YAKUTSK, July 15. /TASS/. Russian and Chinese scientists will model carbon uptake processes in basins of the Lena River in Yakutia and of the Amur River in China's Heilongjiang Province, Trofim Maksimov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Experimental Biology of Permafrost Ecosystems Department at the Institute of Biological Problems of the Cryolithozone, and Deputy Director General for Science of the Yakut Scientific Center, told TASS.

"The Chinese counterparts have a good scientific foundation for hydro-biochemical modeling. This year, we have launched a Russian-Chinese project to study carbon sequestration in the Lena and the Amur River basins. The data is very important for both countries, since Russia and China have promised to become carbon-neutral countries in 2060 - to stop greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere so that to reduce the process of climate warming on Earth. Right now we are on the threshold of carbon regulation related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere," he said.

For 20 years, Chinese scientists have been monitoring greenhouse gases in various natural and urbanized ecosystems, he continued. "The ChinaFlux observation network has 84 scientific stations across China. Similar long-term studies on greenhouse gas monitoring have been conducted by Yakut scientists at the SakhaFlux observation network in northeastern Russia in a vast permafrost zone," he noted.

At four scientific stations in Yakutia, scientists continue regional studies on the carbon balance of permafrost ecosystems: forest, tundra and forest tundra. "Over 24 years, at the Spasskaya Pad scientific station, we have received a series of data that allows us to be on the verge of capturing global changes in our ecosystem. In ten years, climatologists will be able to forecast ecosystem developments. Our permafrost ecosystems are a large sink of greenhouse gas, of carbon. About 450 million tons of carbon are absorbed annually. If it were not for forest fires and insect infestations, we could've claimed the status of a national donor of carbon units in Russia," he explained.

Special territory

Average data from some scientific stations in Yakutia can be extrapolated to entire Russia, he continued. "There is a positive condition associated with the low population density. Thus, the anthropogenic factor is low. Here, there are also very few enterprises and factories that emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere," he said.

"Presently, we can see an increase in carbon uptake of the tundra ecosystem due to the expansion shrub species habitat, of woody shrub species. Take for example, broad-leaved willow that has higher carbon absorption. The tundra zone, in turn, is shrinking due to the taiga. Coniferous forests, say, larch, are moving northbound," the scientist said.

Pioneer species, including birch, are also moving northwards. "There is a forecast saying pioneer species are moving north at a rate of 0.8 km per year. Insects, which are primarily pollinators, also move north along with herbaceous plants. For example, the number of bumblebees in the tundra has declined. We expect invasive species may disrupt the ecosystem," he said.

New mushrooms are also appearing. At the Spasskaya Pad scientific station, experts have found a new species of Rhizopogon laricinus. The related fungus prefers nitrogen-rich pine forests, but due to the warming climate and the increasing frequency of forest fires, the fungus has changed its ecological growing conditions. "The fungus lives by symbiosis with the tree, it takes from the tree 5% of carbon, and returns to the tree 30% of minerals. By now, this mushroom has appeared in the tundra," the scientist noted.