Northern Permafrost Switches From Carbon Sink To Carbon Source Earlier Than Thought In Models Including Deep Soil Carbon

Thawing Permafrost: A Carbon Source Sooner Than Anticipated

The Arctic and northern regions are experiencing a temperature rise that is 2 to 4 times greater than the global average, accelerating the thawing of ancient permafrost. This thawing process is significant, as these permafrost soils contain about one-third of the world's organic soil carbon, much of which has been locked away for millennia. With the soil beginning to thaw, organic material from deceased plants and animals begins to break down, leading to the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide.