Assess graduate-level ability to analyze coupled carbon–hydrology–vegetation feedbacks following Arctic permafrost thaw, including mechanisms of permafrost carbon release, altered hydrological regimes (active layer dynamics, thermokarst, drainage/ponding), vegetation succession and productivity changes, greenhouse gas fluxes (CO2, CH4), methods for coupled process modeling and data interpretation (field measurements, remote sensing), spatial-temporal heterogeneity, and implications for regional carbon balance and climate feedbacks; tasks include interpreting datasets, diagnosing feedback loops, evaluating model assumptions, and proposing research or management responses.