Microbial community dynamics dominate greenhouse gas production in thawing permafrost

Northern permafrost ecosystems are changing rapidly, with rising temperatures causing many previously frozen environments to become wetlands such as fens. As permafrost thaws, the trapped organic carbon is accessible to microbial decomposition, which can release greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. A team led by the University of Arizona examined microbial community dynamics at a site in Sweden where portions of the site are frozen permafrost and other areas are thawed. They found that a single microbe dominated recently thawed sites, with its relative abundance strongly correlating with the magnitude and specific type of methane produced at any given site.

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