Metal Mobilization from Thawing Permafrost Is an Emergent Risk to Water Resources

Abstract

Metals are ubiquitous in Earth’s Critical Zone and play key roles in ecosystem function, human health, and water security. They are essential nutrients at low concentrations, yet some metals are toxic at a high dose. Permafrost thaw substantially alters all the physical and chemical processes governing metal mobility, including water movement and solute transport and (bio)geochemical interactions involving water, organic matter, minerals, and microbes. The outcomes of these interconnected changes are nonintuitive yet hold global implications for water resources and ecosystem health. This Perspective outlines the primary factors affecting metal mobility in thawing permafrost and underscores the urgent need and priorities for interdisciplinary research to better understand this emerging issue.