Abstract. The Lena River forms one of the largest deltas in the Arctic. We compare two sets of data to reveal new insights into the hydrological, hydrochemical, and geochemical processes within the delta: (i) long-term hydrometric observations at the Khabarova station at the head of the delta from 1951 to 2005; (ii) field hydrological and geochemical observations carried out within the delta since 2002. Periods with differing relative discharge and intensity of fluvial processes were identified from the long-term record of water and sediment discharge. Ice events during spring melt (high water) reconfigured branch channels and probably influenced sediment transport within the delta. Based on summer field measurements during 2005–2012 of discharge and sediment fluxes along main delta channels, both are increased between the apex and the front of the delta. This increase is to a great extent connected with an additional influx of water from tributaries, as well as an increase of suspended and dissolved material released from the ice complex. Summer concentrations of major ion and biogenic substances along the delta branches are partly explained by water sources within the delta, such as thawing ice complex waters, small Lena River branches and estuarine areas.
Ice-rich permafrost coasts in the Arctic are highly sensitive to climate warming and erode at a pace that exceeds the global average. Permafrost coasts deliver vast amounts of organic carbon into the nearshore zone of the Arctic Ocean. Numbers on flux exist for particulate organic carbon (POC) and total or soil organic carbon (TOC, SOC). However, they do not exist for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which is known to be highly bioavailable. This study aims to estimate DOC stocks in coastal permafrost as well as the annual flux into the ocean. DOC concentrations in ground ice were analyzed along the ice-rich Yukon coast (YC) in the western Canadian Arctic. The annual DOC flux was estimated using available numbers for coast length, cliff height, annual erosion rate, and volumetric ice content in different stratigraphic horizons. Our results showed that DOC concentrations in ground ice range between 0.3 and 347.0 mg L À1 with an estimated stock of 13.6 ± 3.0 g m À3 along the YC. An annual DOC flux of 54.9 ± 0.9 Mg yr À1 was computed. These DOC fluxes are low compared to POC and SOC fluxes from coastal erosion or POC and DOC fluxes from Arctic rivers. We conclude that DOC fluxes from permafrost coasts play a secondary role in the Arctic carbon budget. However, this DOC is assumed to be highly bioavailable. We hypothesize that DOC from coastal erosion is important for ecosystems in the Arctic nearshore zones, particularly in summer when river discharge is low, and in areas where rivers are absent.
Abstract. Thermal permafrost degradation and coastal erosion in the Arctic remobilize substantial amounts of organic carbon (OC) and nutrients which have accumulated in late Pleistocene and Holocene unconsolidated deposits. Permafrost vulnerability to thaw subsidence, collapsing coastlines and irreversible landscape change are largely due to the presence of large amounts of massive ground ice such as ice wedges. However, ground ice has not, until now, been considered to be a source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and other elements which are important for ecosystems and carbon cycling. Here we show, using biogeochemical data from a large number of different ice bodies throughout the Arctic, that ice wedges have the greatest potential for DOC storage, with a maximum of 28.6 mg L −1 (mean: 9.6 mg L −1 ). Variation in DOC concentration is positively correlated with and explained by the concentrations and relative amounts of typically terrestrial cations such as Mg 2+ and K + . DOC sequestration into ground ice was more effective during the late Pleistocene than during the Holocene, which can be explained by rapid sediment and OC accumulation, the prevalence of more easily degradable vegetation and immediate incorporation into permafrost. We assume that pristine snowmelt is able to leach considerable amounts of well-preserved and highly bioavailable DOC as well as other elements from surface sediments, which are rapidly frozen and stored in ground ice, especially in ice wedges, even before further degradation. We found that ice wedges in the Yedoma region represent a significant DOC (45.2 Tg) and DIC (33.6 Tg) pool in permafrost areas and a freshwater reservoir of 4200 km 2 . This study underlines the need to discriminate between particulate OC and DOC to assess the availability and vulnerability of the permafrost carbon pool for ecosystems and climate feedback upon mobilization.
Abstract. Thermal permafrost degradation and coastal erosion in the Arctic remobilize substantial amounts of organic carbon (OC) and nutrients which have been accumulated in late Pleistocene and Holocene unconsolidated deposits. Their vulnerability to thaw subsidence, collapsing coastlines and irreversible landscape change is largely due to the presence of large amounts of massive ground ice such as ice wedges. However, ground ice has not, until now, been considered to be a source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and other elements, which are important for ecosystems and carbon cycling. Here we show, using geochemical data from a large number of different ice bodies throughout the Arctic, that ice wedges have the greatest potential for DOC storage with a maximum of 28.6 mg L−1 (mean: 9.6 mg L−1). Variation in DOC concentration is positively correlated with and explained by the concentrations and relative amounts of typically terrestrial cations such as Mg2+ and K+. DOC sequestration into ground ice was more effective during the late Pleistocene than during the Holocene, which can be explained by rapid sediment and OC accumulation, the prevalence of more easily degradable vegetation and immediate incorporation into permafrost. We assume that pristine snowmelt is able to leach considerable amounts of well-preserved and highly bioavailable DOC as well as other elements from surface sediments, which are rapidly stored in ground ice, especially in ice wedges, even before further degradation. In the Yedoma region ice wedges represent a significant DOC (45.2 Tg) and DIC (33.6 Tg) pool in permafrost areas and a fresh-water reservoir of 4172 km3. This study underlines the need to discriminate between particulate OC and DOC to assess the availability and vulnerability of the permafrost carbon pool for ecosystems and climate feedback upon mobilization.
Abstract. The Lena River forms one of the largest deltas in the Arctic; studying this delta has raised many questions regarding processes that occur there that remain open today. Comparing long-term hydrometric observational data of Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) from the Khabarova polar station, located at the head of the delta not far from where the Lena River divides into its main branches, with field observations, which have been carried out since 2002 revealed new insights into the hydrological, hydrochemical, and geochemical processes within the delta. Three periods with various water volumes and intensity of fluvial processes were chosen from the long-term record of water and sediment discharge. The role of ice event (ice blockage and ice floating) during high water in reconfiguring branch channels and influencing the volume of sediment runoff was identified. Results were obtained quantifying the increase of water and sediment discharges in the middle part of the delta main branches. This increase is to a great extent connected with an additional influx of water, as well as an increase of suspended and dissolved material released from the ice complex. A range of major ion and biogenic element contents in the delta branches in summer is introduced, and differences specified between the hydrochemical composition of thawing ice complex waters, of small Lena River branches, and of estuarine areas. The conservative character of some dissolved substances was analyzed along the length of the river branches. The contents of carbon and geochemical substances in suspended and bottom sediments are reported.
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