Earth’s Cryosphere, 2012, Vol. XVI, No. 2, p. 65-79

TEMPORAL VARIATION IN ANTHROPOGENIC NITROGEN INPUTS TO THE ACTIVE LAYER

V.N. Makarov

Melnikov Permafrost Institute, SB RAS, 677010, Yakutsk, Merzlotnaya str., 36, Russia; makarov@mpi.ysn.ru

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for all living organisms. The results of investigation on migration of mineral nitrogen compounds into the active layer and permafrost in the residential and industrial zones of the city of Yakutsk are discussed. Concentration of nitrogen compounds is relatively uniform in perennially frozen Cenozoic alluvial deposits on the Lena River terraces. Concentration of nitrogen compounds in the active layer distinctly correlates with the period of anthropogenic impact. The flux of nitrogen compounds to the active layer of the residential areas has been relatively constant over the 300 years of anthropogenic impact. In the industrial zone, accumulation of nitrogen compounds in the active layer increases by more than one order of magnitude.

Key words: Аctive layer, permafrost, anthropogenic impact, nitrogen, migration.

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