The PAGE21 project has now been officially closed. The four years of research came to an end on October 31 2015, leaving only...
PAGE21 project was featured in a plenary session "Permafrost in the 21st century" at the 2015 Arctic Circle conference in Reykjavik,...
PAGE21 Researcher Profiles: Christian Juncher Jørgensen
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- Created on Saturday, 23 March 2013 09:32
We will continue introducing the researchers of the PAGE21 project by introducing this weekend Christian Juncher Jørgensen from the Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management in University of Copenhagen
At Zackenberg NE Greenland, 2008. Phot by Hanne Christiansen.Name
Christian Juncher Jørgensen
Institution
Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen
Nationality
Danish
Research Focus
My research revolves around the studies of elemental transformations in soil and terrestrial ecosystems. I am particularly interested in the study of biogeochemical processes responsible for both the production and consumption of carbon and nitrogen compounds in the soil, as well as quantifying the net impacts on the nearby environment.Affiliation with the PAGE21 project
My research within PAGE21 is part of WP3 where we investigate the belowground organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools and biogeochemical turnover in permafrozen soil and their partitioning in the landscape at the primary field sites in Siberia, Svalbard, Greenland and Sweden.
Permafrost exposure at Zackenberg NE Greenland in 2008. Photo by Zoé Lucia.What is the current challenge within this topic?
The greatest challenge involved in my research is to get a solid understanding of the quantity and lability of the carbon pools currently immobilized in permafrozen soil. In particularly, we need to establish a good understanding on how future warming might affect the mobilization of labile C and N pools in the soil, which may be lost from the terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere as greenhouse gas emissions. The big unknown is really how much of and at which rate the total C and N buried in the permafrost will be susceptible for degradation and remobilization.
General Researcher Questions
General Researcher Questions
How did it happen that you became a researcher?
It's the best job in the world!
Why do you like being the researcher?
Because of the fascination of unraveling nature's hidden secrets.
What do you like most in being a researcher?
Working in the field and getting lost in some interest process or experiment and suddenly realizing that another day-at-the-office went by without noticing it. And then we even get paid to do it :)
What are your plans for the upcoming three to five years?
Hopefully being able to expand my research into more regions and research areas, while expanding my collaboration and research network with fascinating scientists.
A polar bear at Kapp Lineé, Svalbard, 2008. Photo by Arild Håkonssen.Which expeditions do you participate this year?
In 2013, field work will be focused on obtain material for C and N lability determinations in Tiksi and Samoylov Island.
What do you usually miss the most when being on the field?
Good coffee when I run out of propane gas for my little espresso field stove. Apart from this, I'd better say my wife and 3 kids, or they will not let me go again ;)
What is your most interesting experience so far on expedition?
Running into a polar bear at Kapp Lineé, Svalbard was an exciting moment!
