Decadal Changes in Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions from Arctic Ecotopes

The Arctic contains a large reservoir of organic matter stored in permafrost and clathrates. Varying geology and hydrology across the Arctic, even on small scales, can cause large variability in surface carbon fluxes and partitioning between methane and carbon dioxide. Over time changes in hydrology, depth of thaw, and plant growth can effect the emissions of methane and carbon dioxide at a particular location. We will examine data collected as part of the FOCAL campaign from eddy covariance flux towers located south of Prudhoe Bay, AK during the summers of 2013, 2014, and 2023. Using this data set covering a decade, we will explore the changes in carbon dioxide and methane emissions and what micro-climatic variables most closely correlate with the the carbon fluxes. We will also look at some continuous tower measurements in other parts of the North Slope of Alaska to examine differences between ecotopes.