Permafrost-affected tundra soils are large carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) reservoirs. However, N is largely bound in soil organic matter (SOM), and ecosystems generally have low N availability. Therefore, microbial induced N-cycling processes and N losses were considered negligible. Recent studies show that microbial N processing rates, inorganic N availability, and lateral N losses from thawing permafrost increase when vegetation cover is disturbed, resulting in reduced N uptake or increased N ...| MDPI
Permafrost-affected landscape soils are rich in organic matter and contain a high fraction of organic nitrogen, but much of this organic matter remains inaccessible due to nitrogen limitation. Microbial nitrification is a key process in the nitrogen cycle, controlling the availability of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) such as ammonium and nitrate. In this study, we investigate the microbial diversity of canonical nitrifiers and their potential nitrifying activity in the active layer of di...| MDPI
Nitrogen and Permafrost researcher Wissenschaftskommunikation über biogeochemische Stoffkreisläufe und Treibhausgasemissionen Antifaschistin und Gewerkschafterin!| Bluesky Social
Fig. 1: A network of low-centred ice-wedge polygons (5 to 20 m in diameter) in Adventdalen, Svalbard [Credit: Ben Giles/Matobo Ltd] In Svalbard, the snow melts to reveal a mysterious honeycomb network of irregular shapes (fig. 1). These shapes may look as though they have been created by a rogue baker with an unusual set of biscuit cutters, but they are in fact distinctive permafrost landforms known as ice-wedge polygons, and they play an important role in the global climate. Ice-wedge polygo...| Cryospheric Sciences
This miniseries features the tradition of ‘PhD hat’ making in German research institutes and universities. For those of you unfamiliar with this idea (as I once was), this is one of the final milestones a graduate student has before they are officially a “Dr.”. Upon the successful defense of a thesis, the peers of the PhD student craft a graduation hat from a mishmash of scrap cardboard and memorabilia. Hours of work go into these beloved pieces, and you can often find these hand-made...| Cryospheric Sciences
