Context
Researchers analyzing sediment in Alaska’s Yukon River observed that eroding permafrost is contributing mercury-laden sediments to the river.
About
- In the Arctic, plants absorb mercury, then die and become a part of the soil, which subsequently freezes into permafrost.
- Over lots of years, mercury concentrations build up in the frozen soil till it thaws, an increasingly common incidence because of climate change.
- Mercury quantity in permafrost is more than the full of all oceans, soils, environment and biosphere of the earth.
- Scholars have warned the world of an excellent ‘large mercury bomb’ that may quickly explode.
- The metal accumulates in the meals chain specifically through people’s customary diets of fish and game.
What is Permafrost?
- Permafrost is basically any surface that remains frozen — 0 degree Celsius or lower — for at least 2 years immediately.
- It is composed of “a combination of soil, rocks, and sand that are held together via ice. The soil and ice in permafrost remain frozen all year long.”
- Although the surface remains perennially frozen, permafrost regions aren’t always included with snow.
- These permanently frozen grounds are often observed in Arctic regions including Greenland, Alaska (america), Canada, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
Consequences of melting of permafrost
- Melting permafrost alters the habitat for flowers and animals, doubtlessly disrupting neighborhood ecosystems and threatening biodiversity.
- Thawing permafrost causes the surface to grow to be risky, leading to the sinking or disintegration of homes, roads, pipelines, and different infrastructure.
- Permafrost acts as a freezer for ancient microorganism and viruses. Thawing may want to potentially launch those pathogens, posing a threat of new or re-rising diseases.
- As permafrost thaws, naturally trapped in the frozen surface decomposes, freeing carbon dioxide and methane. This procedure hurries up worldwide warming.
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q. How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain. (2021)
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