Impact of degrading permafrost on subsurface solute transport pathways and travel times

Frampton, Andrew

doi:10.1002/2014wr016689

Cited by 59 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…The thickness of the layer of ground above permafrost (i.e. supra-permafrost layer) is expected to continue increasing as a result of warming (Lawrence et al, 2012;Frampton and Destouni, 2015), catalyzing the transition to thermokarst landscapes (Kokelj and Jorgenson, 2013). The supra-permafrost layer includes the active layer, which freezes and thaws annually, but may also include a perennially-unfrozen layer (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrometeorological measurements in peatland‐dominated, discontinuous permafrost at Scotty Creek, Northwest Territories, Canada

Haynes

Connon

Quinton

2019

Geoscience Data Journal

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The discontinuous permafrost region of northwestern Canada is experiencing rapid warming resulting in dramatic land cover change from forested peatland permafrost terrain to treeless wetlands. Extensive research has been conducted throughout this region to gain insight into how climate‐induced land cover change will impact water resources and ecosystem function. This paper presents a hydrological and micrometeorological dataset collected in the Scotty Creek basin, Northwest Territories, Canada over the period of 01 October 2014 to 30 September 2015, a sample of the intensive and coordinated measurements collected annually at this site. Micrometeorological data collected from four stations, one located in each of the land cover types representative of those comprising the Scotty Creek basin including bog, channel fen, stable peat plateau and peat plateau undergoing rapid permafrost degradation and loss, are presented. Monitored micrometeorological variables include incoming and outgoing shortwave and longwave radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation (rain and snow) and snow depth. Deep ground temperatures (~1–10 m below the ground surface) from a channel fen as well as disturbed sites common to the basin including a seismic line and winter road are presented. Water levels were also monitored in the representative land cover types over this period. This dataset is available from the Wilfrid Laurier University Library Research Data Repository (https://doi.org/10.5683/SP/OQDRJG) and can be used in coordination with other hydrological and micrometeorological datasets to examine spatio‐temporal effects of meteorological conditions on local hydrological responses across cold regions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrometeorological measurements in peatland‐dominated, discontinuous permafrost at Scotty Creek, Northwest Territories, Canada

Haynes

Connon

Quinton

2019

Geoscience Data Journal

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“…Many authors have reported that decreases in the extent of permafrost and associated increases of the active layer thickness in a catchment are marked by a decrease in DOC concentrations and an increase in solute concentrations in stream water. This seems to indicate deeper groundwater flow paths with longer residence and weathering times . However, Raudina et al nuance these observations.…”

Section: Impacts Of Climate Change On Groundwater Quality In Permafromentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The principal impacts of climate change on groundwater quality in permafrost regions will therefore be linked primarily to the reduction or loss of the confining layer, including impacts such as deepening suprapermafrost groundwater flow paths, increased rock–water interactions, more direct groundwater–surface water interactions and increased groundwater vulnerability to contamination …”

Section: Impacts Of Climate Change On Groundwater Quality In Permafromentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater hydrogeochemistry in permafrost regions

Cochand

Molson

Lemieux

2019

Permafrost & Periglacial

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This review paper provides a summary of the current state of knowledge regarding groundwater hydrogeochemistry in permafrost regions and presents expected impacts of permafrost degradation on groundwater quality. Using published case studies, the most practical monitoring approaches are reviewed, possible monitoring issues are highlighted, and links between groundwater chemistry signatures and associated flow systems in northern climates are identified. Hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater in permafrost regions depend on the same reactions as in nonpermafrost regions, but in acting as a confining layer, permafrost can affect groundwater chemistry by restricting recharge and limiting exchange of energy and mass between the ground surface, surface water and groundwater. Rock (mineral)–water interactions can also increase due to longer residence times. The impacts of climate change on groundwater quality in permafrost regions are thought to be linked to the loss of this confining layer. Various studies have reported significant modifications in shallow and deep groundwater contributions to surface water, marked by a decrease in dissolved organic carbon and an increase in total dissolved solids in stream water linked to declining permafrost coverage. Future studies related to hydrogeology in permafrost areas should include better in situ hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater to assess its potential for future use as the climate warms.

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“…Part of these impacts are directly linked to changes in the hydrological conditions (Bense et al, 2009) with profound changes in the permafrost hydrology, active soil moisture distribution and flow patterns 20 (Bring et al, 2016). The deepening of the active layer will change the flow and transport pattern and typically lead to longer travel paths and times (Frey and McClelland, 2009;Frampton and Destouni, 2015). An ecological effect is related to the release and subsequent migration of inorganic nitrogen stored in the perennially frozen ground (Elberling et al, 2010) or from winter decomposition (Blok et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water flow in the active layer along an arctic slope – An investigation based on a field campaign and model simulations

Zastruzny

Elberling

Nielsen

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract. As climate conditions change, the hydrological regime in the active layer is subject to change too. This influences the transport of solutes and the availability of nutrients, e.g. nitrogen particularly, along slopes. There is a lack of understanding the pathways and travel times of water and nutrients along slopes in discontinuous permafrost regions and 10 how to scale changes along transects to the rest of the landscape. This study presents a comprehensive data set of a field site in Disko Island in Greenland aiming at constructing a hydrological model of the area. Data from automated weather stations, geophysical surveys, soil samples and soil sensors and tracer experiments are combined to describe the spatial variability in the field and to serve as input to a two-dimensional model (SUTRA) for simulating water and solute transport in the summer period. The model is calibrated and validated against volumetric water content and breakthrough curves of the applied 15 tracers. Observed and simulated results suggest that the flow velocity in the active layer is directly influenced by annual precipitation patterns leading to water flow during the summer and rapid movement at the end of summer. Yearly travel times for the specific field site are simulated to be approximately 14 m/a and the highest peak velocities are most likely caused by preferential flow paths. The spatial heterogeneities linked to the frost topography seem to control the direction and velocity of flow. The observed discontinuous movement of a conservative tracer suggests that the movement of dissolved 20 nitrogen compounds such as nitrate, being released along the slope in consequence of permafrost thawing, could possibly quickly influence nitrogen cycling at the end of the slope. This may trigger a feedback of climate changes in terms of increasing carbon sequestration due to additional plant growth in these otherwise nitrogen-limited Arctic ecosystems. 25The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi

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Impact of degrading permafrost on subsurface solute transport pathways and travel times

Cited by 59 publications

References 68 publications

Hydrometeorological measurements in peatland‐dominated, discontinuous permafrost at Scotty Creek, Northwest Territories, Canada

Hydrometeorological measurements in peatland‐dominated, discontinuous permafrost at Scotty Creek, Northwest Territories, Canada

Groundwater hydrogeochemistry in permafrost regions

Water flow in the active layer along an arctic slope – An investigation based on a field campaign and model simulations

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