The winter freezing of soils in high-latitude ecosystems has led to the assumption that the most important ecological processes in these soils must occur during summer. Recent work suggests that biological processes occurring during winter and the freeze-thaw process itself are critical to understanding the dynamics of these ecosystems, their current role in the global carbon cycle, and their likely responses to climatic warming. Past changes in the extent of frozen soils may have significantly affected terrestrial feedbacks to climate. Improved understanding of processes in frozen soils is, therefore, critical to understanding the role of terrestrial ecosystems in the global climate system.

Dr. F. Stuart (Terry) Chapin
Dept. of Integrative Biology
Univ. of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-3140
FAX: 510-643-6264
phone: 510-642-1003
email: fschapin@garnet.berkeley.edu