Alaskan lake bed cores show expanding Arctic shrubs may slow erosion
Saturday, December 31, 2011 - 06:00
in Earth & Climate
The relationship between permafrost, Arctic vegetation, soil erosion, and changing air temperatures is complicated at best. For instance, rising temperatures melt surface permafrost layers and increase shrub growth. These shrubs can catch drifting snow, insulating the soil during the winter, and accelerate permafrost degradation—facilitating their own proliferation.