PEACE

PEACE will tackle the following question: how are permafrost degradation and climate change-induced vegetative changes affecting carbon-nitrogen-phosphorus (C-N-P) dynamics and transfers along the terrestrial-aquatic continuum in Arctic ecosystems?

The project will thus complete the following tasks:

• Characterise the various compartments along the terrestrial-aquatic continuum using field monitoring and sampling, and quantify C-N-P fluxes (dissolved, particulate, and gaseous) at the watershed scale
• Obtain a detailed understanding of the processes involved in C-N-P cycles and how they are affected by temperature and organic matter composition using experimental approaches (in situ mesocosms and Ecotron), while also improving our modelling capabilities

PEACE will build a multidisciplinary research consortium with specialists in geomorphology, pedology, geochemistry, hydrology, climatology, and microbiology; it will benefit directly from its participants' experience with and research in Northern ecosystems.

The most intensive sampling, technical monitoring programmes, and modelling efforts will be carried out at one observatory in Canada (Churchill in Manitoba) and two observatories in Europe (Zackenberg in Greenland and Abisko in Sweden). Working at these sites means PEACE can combine its efforts with those of ongoing projects led by French and international partners.

Coordinator: Liudmila Shirokova, CNRS

Funding: €1,484,533 for 60 months