The current response of soil thermal regime and carbon exchange of a paraglacial coastal land system in maritime Antarctica

Abstract

Ice‐free areas of maritime Antarctica (MA) are undergoing rapid environmental adjustment due to climate change because glaciers retreated. In recently deglaciated areas, sensitive indicators related to soil can be used as proxies of the transition phase from glacial to nonglacial conditions at paraglacial coastal systems. This work aims at comprehending how paraglacial coastal land systems respond to adjustment processes in highly dynamic deglaciated areas, based on net ecosystem exchange, soil temperature (ST), and soil moisture (SM) temporal series in two different vegetation communities on a paraglacial coastal land system in MA. We selected a moss community (MC) and a mixed community with mosses and lichens (MLC). MC is located on a hydromorphic area with buffered ST regime, compared with MLC, where greater SM variation range and freezing conditions were observed. MC and MLC are currently acting as an atmospheric CO2 sink. In this work, MC showed a greater capacity of CO2 uptake during measurements (711.20 g CO2 m−2). In this part of Antarctica, where a recent trend of decreasing ST occurs, less permafrost and surface land degradation, combined with enhanced carbon storage, are expected. However, in the long term, following the readjustment of the paraglacial period, thawing is expected, coupled with permafrost degradation and carbon release to the atmosphere, under the predicted warming scenario in MA.

Variability of soil moisture on three sites in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula in 2022/23

“…Higher moisture content was observed on sites below vegetation as compared to bare ground on King George Island (Almeida et al 2014). On Robert Island, moisture content was identified as an important factor affecting the variability of soil CO 2 flux (Thomazini et al 2020).…”

Isolation and Identification of Soil Bacteria from Extreme Environments of Chile and Their Plant Beneficial Characteristics

“…Here, the colonization of species and life is at its limit, not only because of the extreme low temperature and limited and sporadic availability of water, but also due to the constant cycles of freezing and thawing, continuous strong winds, and high UV radiation [ 9 ]. However, effects produced by deglaciation and climate change have allowed the colonization of plant species in soils that were previously covered by ice or snow [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Remarkably, plant species have managed to overcome these extreme environments and have been able to colonize and establish in these harsh scenarios.…”

Dinâmica termo-hídrica e do carbono em solos da península Stansbury, Ilha Nelson, Antártica

“…Although one may say that is not important to perform such a study because much has been published around the theme, we defend it as Bockheim (1995) concluded about the need of measures on the activity of periglacial features throughout the maritime islands of East Antarctica. Thus, based on the results and relevance of the pedoclimatic investigation performed in this study, and to other studies that were carried out monitoring the thermal regime of soils in other parts of Antarctica, both maritime ALMEIDA et al, 2016;SCHAEFER et al, 2016;CHAVES et al, 2017;THOMAZINI et al, 2019, ROSA et al, 2021 and continental (GUGLIELMIN, 2006;SCHAEFER et al, 2019), it is necessary to continue monitoring in this peninsula, in addition to being part of the robust soil monitoring network carried out by Brazilian Scientific Program in Antarctica. Observou-se que a ER média era duas vezes maior no Sítio 1 do que no Sítio 2.…”

“…Cryosols are the dominant soils in maritime Antarctica ZHAO et al 2008;ZHU et al 2014;MICHEL et al 2014A;MICHEL et al 2014B;VIEIRA et al 2015;Lupachev et al 2019;THOMAZINI et al 2019). In the Stansbury peninsula, they occur with typical periglacial features, on turbic soils, as reported by in Keller, in Barton by Lopes et al (2017) and in Fildes peninsula and Ardley island .…”