Researchers have reason to believe that trees uncovered from the northernmost mummified forest ever found in Canada hold clues to the future of the Arctic’s response to global warming. The trees, discovered in the Ellesmere Island National Park in Canada in 2009, have been perfectly preserved for about 2 to 8 million years, According to Science Daily.
Joel Barker, a research scientists at Byrd Polar Research Center and the School of Earth Sciences at Ohio State University, is the leader of the team that is analyzing the remains. He found the site in 2009 while camping on Ellesmere Island for an unrelated project and followed the tips of a national park warden to begin researching the site. His team suspects more mummified forests could emerge across North America as Arctic ice melts, and as the wood is exposed and begins to rot, they feel it could release significant amounts of methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, possibly boosting global warming.
Barker noted that while mummified forests are not uncommon, the one discovered at Ellesmere Island National Park is quite unique. “When the climate began to cool 11 million years ago, these plants would have been the first to feel the effects. And because the tree’s organic material is preserved, we can get a high-resolution view of how quickly the climate changed and how the plants responded to that change,” he said.
With the forest exposed, it is beginning to rot, releasing carbon into the atmosphere that can contribute to global warming. Team member David Elliot noted that the mummified forest on Ellesmere Island doesn’t pose an immediate threat to the environment. However, he stated that when you take into context the whole Arctic, you are dealing with a completely different issue, as more deposits could exist.
It will be interesting to see what the team’s research uncovers at time progresses. You can check out the complete article at www.sciencedaily.com to learn more. If you have thoughts or opinions about this article, share them with us! We would love to know what you think!
Photo credit: Joel Barker, courtesy of Ohio State University, via Sciencedaily.com.