A team of researchers developed a simple model of permafrost carbon based on direct observations. For every one degree Celsius of global warming, the amount of permafrost carbon that enters the atmosphere is equivalent to 1.5 years of global carbon dioxide emissions.
Research reveals that hydrothermal vent systems convert long-lived organic carbon into more readily available forms, balancing the continuous supply from surface oceans. This mechanism addresses the long-standing question of why deep ocean dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels remain constant.
Researchers analyzed deep sea coral samples to reveal that past carbon dioxide spikes occurred alongside high ocean circulation events. The findings suggest that excess carbon in the deep ocean was flushed out, releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.
A new study finds that many forests cannot absorb as much carbon dioxide as projected because of a shortage in vital nutrient nitrogen. This limits the ability of plants to fix carbon, leading to higher net carbon emissions.
Researchers have designed enzyme-functionalized micromotors that can rapidly remove carbon dioxide from water and convert it into a usable solid form, potentially helping to mitigate ocean acidification and global warming.
The symposium aims to address the role of urban soils in storing carbon and mitigate climate change. Experts propose various management options such as biodiversity enhancement and sustainable land use practices to increase soil carbon storage.
The Southern Ocean's carbon sink has renewed its strength, absorbing more atmospheric carbon dioxide over the past decade. This improvement is attributed to changes in sea surface temperature and dissolved inorganic carbon levels.
Researchers will investigate how disturbances like fire and insect infestation are changing the Earth's carbon absorption, and use models to optimize observation networks for detecting impact on ecosystem carbon balance. The project aims to understand how terrestrial landscapes are shifting from being a net carbon sink to a source.
Research by Umeå University reveals that streams and rivers release notable amounts of carbon dioxide from organisms' respiratory processes. This finding highlights the importance of understanding these mechanisms in predicting the impact of climate change on greenhouse gas concentrations.
A new study found that Arctic rivers, such as the Mackenzie River, are responsible for burying large amounts of organic carbon from thawing permafrost at sea. This process locks away carbon dioxide and helps stabilize the earth's CO2 levels over time, providing a potential natural sink for excess greenhouse gas emissions.
A new study suggests that the world's deserts may be storing significant amounts of climate-changing carbon dioxide, with estimates suggesting up to 20 billion metric tons stored in underground aquifers. This discovery could improve models used to predict future climate change and enhance calculations of the Earth's carbon budget.
A new IIASA study examines the effect of reducing short-lived air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions on carbon budgets compatible with the 2°C climate target. The researchers found that stringent reductions in methane emissions could increase the size of the carbon budget by up to 20%.
Researchers discovered novel enzymes in microorganisms called archaea that break down organic matter into carbon dioxide, with implications for climate change. The study found that an increase in ocean temperature accelerates this process, releasing more carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.
Researchers estimate that subduction returns almost no carbon to the mantle, with 'exchange between reservoirs in balance.' New analysis sheds light on Earth's climate over geologic time scales and implications for life.
Researchers found that increased CO2 levels restrict plants' ability to absorb nitrogen, a key nutrient for crop growth. The study reveals reduced nitrogen content in crops regardless of growth stimulation or fertilizer addition.
A study led by Argonne National Laboratory emphasizes the significance of land management practices in retaining carbon, especially under cellulosic biofuel production scenarios. Effective management can increase soil organic carbon storage by up to 2.6% when 90% of harvest residue is returned.
The new material has exceptional energy-storage capacity, enabling unprecedented performance in lithium-sulfur batteries and supercapacitors. Designer carbon can be fine-tuned for various applications by adjusting the type of polymers and organic linkers used during fabrication.
A new paper published in Biogeosciences confirms that the Earth's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has increased with rising carbon emissions. This is a positive development, as it suggests that without this increased absorption, CO2 levels would be twice what they are today.
Scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution calculated the first direct estimate of how much organic carbon is exported to the ocean by rivers. The study found that rivers transport approximately 200 megatons of carbon to the ocean annually, with 80% coming from terrestrial biosphere and 20% from petrogenic sources.
Researchers estimate that fjords bury about 18 million tonnes of organic carbon annually, equivalent to 11% of global marine carbon burial. Fjords are 'hotspots' for carbon burial due to their deep and stable environments.
