory where it is impossible to determine(indicate)the state of the underlying ground according to the same morphological characteristics(relief,vegetation,soil composition,etc.),the LST parameter,which reflects the thermal state of the landscape,allows as an additional criterion(indicator)identify frozen/un-frozen landscapes.In this work,using the above approach,a map has been compiled,which shows the permafrost natural-territorial complexes of the Elkon Massif,Eastern Siberia,including topography,slope aspect,slope angle,vegetation,snow cover and LST.The map provides a more detailed and updated description of permafrost distribution in the study area.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 41601069) the State Key Program of National Natural Science of China (Grant No. 41730640)the Independent Project of the State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soils Engineering (SKLFSEZT-32 and SKLFSE-ZQ-37)
文摘The distribution and variations of permafrost in the Xidatan region, the northern permafrost boundary of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, were examined and analyzed using ground penetrating radar(GPR), borehole drilling, and thermal monitoring data. Results from GPR profiles together with borehole verification indicate that the lowest elevation limit of permafrost occurrence is 4369 m above sea level in 2012. Compared to previous studies, the maximal rise of permafrost limit is 28 m from 1975 to 2012. The total area of permafrost in the study region has been decreased by 13.8%. One of the two previously existed permafrost islands has disappeared and second one has reduced by 76% in area during the past ~40 years. In addition, the ground temperature in the Xidatan region has increased from 2012 to 2016, with a mean warming rate of ~0.004℃ a^(-1) and ~0.003℃ a^(-1) at the depths of 6 and 15 m, respectively. The rising of permafrost limit in the Xidatan region is mainly due to globalwarming. However, some non-climatic factors such as hydrologic processes and anthropic disturbances have also induced permafrost degradation. If the air temperature continues to increase, the northern permafrost boundary in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau may continue rising in the future.
基金The project is fully funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China Program(Grant Nos.42001052 and 41871052)Startup Research Funding of Northeast Forestry University for Chengdong Outstanding Youth Scholarship(YQ2020-10)+1 种基金Chengdong Leadership(LJ2020-01)the State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soils Engineering Open Fund Project(Grant No.SKLFSE202008).
文摘In boreal forest ecosystems, permafrost and forest types are mutually interdependent;permafrost degradation impacts forest ecosystem structure and functions. The Xing’an permafrost in Northeast China is on the southern margin of the Eastern Asia latitudinal permafrost body. Under a warming climate, permafrost undergoes rapid and extensive degradation. In this study, the frost-number (Fn) model based on air temperatures and ground surface temperatures was used to predict the distribution of the Xing’an permafrost, and, temporal and spatial changes in air and ground-surface temperatures from 1961 to 2019 are analyzed. The results show that Northeast China has experienced a rapid and substantial climate warming over the past 60 years. The rises in mean annual air and mean annual ground-surface temperatures were higher in permafrost zones than those in the seasonal frost zone. The frost numbers of air and ground-surface temperatures were calculated for determining the southern limit of latitudinal permafrost and for permafrost zonation. The southern limits of discontinuous permafrost, sporadic permafrost, and latitudinal permafrost moved northward significantly. According to the air-temperature frost-number criteria for permafrost zoning, compared with that in the 1960s, the extent of Xing’an permafrost in Northeast China had decreased by 40.6% by the 2010s. With an average rate of increase in mean annual air temperatures at 0.03 ℃ a^(−1), the extent of permafrost in Northeast China will decrease to 26.42 × 10^(4) by 2020, 14.69 × 10^(4) by 2040 and to 11.24 × 10^(4) km^(2) by 2050. According to the ground-surface temperature frost-number criteria, the southern limit of latitudinal permafrost was at the 0.463. From the 1960s to the 2010s, the extent of latitudinal permafrost declined significantly. Due to the nature of the ecosystem-protected Xing’an-Baikal permafrost, management and protection (e.g., more prudent and effective forest fire management and proper logging of forests) of the Xing’an permafrost eco-environment should be strengthened.
