SLIDE 1 Sergey N. Kirpotin Sergey N. Kirpotin
NATURAL DYNAMICS OF SUB NATURAL DYNAMICS OF SUB-
ARCTIC LANDSCAPES IN THE WEST SIBERIAN PLAIN AS INDICATOR OF GLOBAL CHANGES OF CLIMATE WEST SIBERIAN PLAIN AS INDICATOR OF GLOBAL CHANGES OF CLIMATE
SLIDE 2 Western Siberia is a unique bog region in the World. About 104 Western Siberia is a unique bog region in the World. About 104 Mha Mha of
Russian Russian peatlands peatlands are located in Western Siberia, which consists almost are located in Western Siberia, which consists almost completely of pristine completely of pristine peatland peatland ecosystems ecosystems (photographer S. Kirpotin) (photographer S. Kirpotin). .
SLIDE 3
The biggest at the World The biggest at the World – – Great Great Vasiugan Vasiugan Mire Mire (cosmic view of Western (cosmic view of Western part) (from Carbon Storage part) (from Carbon Storage … …, 2001) , 2001)
SLIDE 4
Siberian Siberian peatlands peatlands have been a major sink of atmospheric carbon since have been a major sink of atmospheric carbon since the last the last deglaciation deglaciation, , but their precise role in the global carbon balance has but their precise role in the global carbon balance has not yet been quantified not yet been quantified (photographer S. (photographer S. Kirpotin Kirpotin) )
SLIDE 5
l l
Yefremov Yefremov and and Yefremova Yefremova (2001) estimated that in (2001) estimated that in total 51.7 Pg carbon is total 51.7 Pg carbon is stored in all Western stored in all Western Siberian peat. Smith et al. Siberian peat. Smith et al. (2004) found a total of (2004) found a total of 70.2 Pg carbon (=70.2 70.2 Pg carbon (=70.2 billion billion tonnes tonnes) which is 7 ) which is 7 to 26% of global to 26% of global terrestrial carbon. terrestrial carbon.
SLIDE 6 Global warming is a major environmental issue and is expected to Global warming is a major environmental issue and is expected to be be greatest at high latitudes. Moreover, arctic and sub greatest at high latitudes. Moreover, arctic and sub-
arctic landscapes are particularly sensitive to temperature change because of the thaw particularly sensitive to temperature change because of the thawing of the ing of the permafrost permafrost (photographer S. Kirpotin). (photographer S. Kirpotin).
SLIDE 7
The process of permafrost melting ( The process of permafrost melting (thermokarst thermokarst) of ) of palsa palsa bogs at bogs at the North of Western Siberia (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999 the North of Western Siberia (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999)
)
SLIDE 8
Some boreal species of animals (e.g. Badgers) and plants (e.g. S Some boreal species of animals (e.g. Badgers) and plants (e.g. Siberian iberian pine) are now spreading to the North pine) are now spreading to the North l l
Badger on the left Badger on the left
l l
Siberian pines on the right Siberian pines on the right
SLIDE 9 The biggest in Siberia The biggest in Siberia Samatlor Samatlor oil deposit (cosmic and aerial
- il deposit (cosmic and aerial
views) views)
SLIDE 10 Vast areas of Vast areas of palsa palsa bogs with great number of lakes on watershed surface bogs with great number of lakes on watershed surface in northern taiga sub in northern taiga sub-
- zone (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999)
zone (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999)
SLIDE 11 Scheme of West Scheme of West-
Siberian plain
SLIDE 12 The South part of the West Siberian Plain is a typical Siberian The South part of the West Siberian Plain is a typical Siberian taiga with taiga with different types of bogs different types of bogs l l
Siberian taiga on the Siberian taiga on the left left
l l
ridge ridge-
hollow mire on the right the right
SLIDE 13 Northern Northern-
taiga and forest-
- tundra from the helicopter (photographer
tundra from the helicopter (photographer
- S. Kirpotin, 1999)
- S. Kirpotin, 1999)
SLIDE 14
Colonisation of bogs by trees (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999) Colonisation of bogs by trees (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999)
SLIDE 15
The first stage of permafrost melting ( The first stage of permafrost melting (thermokarst thermokarst) on the ) on the palsa palsa bog bog surface (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999, 2004 surface (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999, 2004)
)
SLIDE 16
The second stage of permafrost melting ( The second stage of permafrost melting (thermokarst thermokarst) on the ) on the palsa palsa bog bog surface (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999 surface (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999)
)
SLIDE 17
The third stage of permafrost melting ( The third stage of permafrost melting (thermokarst thermokarst) on the ) on the palsa palsa bog bog surface (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999, 2004 surface (photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999, 2004)
)
SLIDE 18
Round lakes as a fourths stage of circle succession of permafros Round lakes as a fourths stage of circle succession of permafrost t degradation (photographer S. Kirpotin/ 1999 degradation (photographer S. Kirpotin/ 1999)
)
SLIDE 19 Khasyrei Khasyrei -
- dumped lake, which throw down it
dumped lake, which throw down it’ ’s water to another reservoir, as a fifth s water to another reservoir, as a fifth stage of circle succession of permafrost degradation ( stage of circle succession of permafrost degradation (photographer
photographer S. Kirpotin, 1999)
SLIDE 20
Mature Mature khasyrei khasyrei with yang frozen peat hills, as a last stage of circle with yang frozen peat hills, as a last stage of circle succession of succession of palsa palsa’ ’s s dynamics (aerial photo) dynamics (aerial photo)
SLIDE 21
The scheme of the circle The scheme of the circle palsa palsa’ ’s s dynamics succession dynamics succession
SLIDE 22 Fresh Fresh thermokarst thermokarst subsidence. You can see the dwarf shrubs go under
- subsidence. You can see the dwarf shrubs go under
water water (
(photographer
photographer S. Kirpotin, 2004)
SLIDE 23 Edge (shore Edge (shore-
line) of the small thermokarst thermokarst lake lake, , You can see the dwarf You can see the dwarf shrubs go under water shrubs go under water, , some of them are still alive some of them are still alive (
(photographer
photographer S. Kirpotin,
2004) 2004)
SLIDE 24 Edge of the big (1 km) lake Edge of the big (1 km) lake (
(photographer
photographer S. Kirpotin, 2004)
