Heat line in permafrost - a large experiment of transformation of the - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Heat line in permafrost - a large experiment of transformation of the Arctic ecosystems G. Matyshak, matyshak@gmail.com O. Goncharova, A. Bobrik, D. Sukhova, N. Petrzhik, R. Kireev h Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation

“Heat line” - what is it? The last 50 years there is an ac0ve explora0on of Russian permafrost zone, especially on north of West Siberia. The length of gas pipelines in Russia is more than 170 thousand kilometers. More than 10% of them constructed on the territory of the permafrost zone. 10000km of pipeline in permafrost area! Research area Permafrost extent and gas pipelines in West Siberia, Russia.

The most common method of gas pipelines construction in Russia is laying it on the soil surface or in a trench depth of 1.5- 2 meters and covered it with sandy mound up to 1.5 meters. As a result there is a significant mechanical disturbance of the vegetation and soil cover and rapid permafrost degradation along the pipeline. In many cases, the "hot" gas with a temperature above 0 is transported throughout the year. Thus in permafrost zone for decades around the clock working a HUGE HEATER!!

What happens now? Taz Peninsula - area with transformed vegeta0on take at least 14% (10 thous. Km2). These changes occurred during the period of Urengoy gas field development. One third of these areas relate to the construc0on facili0es of gas pipelines Gas pipelines Trees expansion [Kornienko et al. 2005]. Frozen peatlands Trees line on gas pipeline

Having grown This we see in the field: up on the gas pipeline N ow we can see large difference landscapes mushrooms. along the gas pipeline from the natural Forest-tundra undisturbed landscapes. Typical frozen peatland Thawed peatland near the gas pipeline 100 m

Main Idea • The pipeline is a kind of "heater", providing year- round warming effect on the surrounding cryogenic ecosystems. • The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the gas pipelines construc0on and opera0on on the ecosistems in permafrost area

The research area is located within the forest-tundra, the discontinuous permafrost zone. This is hummocky tundra with frozen peatlands which have a complex of vegetation with a dwarf-shrub community on the hummocks and a lichen community р. Обь in the inter-hummock areas. Permafrost occurs below 60 cm. Typical soils are Turbic Cryosol, P eat thickness < 50cm сезонная островная Gas pipelines in frozen peatland прерывистая сплошная Field studies were carried out in August, 2013 - 2015, along the the Nadym-Punga gas pipeline, 40 km south- west from the Nadym city, Yamal Nenets AutonomousDistrict, Western Siberia, Russia (N65º18’53.2’’ E72º 52’ 52.1’’).

In 1974 gas pipeline Nadym - Punga was put on the surface of frozen peatland. After Pipeline on surface of frozen peatland, 1974 reconstruction in 2004 pipe was buried at a depth of 1.5 m, and the top was covered sandy mound 1 m. The main types of impacts on ecosystems were: mechanical disturbance of soil and vegetation (5m usually), flooding. Later added warm effects as a result of the warm gas transportation and permafrost degradation. The transported gas is «warm» with temperature from 4 to 22 °C. 2014 2007 2004 2009

During 2013-2015 were carried out monitoring the active layer depth, soil temperature and moisture, CH4, CO2 efflux. 5 transects (40 m) with sampling points every 5 meters were made across the pipeline and undisturbed sites of typical frozen peatlands. In the laboratory typical properties of soils, microbiological activity and the labile organic matter were measured. Analysis of the data carried out in the Sta0s0ca 7.0 for the 5 transects. scheme of measurement points

RESULTS, DISCUSSION The first question is - how far the impact? Distance from pipeline, м Gas pipeline Permafrost 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 table 0 Ac0ve layer thickness, cm 200 T1 Г 1 distances from the pipeline 400 T2 Permafrost table under the Г 2 gas pipeline dropped from T3 600 Г 3 0.5 to 6 meters during the T4 Д 1 first 2 years of pipeline T5 800 operation [Kharionovsky, Д 2 2000]. ! 1000 Ac0ve layer thickness at distances up to 20 m from the pipeline is significantly increased (2-3 0mes) than on the control sites (30 m and more from pipeline).

