Articles | Volume 22, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4797-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4797-2025
Research article
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22 Sep 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 22 Sep 2025

Peatland development reconstruction and complex biological responses to permafrost thawing in Western Siberia

Agnieszka Halaś, Mariusz Lamentowicz, Milena Obremska, Dominika Łuców, and Michał Słowiński

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Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1422', Yuri Mazei, 04 May 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Agnieszka Halaś, 26 Jun 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1422', Anonymous Referee #2, 04 Jun 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Agnieszka Halaś, 07 Jul 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (18 Jul 2025) by Mark Lever
AR by Agnieszka Halaś on behalf of the Authors (29 Jul 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (29 Jul 2025) by Mark Lever
AR by Agnieszka Halaś on behalf of the Authors (01 Aug 2025)  Manuscript 
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Co-editor-in-chief
Western Siberian permafrost peatlands store vast amounts of carbon and play a crucial role in global climate regulation. Based on the comparison of palaeoecological records from two microhabitats from discontinuous permafrost peatlands, the authors explore environmental shifts during rapidly changing climate conditions during the last two centuries. The study presents data from rapidly disappearing landscapes. The results emphasize the nonlinear and spatially variable nature of permafrost thaw’s impact on peatlands. Permafrost is regarded as one of the climate tipping points, and this study provides insights into potential consequences of permafrost destabilization for northern peatlands ecosystems.
Short summary
Western Siberian peatlands regulate global climate, but their response to permafrost thaw remains poorly studied. Our study analyzed peat cores from a peat plateau and a lake edge to track changes over two centuries. We found that permafrost thawing, driven by rising temperatures, altered peatland hydrology, vegetation, and microbial life. These shifts may expand with further warming, affecting carbon storage and climate feedbacks. Our findings highlight early warning signs of ecosystem change.
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