all 11 comments

[–]hfxB0oyA 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

The article says there's a "near-quadrupling of wetlands across Greenland, which are a source of methane emissions", but they don't elaborate. How significant are these emissions? How much is that offset by the carbon sequestration of the living greenery itself? Does a cover of moss help to mitigate trapped methane in the soil that bare land would otherwise release as the ice retreats? Enquiring minds want to know, and this article is light on info.

[–]ActuallyNot[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

The methane emissions are small compared to the methane that Greenland sinks. Net regional methane sink in High Arctic soils of northeast Greenland

But methane is a very powerful greenhouse gas, so everything driving the increase that started in the mid to late twenty naughties is a concern for climate change.

[–]hfxB0oyA 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Yes, but my question is: in lieu of ice cover, what is the benefit of greenery over the soil for methane containment vs. just bare soil? Is there any? If so, how much?

[–]ActuallyNot[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

what is the benefit of greenery over the soil for methane containment vs. just bare soil?

I don't know but I imagine that that would be a dis-benefit. Because growing vegetation eventually rots.

But the methane formerly trapped under permafrost would be the vastly larger problem.

[–]Questionable 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

It also claims:

Significant areas of Greenland’s melted ice sheet are now producing vegetation, risking increased greenhouse gas emissions

But u/ActuallyNot tell us that "Water Vapor" is a powerful greenhouse gas. So, this assertion could literally be referencing melted ice, or water.

[–]ActuallyNot[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Transpiration does release water vapor. But they're probably talking methane.

[–]zyxzevn 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Can the Vikings (who named it Greenland) start harvesting Hop again?
Would be great to a new place for harvesting, as the western countries are killing the farm production.

[–]Jiminy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Great news

[–]GuyWhite 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Ice is melting and plants are thriving. So, what is the problem?

[–]ActuallyNot[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The problem is ice-abldeo feedback and global warming tipping points that put other parts of the world at higher temperatures than are livable.