Rising global temperatures turn northern permafrost region into significant carbon source
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 - 11:02
in Earth & Climate
Permafrost, the perennially frozen subsoil in Earth's northernmost regions, has been collecting and storing plant and animal matter since long before the last Ice Age. The decomposition of some of this organic matter naturally releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere year-round, where it is absorbed by plant growth during the warmer months.