File:Circum-Arctic_Map_of_Permafrost_and_Ground_Ice_Conditions.png · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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permafrost

Permafrost () is soil or underwater sediment which continuously remains below for two years or more; the oldest permafrost has been continuously frozen for around 700,000 years. Whilst the shallowest permafrost has a vertical extent of below a meter (3 ft), the deepest is greater than . Similarly, the area of individual permafrost zones may be limited to narrow mountain summits or extend across vast Arctic regions. The ground beneath glaciers and ice sheets is not usually defined as permafrost, so on land, permafrost is generally located beneath a so-called active layer of soil which free

AI overview

Permafrost is soil or underwater sediment that remains frozen year-round for at least two years, with some permafrost having stayed frozen for around 700,000 years. It matters because it covers vast Arctic regions and mountain areas, and changes to permafrost can affect landscapes, infrastructure, and ecosystems in these regions.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Soil.name: Permafrost
Soil.image: Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground Ice Conditions.png
Soil.image_size: 250px
Soil.image_caption: Extent and types of permafrost in the Northern Hemisphere as per International Permafrost Association

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

2,678 papers

Permafrost carbon cycle and its dynamics on the Tibetan Plateau.ReviewScience China. Life sciences · 2024Chen L, Yang G, Bai Y et al.DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2601-1
Are permafrost microorganisms as old as permafrost?ReviewFEMS microbiology ecology · 2021Abramov A, Vishnivetskaya T, Rivkina EDOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa260
The impact of permafrost on carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in Siberia: A meta-analysis.Environmental research · 2020Masyagina OV, Menyailo OVDOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109096
Abrupt permafrost thaw triggers activity of copiotrophs and microbiome predators.FEMS microbiology ecology · 2023Scheel M, Zervas A, Rijkers R et al.DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad123
Permafrost collapse is accelerating carbon release.Nature · 2019Turetsky MR, Abbott BW, Jones MC et al.DOI: 10.1038/d41586-019-01313-4
Unraveling the impact of wildfires on permafrost ecosystems: Vulnerability, implications, and management strategies.ReviewJournal of environmental management · 2024Rebi A, Wang G, Irfan M et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120917
Permafrost slows Arctic riverbank erosion.Nature · 2024Geyman EC, Douglas MM, Avouac JP et al.DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07978-w
Awakening: Potential Release of Dormant Chemicals from Thawing Permafrost Soils under Climate Change.ReviewEnvironmental science & technology · 2024Jiao Y, Zhang Y, Wang X et al.DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c06014

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Wikidata facts

Image: Birch Creek permafrost.jpg

Show 2 more facts

Commons category: Permafrost
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_00000134

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~37 min read

Article

27 sections

Contents

Classification and extent
Continuity of coverage
Discontinuous permafrost
Continuous permafrost
Alpine permafrost
Subsea permafrost
Past extent of permafrost
Manifestations
Base depth
Massive ground ice
Landforms
Ecology
Construction on permafrost
Impacts of climate change
Increasing active layer thickness
Climate change feedback
Impact on global temperatures
Thaw-induced ground instability
Infrastructure
Release of toxic pollutants
Revival of ancient organisms
Microorganisms
Plants
History of scientific research
References
Sources
External links

Around 15% of the Northern Hemisphere or 11% of the global surface is underlain by permafrost, covering a total area of around . This includes large areas of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Siberia. It is also located in high mountain regions, with the Tibetan Plateau being a prominent example. Only a minority of permafrost exists in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is consigned to mountain slopes like in the Andes of Patagonia, the Southern Alps of New Zealand, or the highest mountains of Antarctica.