Editorial: Organic carbon pools in permafrost regions on the Qinghai–Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau

Abstract

Abstract. The current Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Database did not include organic carbon storage in permafrost regions on the Qinghai–Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau (QXP). In this study, we reported a new estimation of soil organic carbon (SOC) pools in the permafrost regions on the QXP up to 25 m depth using a total of 190 soil profiles. The SOC pools were estimated to be 17.3 ± 5.3 Pg for the 0–1 m depth, 10.6 ± 2.7 Pg for the 1–2 m depth, 5.1 ± 1.4 Pg for the 2–3 m depth and 127.2 ± 37.3 Pg for the layer of 3–25 m depth. The percentage of SOC storage in deep layers (3–25 m) on the QXP (80%) was higher than that (39%) in the yedoma and thermokarst deposits in arctic regions. In total, permafrost regions on the QXP contain approximately 160 ± 87 Pg SOC, of which approximately 132 ± 77 Pg (83%) stores in perennially frozen soils and deposits. Total organic carbon pools in permafrost regions on the QXP was approximately 8.7% of that in northern circumpolar permafrost region. The present study demonstrates that the total organic carbon storage is about 1832 Pg in permafrost regions on northern hemisphere.

The effect of decreasing permafrost stability on ecosystem carbon in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

“…We found significant positive correlations between BPC with SOC at depths of 0–50 cm, which indicates that BPC was likely the main source and dominant influence of SOC density in the upper reaches of the Shule River Basin. This is consistent with the results of other studies that identify plant roots as a major source of SOC 38,42–44 . In addition, the stepwise linear regression analysis results show that SM accounts for the greatest amount of spatial variation in BPC (Table 2).…”

Introduction—Changing Cryosphere Under a Warming Climate

“…Their results showed that the storage of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and soil inorganic carbon is higher in permafrost than in the overlying active layer. Combined with results from previous studies, Mu et al (2015b) recently found that the average soil organic content in permafrost regions over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is higher than that in the Arctic and subarctic. Their results show that the total carbon storage in permafrost regions of the northern hemisphere is about 1832 Pg, approximately 2.5 times greater than the current atmospheric carbon content.…”

State of the Climate in 2016

“…The amount of organic carbon in the Tibetan and North China region is currently estimated at 35.7 Pg (Luo et al 2000;Mu et al 2015;Ding et al 2016). Simple calculations based on extremely limited data suggest that another ~350-465 Pg C can be found in additional deep terrestrial deposits, although more sampling and data synthesis need to be done to verify or revise these potential deep permafrost carbon deposits (Schuur et al 2015).…”