Paleolimnology of thermokarst lakes: a window into permafrost landscape evolution

Arctic Science

Lauren A. MacDonald¹  Reinhard Pienitz²  Frédéric Bouchard³  Roland I. Hall⁴  Andrew S. Medeiros⁴  Kevin W. Turner⁵  Brent B. Wolfe⁵  Joshua R. Thienpont⁶  Jennifer Korosi⁷  Boris K. Biskaborn⁸ 

[1] Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Québec, QC G1K 9A9, Canada;Department of Geography, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada;Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada;Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada;Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada;Department of Periglacial Research, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Potsdam, Germany;Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;

关键词: thermokast lakes;    permafrost;    paleolimnology;    lake sediments;   

DOI  :  10.1139/as-2016-0022

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Widespread across northern permafrost landscapes, thermokarst ponds and lakes provide vital wildlife habitat and play a key role in biogeochemical processes. Stored in the sediments of these typically shallow and dynamic waterbodies are rich sources of paleoenvironmental information whose potential has not yet been fully exploited, likely because of concerns over stratigraphic preservation and challenges to develop reliable sediment core chronologies. Here, we present an overview of recently derived informative paleolimnological reconstructions based on multiparameter analysis of sediment archives from permafrost aquatic basins. We include examples from across the Canadian North, Alaska, and Siberia that illustrate their value for providing insights into temporal patterns of lake inception, catchment erosion, aquatic productivity, hydrological evolution, and landscape disturbances. Although not captured in our survey, emerging research directions focused on carbon accumulation, storage, and balance hold much promise for contributing to global climate change science.

【 授权许可】

Unknown