Groundwater circulation in the polar regions is controlled by the presence of permafrost, which acts as an aquitard and inhibits groundwater recharge and discharge. Climate change significantly contributes to permafrost thaw, which causes the formation of new paths for groundwater seepage accompanied by previously immobile chemical substances. The primary objectives of this work are the systematisation of existing knowledge on the effects of permafrost thaw on the aquatic system, identification of knowledge gaps and future research needs. The research area is focused on the permafrost regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The obtained findings reveal our poor understanding of the influence of permafrost thaw on the solute fluxes, especially via groundwater discharge, to aquatic systems and the consequences of the delivered fluxes on the biogeochemistry of surface waters. The investigation of aquatic ecosystem structure, functioning, and stability affected by permafrost thawing and associated delivery of solutes to surface waters remains understudied. As the long-term measurements are lacking and studied areas are differentiated, thus we can only speculate about future ecological changes. Investigation and a better understanding of the effects of permafrost thaw on constituent fluxes to surface waters are still research priorities. Funding:  Project No. 2019/34/H/ST10/00645 "Submarine Groundwater Discharge in a Changing Arctic Region: Scale and Biogeochemical impact", which is supported by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and Polish national Basic Research Program

Primary Presenter: Magdalena Diak, Institute of Oceanology of Polish Academy of Sciences (diakmagdalena@gmail.com)

Authors:

Magdalena Diak, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  (mdiak@iopan.pl)

Michael Böttcher, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Geochemistry & Isotope Biogeochemistry, Seestrasse 15, D-18119 Warnemünde, Germany; Marine Geochemistry, University of Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Str. 17a, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany; Interdisciplinary Faculty, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Str. 21, D-18059 Rostock, Germany  ()

Cátia von Ahn, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Geochemistry & Isotope Biogeochemistry, Seestrasse 15, D-18119 Warnemünde, Germany  ()

Wei-Li Hong, Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Universitetsvägen 10A, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden  ()

Monika Kędra, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()

Jochen Knies, Geological Survey of Norway, Leiv Eirikssons vei 39, N-7040 , Trondheim, Norway  ()

Katarzyna Koziorowska-Makuch, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()

Karol Kuliński, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()

Aivo Lepland, Geological Survey of Norway, Leiv Eirikssons vei 39, N-7040 , Trondheim, Norway  ()

Przemysław Makuch, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()

Arunima Sen, The University Centre in Svalbard, PO Box 156, N-9171, Longyearbyen, Norway; 8Nord University, PO box 1490, N-8049, Bodø, Norway  ()

Marc Silberberger, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()

Lech Kotwicki, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()

Aleksandra Winogradow, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()

Beata Szymczycha, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Powstańców Warszawy 55, 81-712 Sopot, Poland  ()