Thawing Permafrost and Methane (IMAGE) Ecological Society of America Caption Left: Crumbling blocks of permafrost along the Beaufort Coast, Alaska (Photo courtesy of USGS). Right: Methane bubbles trapped in thermokarst lake ice. When ice-rich permafrost thaws, former tundra and forest turns into a thermokarst lake as the ground subsides. The carbon stored in the formerly frozen ground is consumed by the microbial community, which release methane gas. When lake ice forms in the winter, methane gas bubbles are trapped in the ice (Photo courtesy of Miriam Jones, USGS). Credit Miriam Jones and USGS Usage Restrictions Photos courtesy of Miriam Jones and USGS. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.