Ralf Tiedemann

Deglacial mobilization of pre-aged terrestrial carbon from degrading permafrost

The mobilization of glacial permafrost carbon during the last glacial–interglacial transition has been suggested by indirect evidence to be an additional and significant source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, especially at times of rapid sea-level rise. Here we present the first direct evidence for the release of ancient carbon from degrading permafrost in East Asia during the last 17 kyrs, using biomarkers and radiocarbon dating of terrigenous material found in two sediment cores from the Okhotsk Sea. Upscaling our results to the whole Arctic shelf area, we show by carbon cycle simulations that deglacial permafrost-carbon release through sea-level rise likely contributed significantly to the changes in atmospheric CO2 around 14.6 and 11.5 kyrs BP.Permafrost-derived carbon (C) may have been an additional source of greenhouse gases during the last glacial-interglacial transition. Here the authors show that ancient C from degrading permafrost was mobilised during phases of rapid sea-level rise, partially explaining changes in atmospheric CO2 and ∆14C.

Corrigendum: Radiocarbon constraints on the extent and evolution of the South Pacific glacial carbon pool.

Nature Communications 7: Article number: 11487 10.1038/ncomms11487 (2016); Published: May092016; Updated: June032016 The affiliation details for R. De Pol-Holz are incorrect in this Article. The correct affiliation details for this author are given below: GAIA-Antartica, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas 01855, Chile.