Soil Response to Aeolian Disturbance in West Greenland

Abstract:

Arctic soils are a critical ecological resource, yet are increasingly vulnerable to global change. In the Kangerlussuaq region of West Greenland, aeolian disturbance is the greatest threat to soil stability, with strong katabatic winds eroding vegetation and soil down to the underlying glacial till or bedrock. Little is known about what controls the distribution and rate of the aeolian erosion, which initially results in a state change from tundra to a deflated and nearly unvegetated ground. It is unclear if vegetation can eventually reestablish after erosion occurs, potentially aided by the biological soil crust (BSC) that develops within the eroded areas, or if this soil loss is an irreversible change in vegetation and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling.

Our analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery shows that across the entire study region, deflated ground covers 22% of the terrestrial landscape. Aeolian erosion occurs more frequently closer to the Greenland Ice Sheet and on S-facing slopes. Using lichenometry, we estimate that erosional fronts move across the landscape at rates of 2.5 cm yr^-1, leaving unproductive ground in their wake. The onset of widespread aeolian erosion occurred roughly 700-1000 years ago, pointing toward regional cooling and aridity as the drivers behind erosion. Finally, we consider whether the BSCs can improve soil quality enough to allow for full vegetation regrowth. Preliminary results show that while the BSCs fix atmospheric N and increase C storage, the rate of soil quality recovery is extremely slow.

Understanding the thresholds between vegetated tundra and eroded ground is critical for predicting how the Kangerlussuaq landscape will respond to anticipated changes in climate and ice sheet dynamics.