A study found that thawing Arctic permafrost converts 60% of its organic carbon to carbon dioxide in two weeks, potentially creating a positive feedback loop. This release could significantly affect the climate change picture by introducing ancient carbon into the global carbon cycle.
A recent study found that thawing permafrost in Siberia is releasing ancient carbon into the atmosphere, which is then consumed by microbes and released as carbon dioxide. This process accelerates global warming and creates a runaway effect. Scientists are now studying the impact of this phenomenon on climate change.
Researchers at Oregon State University found that chemicals emitted by plant roots break bonds between carbon and minerals in the soil, releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere. This process could accelerate climate warming by up to 1% per year, as current models may be underestimating carbon loss from soil.
Researchers found that root secretions can promote soil carbon loss by freeing organic compounds from protective associations with minerals. This mechanism is known as 'priming' and challenges the assumption that mineral-associated carbon is protected from microbial cycling over millennial timescales.
A team of researchers found that the success of marine diatoms over the last 40 million years is linked to increased continental erosion. Diatoms consume massive amounts of carbon from oceans daily, producing organic matter that helps reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
New computer simulations suggest that thawing permafrost will release more carbon into the atmosphere than plants can absorb, leading to potential acceleration of climate change. The models also indicate a large range of uncertainty in the outcomes, highlighting the need for further research.
Researchers found that a massive release of carbon dioxide from the ocean during the last ice age warmed the planet and ended the glacial period. The study, published in Nature, suggests that natural variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide are linked to carbon stored in oceans.
A study published in Nature shows that a release of carbon dioxide from the deep Southern Ocean helped bring an end to the last Ice Age. The finding provides insight into how oceanic carbon storage affects climate change.
A new UC Berkeley study shows that combining biomass electricity production with carbon capture and sequestration can store more carbon than emitted, making the western US a critical contributor to an overall zero-carbon future. The technology could reduce emissions by up to 80% by 2050 and even become carbon-negative.
Researchers at MIT found that injected carbon dioxide only partially converts to rock, with the majority remaining in a gaseous form. This limitation poses challenges for long-term sequestration efforts.
Researchers estimate that 50% more organic carbon will be exported in glacier outflow over the next 35 years, equivalent to half of the Mississippi River's annual organic carbon influx. This increase has major implications for high-latitude marine ecosystems, particularly those surrounding ice sheets.
Researchers are studying peat fire emissions, which are a major contributor to carbon emissions and climate change. The study aims to understand the impact of peatfire smoke on human health and the climate.
Rice University researchers have developed a new carbon capture material that can hold 114% of its weight in carbon dioxide, capturing more than current methods. The material is made from inexpensive asphalt and can be reused multiple times without degrading.
Researchers at Princeton University found that increased CO2 and plant growth could destabilize soil's carbon stores. The team developed a computer model to show the complex interaction between carbon, plants, and microorganisms in soil.
Researchers at Cornell University have invented carbon-trapping sponges that outperform industry benchmarks, reducing toxicity and increasing efficiency. The innovative technology uses a silica scaffold with nanoscale pores to capture carbon dioxide in the presence of moisture.
The Carnegie Institution has published a new report on the mysterious 90% of Earth's carbon, exploring its quantities, movements, forms, and origins. The Deep Carbon Observatory, led by Robert Hazen and Russell Hemley, aims to answer remaining questions about this essential element.
Recent results from the Deep Carbon Observatory researchers are filling in the global carbon puzzle with findings that extend our understanding of the origins and limits of life on Earth. The report will reveal new information on diffuse degassing, including how emissions seeping out of soils vary daily and seasonally.
Researchers at Rice University have created an environmentally friendly compound that effectively captures carbon dioxide emissions from industrial flue gases and natural gas wells. The new material, combined with buckminsterfullerene molecules, achieves high selectivity and efficiency in capturing carbon dioxide while rejecting methane.
A 12-year University of Illinois study shows that cover crops increase soil organic carbon stock without improving crop yields. The practice is found to sequester the most soil organic carbon in no-till systems with hairy vetch and cereal rye cover crops.
A new theoretical equation demonstrates that every million-million tonnes of carbon emitted will generate one degree Celsius of global warming. The research also shows that surface warming is related to total carbon emissions, with little change over time as ocean carbon and heat uptake cancel each other out.
