Expert assessment of vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change

Authors

E. A.G. Schuur, University of Florida
B. W. Abbott, University of Alaska Fairbanks
W. B. Bowden, University of Vermont
V. Brovkin, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology
P. Camill, Bowdoin College
J. G. Canadell, Global Carbon Project CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
J. P. Chanton, Florida State University
F. S. Chapin, University of Alaska Fairbanks
T. R. Christensen, Lunds Universitet
P. Ciais, Universite de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines
B. T. Crosby, Idaho State University
C. I. Czimczik, University of California, Irvine
G. Grosse, University of Alaska Fairbanks
J. Harden, United States Geological Survey Western Region
D. J. Hayes, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
G. Hugelius, Stockholms universitet

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Climatic Change

Abstract

Approximately 1700 Pg of soil carbon (C) are stored in the northern circumpolar permafrost zone, more than twice as much C than in the atmosphere. The overall amount, rate, and form of C released to the atmosphere in a warmer world will influence the strength of the permafrost C feedback to climate change. We used a survey to quantify variability in the perception of the vulnerability of permafrost C to climate change. Experts were asked to provide quantitative estimates of permafrost change in response to four scenarios of warming. For the highest warming scenario (RCP 8.5), experts hypothesized that C release from permafrost zone soils could be 19-45 Pg C by 2040, 162-288 Pg C by 2100, and 381-616 Pg C by 2300 in CO equivalent using 100-year CH global warming potential (GWP). These values become 50 % larger using 20-year CH GWP, with a third to a half of expected climate forcing coming from CH even though CH was only 2.3 % of the expected C release. Experts projected that two-thirds of this release could be avoided under the lowest warming scenario (RCP 2.6). These results highlight the potential risk from permafrost thaw and serve to frame a hypothesis about the magnitude of this feedback to climate change. However, the level of emissions proposed here are unlikely to overshadow the impact of fossil fuel burning, which will continue to be the main source of C emissions and climate forcing. © 2013 The Author(s). 2 4 4 4 4

First Page

359

Last Page

374

DOI

10.1007/s10584-013-0730-7

Publication Date

7-1-2013

Recommended Citation

Schuur, E. A.G.; Abbott, B. W.; Bowden, W. B.; Brovkin, V.; Camill, P.; Canadell, J. G.; Chanton, J. P.; Chapin, F. S.; Christensen, T. R.; Ciais, P.; Crosby, B. T.; Czimczik, C. I.; Grosse, G.; Harden, J.; Hayes, D. J.; and Hugelius, G., "Expert assessment of vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change" (2013). Earth and Oceanographic Science Faculty Work. 55.
https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/eos-faculty-publications/55