Overcoming Uncertainties in Cold-Region Hydrology | Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften
This conference proposes to explore permafrost hydrology from an interdisciplinary perspective to tackle three kinds of uncertainties: (1) those concerning the environmental risks caused by permafrost hydrological disturbances in response to climate warming; (2) those linked to the use of numerical modeling when investigating hydrological processes; and (3) those regarding future projections of permafrost hydrology in a warming climate.
Indeed, global warming is threatening the stability of the perennially frozen ground, called permafrost. Across the northern latitudes, the thawing of ice-rich permafrost is already reshaping the topography of the landscapes, modifying surface water distribution, and thereby triggering a broad ecological shift. The associated changes in nutrients fluxes, heat regulation, and greenhouse gas emission (following the release of large carbon pools previously trapped in frozen ground) are expected to have global consequences. As a vector of heat and nutrients, water plays a crucial role in these processes: it contributes to the thermal state of the permafrost and supports the trophic chain. Therefore, understanding cold-region hydrology is essential to anticipate the local and global consequences of permafrost thaw on biodiversity, human health, and further climate change.
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