WP1: Field Measurements and Historical Dataset Analysis
This work package involved collecting and analyzing soil samples from multiple permafrost-affected sites differing in vegetation cover, temperature profiles, and degrees of thaw. Drawing on both new measurements and reexamined datasets, it investigated how soil properties and microbial activity shape VOC release under changing thermal and moisture conditions. In Jiao et al. (2023, Geoderma), for instance, partially thawed peatlands sometimes showed notably higher terpene emissions, whereas other conditions influenced the overall composition and magnitude of fluxes. These findings highlight the complex interplay between permafrost thaw and VOC release in northern soils.
WP2: Laboratory Incubations Under Global Change Scenarios
This work package used controlled laboratory setups to investigate how Arctic and permafrost-affected soils respond to temperature changes and other environmental factors. By incubating soil samples under varied conditions, it became possible to track real-time production and consumption of different VOCs. These efforts are detailed in Jiao et al. (2023, Soil Biology & Biochemistry), which describes how soils can remove certain VOCs from the headspace, and in Jiao et al. (2025, Communications Earth & Environment), which shows that active layer soils can be important sinks for several compound classes. Taken together, these incubations confirmed that microbial processes and soil properties influence whether these northern soils act as net sources or net sinks, and they provided insights into how ongoing climate changes could shift VOC exchange in high-latitude regions.
WP3: Modeling and Parameterization
This work package focused on integrating experimental insights into global and regional models that represent Arctic soil–atmosphere interactions. A central outcome was the derivation of uptake coefficients for multiple VOCs in active layer soils (Jiao et al., 2025, Communications Earth & Environment), which highlight the potential for simultaneous production and consumption processes in permafrost-affected environments. These coefficients provide an important foundation for including soil uptake dynamics in terrestrial VOC models.
