Details of Award

NERC Reference : NE/I024798/1

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Effects of a warming climate on the key organic carbon cycle processes in the Eurasian Arctic

Grant Award

Principal Investigator:: Professor BE van Dongen, The University of Manchester, Earth Atmospheric and Env Sciences
Grant held at:: The University of Manchester, Earth Atmospheric and Env Sciences

Science Area:: Atmospheric; Earth; Freshwater; Marine; Terrestrial
Overall Classification:: Unknown

Science Classification details

ENRIs:: Global Change
Science Topics:: None

Abstract:: The Earth is warming but forecasts indicate that the fastest warming regions on the planet are close to the poles. The Siberian region in particular is experiencing one of the largest warming trends on Earth. The Eurasian Arctic, containing one of the largest carbon reservoirs on the globe trapped by permafrost, might therefore be at risk. Amplified warming could cause a general reduction of the total volume of permafrost causing the remobilization of large amounts of this trapped carbon. It is presently unclear to what extent this remobilization is already happening and what will happen to this carbon after it is transported off the permafrost areas to the Eurasian Arctic Shelf (EAS). This area is also known to contain vast amounts of methane trapped in submerged permafrost and not much is known about the effects of a warming climate on the release and subsequent microbiological cycling of this potent greenhouse gas. As stated by Prof. Chris Rapley, on the NERC website 'the polar regions are an integral part of the machinery of this planet' meaning that changes in the Arctic region have potential feedbacks to the entire global carbon-climate system. Therefore if we want to understand the effects of climate warming on the global carbon cycle we must understand the processes occurring in the Arctic region, making the EAS a highly important area for research. However, this is an understudied region, mostly due to limited access to non-Russian scientists, and research is currently limited by the availability of good representative samples from this region. In the summer of 2008, state of the art sampling of both sediments and the overlying water column was performed during the ISSS-08 expedition along the entire EAS seaboard as well as over detailed cross-shelf transects, both off Russian Arctic Rivers and areas of extensive coastal erosion. This also included areas with high methane concentrations in the water column. The PI participated in the cruise in collaboration with a group of internationally renowned scientists from Sweden, Russia, the UK and the USA. We will use the sediments collected for this internationally competitive research program to study (1) the fate of the vast amounts of terrestrial carbon currently liberated from the Russian Arctic tundra/taiga areas, and transported to Arctic shelf regions by the Russian Arctic rivers and through coastal erosions and (2) the effects of climate warming on the remobilization and degradation, of this material on the EAS, ultimately to the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and also methane, which is already being released from melting submerged permafrost. In this project we are collaborating with a Pan-Arctic group of researchers. The contribution from the UK group, lead by the University of Manchester, will focus on the testing of hypotheses associated with the (climate induced) remobilization and degradation of the macromolecular part of the terrestrial carbon, such as polysaccharides and polypeptides. We will analyse the composition and age (using compound specific radiocarbon dating) of this macromolecular material allowing us to determine the reservoir/residence time and to what extent (part of) this carbon is microbiolically degraded on transport. We will also, lead by Newcastle University, investigate the significance (the source, transport and fate) of organic material produced or recycled by microorganisms, including the greenhouse gas methane. In addition to using the obtained data to test our own specific hypothesis, we will also combine the results of these analyses with those of the other Pan-Arctic partners to deliver an improved terrestrial organic carbon budget for the EAS. Finally the samples will also form the bases for future research proposals/collaborations with an international network of scientists working at the forefront of Arctic research, ultimately leading to many new interdisciplinary research projects.

Period of Award:: 1 Apr 2012 - 31 Mar 2015
Value:: £277,452 Lead Split Award

(FY details)

Authorised funds only

NERC Reference:: NE/I024798/1
Grant Stage:: Completed
Scheme:: Standard Grant (FEC)
Grant Status:: Closed
Programme:: Standard Grant

This grant award has a total value of £277,452

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FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)

DI - Other Costs	Indirect - Indirect Costs	DA - Investigators	DI - Staff	DA - Estate Costs	DI - T&S	DA - Other Directly Allocated
£14,506	£103,106	£12,291	£97,426	£31,419	£5,751	£12,954

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