American scientists from NASA and the Alaska Biological Survey in Alaska have developed a model that will predict the climate of the tundra by 2100. The calculations showed that the appearance of the polar landscape will change significantly in the next 80 years. The report was published in the scientific journal magazine Communication Earth and Environment (CEE).
In the new study, the team analyzed satellite images from the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) mission. The scientists found that trees and shrubs are becoming more common in tundra landscapes. The process is predicted to continue until at least the end of the century.
The scientists also found predictions of “positive changes in mean elevation” across all tundra and transitional forest landscapes represented in the study, suggesting that trees and shrubs will become both larger and more abundant in areas where they are currently rare.
“The increase in vegetation associated with the transition could potentially offset some of the impact of increased carbon dioxide emissions by absorbing more carbon dioxide through photosynthesis,” said Chris Ney, a NASA scientist and co-author of the study.
But experts also suggest the opposite effect: changing forest structure could also lead to melting permafrost as more sunlight is absorbed by darker vegetation, releasing carbon dioxide and methane that have been stored in the soil for thousands of years.
Earlier scientists warned About emissions of the radioactive gas radon from melting permafrost in the Arctic.
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Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.