Greenhouse Gas Dynamics in Siberia: Interannual, Seasonal and Diurnal Insights from the ZOtino Tall Tower Observatory

My PhD research investigates how climate change is affecting the release and uptake of greenhouse gases in the vast forests and wetlands of Siberia. This region stores enormous amounts of carbon in its vegetation, soils, and permafrost, and it is warming faster than many other parts of the world. Using measurements from a 300-metre tall tower in central Siberia, I studied how two key greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), change throughout the seasons and from year to year.
I found that warming is strengthening both gases’ seasonal patterns: ecosystems take up CO2 in summer but also release more CO2 in the colder months, while methane emissions increase especially during warm, wet late summers. These changes suggest that Siberia’s role in regulating the global climate is becoming less stable.
By providing rare long-term measurements from a remote region, this research helps improve climate models and deepens our understanding of how northern ecosystems are responding to a rapidly changing climate.