The Arctic is undergoing rapid ecological transformation as a result of broad climate changes.
A central concern is that permafrost thaw could release ancient stocks of soil carbon. If those carbon sources are decomposed by microorganisms, the Arctic could convert from a critical net carbon sink to a carbon source. Using a combination of field- and lab-based experimentation and stable isotope tracing, we tested (1) the vulnerability of permafrost carbon to microbial decomposition (2) whether new carbon inputs would result in the loss or gain of soil carbon (3) how rapidly dissolved organic matter could be transported through surface vs. subsurface soil horizons, and (4) how the molecular composition of root exudates collected from two common plant species (a sedge and dwarf shrub) influence microbial metabolism and soil carbon persistence.
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