Warming, tree growth, and the carbon balance of the Arctic

Where is the process of decomposition important? This professionally animated and narrated lesson describes how decomposition and plant growth in Arctic ecosystems are changing with warming and how scientists are studying these processes.

It is important to understand decomposition in the places where it matters most, like the Arctic, where soils accumulate carbon-rich organic matter because decomposition rates are slower than plant growth. However, the Arctic is warming much faster than other parts of the Earth, potentially shifting the balance between decomposition and plant growth. For example, the Arctic tree-line is rapidly advancing northward with warming, changing both plant growth and the depth of snow in winter, altering soil temperature as a result. How will this affect Arctic ecosystems and the amount of soil carbon they store or lose to the atmosphere?