A new model suggests that intensive agriculture is the primary reason for increased seasonal oscillations in carbon dioxide, with average annual increase of 0.3 percent. The 'Green Revolution' farming practices are boosting atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, leading to a stronger seasonal cycle.
A new model developed by University of Maryland researchers links intensive agriculture to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, revealing a strong correlation between the Green Revolution and Earth's metabolism. The study found that crop production tripled while land planted with major crops grew by 20 percent, leading to incre...
A new ultra-high-resolution NASA computer model provides a stunning visual portrait of how carbon dioxide travels around the globe. The simulation, called GEOS-5, illustrates regional variations in carbon dioxide levels and differences between northern and southern hemispheres.
A new study reveals that iron fertilization in the Southern Ocean may reduce the biological carbon pump's ability to transport carbon dioxide into the deep ocean. This process, which draws carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the sea, is crucial for mitigating climate change.
A new high-resolution mapping strategy has identified opportunities to preserve tropical carbon stocks in the fight against climate change. The approach prioritizes carbon conservation efforts throughout tropical countries and provides detailed information on landscape characteristics.
Phytoplankton, tiny photosynthetic organisms, play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's carbon content. A new study reveals that viruses can rapidly wipe out blooms, fixing large amounts of organic carbon in the process.
Scientists at the University of Miami re-evaluate the global carbon cycle by analyzing marine sediment cores, suggesting that post-depositional changes can mimic ancient trends. This new perspective highlights the importance of understanding geological context in interpreting carbon isotope records.
Researchers develop a novel catalyst to cleave aromatic carbon-carbon bonds in benzene at relatively mild temperatures, offering unprecedented mechanistic details on hydrocracking. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient and selective production of valuable materials from natural resources.
Scientists found that sunlight, not bacteria, dominates the production of carbon dioxide in Arctic inland waters. Photochemical processing accounts for up to 95% of carbon conversion.
A new study finds that sunlight, not bacteria, is the key to converting carbon stored in Arctic permafrost into carbon dioxide. As climate change alters the timing and pace of thawing, this process could significantly impact global CO2 levels.
Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory and Carnegie Mellon University uncover key attributes of brown carbon, a toxic airborne particle that warms the atmosphere. The study reveals that brown carbon shares a common production mechanism with black carbon, leading to significant underestimation of warming effects in climate models.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change reveals that long-term warming has little effect on the storage of carbon in tropical forest soils. The research suggests that warmer temperatures stimulate an increase in leaf litter and underground sources of carbon, offsetting any potential losses in soil carbon.
Researchers at Clemson University discovered that kudzu invasion releases stored carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. In contrast, Japanese knotweed's impact is less pronounced due to its litter chemistry regulating soil biological activity.
Researchers at Rice University have created a porous material that can capture and polymerize carbon dioxide from natural gas at ambient temperature. The material shows promise to replace more costly and energy-intensive processes, enabling the economic production of gas resources with higher carbon dioxide content.
Deeply buried fossil soils in the Great Plains have been found to be rich in carbon, potentially grossly underestimating carbon storage capacity. The study's findings suggest that these ancient soils could contribute significantly to global climate change as they are disturbed.
Research found that elevated CO2 levels accelerate plant growth, leading to more CO2 absorption through photosynthesis. This new understanding suggests that natural processes may not slow global warming as previously thought.
A Scripps Institution of Oceanography study finds that Alteromonas bacteria can consume as much dissolved organic carbon as diverse communities of organisms. This discovery sheds light on the complex mechanisms of ocean carbon cycling and highlights the importance of individual species in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide.
A new study reveals unprecedented detail of the Amazon Basin's trees, enabling researchers to accurately assess their carbon content. The findings will help administer carbon offsetting more effectively, improving our understanding of global forest carbon storage.
A team of researchers found that some studies have shown no-till systems without cover crops may not increase soil organic carbon stocks as claimed. The review suggests that different definitions and methods can lead to conflicting findings, and the accuracy of determining soil organic carbon sequestration depends on the method used.
A new study found that forests growing in fertile soils with ample nutrients can sequester up to 30% of the carbon they take up during photosynthesis. In contrast, nutrient-poor forests retain only 6% of that carbon, which is released back into the atmosphere as respiration.