PIPELINE Ac+ve layer PERMAFROST Zone t Zon е M Control zone – с ( warming disturbance) ( mechanical disturbance) ( no disturbance) 5-20m from pipeline 0-5m from pipeline >30m from pipeline Ac+ve layer >2m. sampling points Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: Permafrost 900 800 700 Permafrost , с m 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 M t c Mean Mean±SE disturbed soil Mean±1,96*SE Zone (distance from pipeline)

0 m (pipeline) 40m( typycall frozen peatland) Transect 1 Zone t Zon е M Control zone (5-20m from (0-5m from (>30m from pipeline) pipeline) pipeline) Transect 2

Aier 40 years of opera0on, the area along the pipeline is ac0vely overgrowing with not specific vegeta0on communi0es for peatlands, there is an ac0ve expansion of tree species (birch, etc.). Significantly reduced cover of mosses and lichens and increasing propor0on and size of vascular plants. Betula nana near pipeline – A Typical Betula nana – Б Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: Betula height Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: ML Layer 120 100 110 90 80 100 Betula height , cm 70 ( а ) 90 mosses ,% 60 ( б ) 80 50 70 40 60 30 50 20 40 10 30 0 M t c M t c Mean Mean Mean±SE Mean±SE Mean±1,96*SE Mean±1,96*SE Zone (distance from pipeline) Zone

С° Soils near the pipeline are warmer. 12 Average annual temperatures of soils 10 close pipeline are 2-3 times higher the T1 8 average temperatures of the undisturbed Г 3 T2 soils. Summer temperatures of soils 6 Г 2 close pipeline are higher by 5-10°C . T3 4 Г 1 Soils close pipeline are unfrozen for 2-3 T4 Д 1 2 months longer . Д 2 T5 0 The average annual m 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 temperature of soils, The average daily temperature of soils, (2013-2014) (august 2015) Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: Temp 11 10 9 8 7 Surface temp ( ° C) 6 5 4 3 2 1 M t c Mean Mean±SE Mean±1,96*SE Zone

As a warming effect on the soil properties after 40 years? Moisture and peat thickness - no differences Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: Organic layer Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: Moisture 60 60 50 50 Soil moisture, % Peat layer, cm 40 40 30 30 влажность 20 20 10 10 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Mean Mean Mean±SE Mean±SE Mean±1,96*SE Mean±1,96*SE Distance from pipeline, m Distance from pipeline , m

Laboratory experiments have shown that there is a significant change in the biological activity of the soil around the pipeline: increased microbial biomass, reducing its activity, increased of labile organic matter ( WEOC, WEON ). labile organic ( WEOC) microbial biomass (C mic) 1.5 2.5 2 1 1.5 mg С \g mg С \g 1 0.5 0.5 0 0 0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40 Distance from pipeline, m Distance from pipeline, m Basal respiration ZONE t 8 mg СО 2- С /g/.h 6 4 2 0 Warming - a nega+ve effect on 0 10 20 30 40 microorganisms Distance from pipeline, m

In dry conditions, not found differences CO2 efflux close pipeline and undister. Increase by 3-5 time s (100 – 500 mg СО 2 m -2 h -1 resp.) we see only in the zone of mechanical disturbances. In wet conditions was an increase in CH4 efflux by 3-10 times (5 – 50 mg СО 2 m -2 h -1 resp.). Nature is the very buffer system and can adjust the impact CO2 efflux, mg/m2/h - no differences! (have only in the zone M ) Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: Emission Categ. Box & Whisker Plot: Emission 550 600 500 500 450 CO2 efflux, mg/m2/h 400 CO2, mg/m2/h 400 350 300 300 250 200 200 150 100 100 50 0 M t c 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Mean Mean Mean±SE Mean±SE Mean±1,96*SE Mean±1,96*SE Zone Distance, m

CONCLUSIONS Construction and exploitation the pipelines with warm gas in Permafrost zone give a significant warming effect. The width of the pipeline influence up to 30 meters on each side. So - hundreds km2 cryogenic landscapes along the gas pipeline system on Russian North are in the impact zone. The main result is permafrost degradation and changing ecosystem. Nature is the buffer system and can adjust the impact The impact of the pipeline with a warm gas can be regarded as a model of warm effects on the ecosystem of the North in the study of the climate change effects.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS thanks to my team Thank you for attention This work was funded by the NASA Land Cover Land Use Change (LCLUC) Program, grant No. NNX14AD906, and Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant № 13-04-01577