Melting permafrost in arctic ponds: An unfolding factor for climate change

Article by: Yejin Lee, The Tribune 

"Peter Douglas, an assistant professor in McGill’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and his team recently published a research paper on greenhouse gas emissions from tundra ponds in northern Canada, aiming to understand one of the most important environmental processes for predicting future climate shifts. 

The study focuses on small ponds in the arctic that are formed by the thawing of permafrost—a permanently frozen layer under Earth’s surface. These ponds are known for emitting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄), but the specific sources of these gases remain poorly understood. 

The researchers investigated how erosion caused by thawing permafrost, especially at the edges of these ponds, influences greenhouse gas emissions. This cycle of thawing, erosion, and emission may form a positive feedback loop for climate warming, although this has yet to be studied thoroughly." 

Read The Tribune article here

Read the original study here