UM Study Finds Plant Growth Offsets Carbon Release of Thawing Permafrost
Permafrost is a layer of soil in polar and forested boreal regions that remains frozen all year. A new study from the University of Montana challenges the notion that high-latitude permafrost regions are becoming a net source of carbon dioxide that greatly contributes to climate warming. The study was led by researchers in UM’s Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group, a leader in satellite remote sensing and Earth-system science. Their findings were published in Nature Communications. The team used satellites, ground stations, and other observable data to reach its conclusions. The study revealed that a strong warming trend in northern regions has increased plant growth, which has offset rising CO2 emissions from thawing permafrost.