Abstract
Deepening of the active layer due to moisture saturation within the soil has negatively impacted the growth of larch forests near Yakutsk, eastern Siberia. According to sap flow measurements, transpiration from larch trees was reduced at the concave micro-topography with the deepening and moistening of the active layer. Perennial waterlogged conditions led to mortality of mature trees. Several trees with reduced amounts of foliage showed a remarkable reduction in stomatal conductance during the 2009 growing season. These findings indicate that wetting trends in a permafrost region may lead to unexpected ecohydrological responses with respect to permafrost degradation in eastern Siberia.
