Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2025

Removal of Exogenous Materials from the Outer Portion of Frozen Cores to Investigate the Ancient Biological Communities Harbored Inside
Published on: July 3, 2016
Metal Mobilization from Thawing Permafrost Is an Emergent Risk to Water Resources
Elliott K Skierszkan1,2, John W Dockrey3, Matthew B J Lindsay2
1Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, 2115 Herzberg Laboratories, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6.
Abstract:
Metals are ubiquitous in Earth's Critical Zone and play key roles in ecosystem function, human health, and water security. They are essential nutrients at low concentrations, yet some metals are toxic at a high dose. Permafrost thaw substantially alters all the physical and chemical processes governing metal mobility, including water movement and solute transport and (bio)geochemical interactions involving water, organic matter, minerals, and microbes. The outcomes of these interconnected changes are nonintuitive yet hold global implications for water resources and ecosystem health. This Perspective outlines the primary factors affecting metal mobility in thawing permafrost and underscores the urgent need and priorities for interdisciplinary research to better understand this emerging issue.
More Related Videos
13:38Laser-Induced Fluorescence Emission L.I.F.E. as Novel Non-Invasive Tool for In-Situ Measurements of Biomarkers in Cryospheric Habitats
Published on: October 26, 2019
09:11Evaluating the Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing on Streams using Microbial Molecular Signatures
Published on: April 4, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Responses to Drought and Flooding
The Water Cycle
Water and Mineral Acquisition
Threats to Biodiversity
Bioremediation
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress