Project Grant 2309467

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Polar Programs Project Grant award to Northern Arizona University totals $319,829 over 5 years from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2028. The project, titled "The Arctic Carbon and Climate (ACClimate) Observatory: Tundra Ecosystem Carbon Balance and Old Carbon Loss as a Consequence of Permafrost Degradation," will examine the dynamics of permafrost carbon, which stores substantial quantities of carbon in Arctic soils, and the impact of permafrost thaw on carbon release to the atmosphere. The research aims to quantify the net release of carbon and determine the proportion of old carbon released as a result of permafrost degradation in a tundra ecosystem in interior Alaska. The project will also engage undergraduate students in research and conduct outreach through the Murie Science and Learning Center at Denali National Park.