Science Source

Significant contribution to climate warming from the permafrost carbon feedback

States that permafrost soils contain an estimated 1,700 Pg of carbon, almost twice the present atmospheric carbon pool
Uses a coupled global climate model to quantify the magnitude of the warming generated by the feedback between permafrost carbon release and climate
According to the authors' simulations, permafrost soils will release between 68 and 508 Pg carbon by 2100
Shows that the additional surface warming generated by the feedback between permafrost carbon and climate is independent of the pathway of anthropogenic emissions followed in the twenty-first century
Estimates that this feedback could result in an additional warming of 0.13–1.69 °C by 2300
Shows that the upper bound for the strength of the feedback is reached under the less intensive emissions pathways
Suggests that permafrost carbon release could lead to significant warming, even under less intensive emissions trajectories