Articles tagged with Carbon Cycle
Researchers found a 12,000-year record of marine sediment cores in Antarctica showing fluctuations in sea ice levels affecting algae growth. Algal bloom events occurred nearly every year before 4,500 years ago, but became less frequent after 4.5 thousand years ago, responding to climate cycles like ENSO.
MacBean aims to develop advanced predictive tools using satellite remote sensing, field experiments, and process-based models to understand dryland ecosystems' response to climate change. Drylands support 38% of the world's population but are sensitive to moisture availability.
The study found that tropical forest edges are releasing large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere due to increased tree mortality. By 2100, the proportion of forest edges is projected to increase from 31% to almost 50% if deforestation rates remain high.
Researchers combined VOD with remote sensing data from optical satellites to analyze the effects of fire on Amazon canopy dynamics. The study found that VOD provided a more accurate picture of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic biomass changes, and that rainfall was close to average during the fire season.
The study reveals that climate change affects the rate of decomposition and insect contributions to deadwood, releasing approximately 10.9 giga-tons of carbon worldwide annually
A new study reveals zooplankton exhibit high-frequency 'mini-migrations' due to cloud shadows, affecting their energy expenditure and carbon transport. The daily process of swimming up and down in response to subtle changes in light intensity may have significant implications for Earth's carbon cycle.
The deployment of thousands of autonomous robots called BGC-Argo floats is transforming our understanding of marine primary productivity on a global scale. By measuring oxygen production over time, researchers can estimate net primary productivity and shed light on the ocean's role in storing carbon.
Researchers discovered that certain catalyst materials, such as erythrite, improve in performance over time due to restructuring. This process increases the surface area of the material, allowing for more reactions to occur, resulting in higher oxygen yields and doubled electrical current generation.
A 2 MWel power plant will be built in Saudi Arabia, combining CSP and desalination techniques to achieve unprecedented efficiencies. The DESOLINATION project aims to provide low-cost renewable electricity and fresh water for the GCC region.
A geoscientific study suggests that the proliferation of marine animals with silicon skeletons and land plants altered the carbon-silicon cycle, changing Earth's climate regulation. The research used lithium isotope levels to trace the cycle over three billion years.
Researchers developed semiconducting passivation layers to inhibit dendrite formation, enhancing battery stability and safety. The new technology improved battery capacity by up to 81% compared to conventional Li electrodes.
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have identified two metal-independent carbonic anhydrase enzymes that improve our knowledge of the global carbon cycle. These enzymes may play a crucial role in CO2 metabolism, particularly in metal-poor environments.
The collection explores gaps in understanding microplastics' effects on ecosystems, human health, and carbon cycling. Experts call for open collaboration to develop policies and regulations for emerging contaminants.
Scientists reconstructed fluctuations in ocean chemistry by analyzing strontium isotope ratios, which provide information about geochemical processes. The study found that seawater strontium concentration has changed considerably over the past 35 million years and still changes today.
A new study published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles provides estimates of the elusive component of the global carbon cycle. The researchers used two stable carbon isotopes to track carbon through different components of the cycle, finding much higher numbers for land-to-ocean carbon transfer
Researchers used metaproteomics to study the bacterial response to algal blooms in the North Sea. They found that bacteria initially focus on easy-to-degrade substrates and later shift to harder polymers composed of mannose and xylose.
Researchers at Umeå University have quantified carbon emissions from rivers and lakes in Western Siberia, finding that emission rates are high and exceed carbon export to the Arctic Ocean. The study highlights the importance of inland waters in the global carbon cycle and climate system.
Researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa reconciled climate and carbon cycle trends over the past 50 million years, resolving a long-standing controversy. The study found that as atmospheric carbon dioxide decreased, the global carbonate compensation depth actually deepened, contradicting previous expectations.
Researchers are tracking black carbon from West Coast wildfires to study its impact on the global carbon cycle and global warming. The first flush of carbon and nutrients from burned land has been captured for the first time, revealing a previously unknown pathway in the chain that connects fire-derived black carbon to the deep ocean.
The Borexino experiment has successfully detected low-energy neutrinos from the Sun's carbon-nitrogen-oxygen (CNO) cycle, a process that produces about 1% of the Sun's energy output. This detection provides valuable insights into the CNO cycle and its role in the energy production of stars, including our own Sun.
Researchers at Northwestern University found that bacteria in low-iron environments reroute their metabolic pathways to favor producing iron-scavenging compounds. This study provides insights into the impact of iron on carbon cycling in bacterial cells, with implications for ecosystem health and environmental biotechnology.
New study shows ocean acidification influences carbon content of sinking particles, affecting biological pump. The results, published in Nature Climate Change, indicate highly variable responses to CO2, with bacterial and animal plankton playing a key role.
Scientists analyzed deep-sea sediment cores to reveal changing climate-carbon cycle interactions. They found that the carbon cycle exerted control over climate at times of volatility, not stability, and provided new insights into their complex relationships.
A University of Alberta PhD student has shed new light on the Earth's carbon cycle using diamonds as breadcrumbs. The study proposes a model where 'superdeep' diamonds crystallize from carbon-rich magmas, which may be critical for their growth.
Scientists have discovered that a small fraction of carbonate melt is present throughout the Earth's mantle, storing a large mass of carbon. This finding sheds light on seismology and its connection to climate change.
Researchers date Shuram excursion to 574-567.3 million years ago, suggesting global synchronicity and decoupling of complex life from biogeochemical events. The study challenges traditional views on the coevolution of Ediacaran life and environment.
Research found that dynamic waterlogging enhances carbon dioxide emissions and depletes soil organic carbon. Microbes exhibit higher activity under fluctuating conditions, but not necessarily greater diversity.
Researchers discovered that brown algae's cell wall contains the long-chained sugar fucoidan, which is only partially degraded by microbial communities. However, specific highly specialized bacteria can break down fucoidan using over 100 enzymes, sequestering carbon in the ocean.
A study suggests that Triassic igneous rocks in Brazil caused the release of light carbon isotopes, which may have contributed to the end-Triassic extinction. The findings imply a significant impact on the Earth's carbon cycle during this period.
Researchers develop a trait-based understanding of fungal decomposition abilities, improving predictive power for early and mid-stage wood decay. The study identifies different fungal traits that explain wood decomposition variation, with great potential to improve carbon cycle predictions in forests.
Future climate change will cause drylands to expand at an accelerated rate, but their average productivity is expected to decline. The study found that while total global productivity may increase by 12%, individual dryland areas will experience decreased productivity due to changes in precipitation and temperatures.
A team of FSU researchers has found that newly uncovered Arctic landscapes are feeding lakes and streams with rich carbon sources, which is then degraded by intense sunlight. This discovery sheds light on the carbon cycle and its impact on climate change and the types of life these environments may support.
Researchers have developed a new computer simulation to study carbon in deep Earth reservoirs, providing insights into the Earth's carbon cycle and climate change. The simulation reveals underestimated concentrations of bicarbonate ions under extreme pressure and temperature conditions.
Scientists found that periodic changes in Earth's orbit and volcanic activity controlled the global carbon cycle during ancient mass extinctions. The study suggests that solar system processes had a significant impact on climate and environmental change over 200 million years ago.
A study of carbon-isotope data from a Welsh mudstone core reveals anomalies consistent with orbital cycles of approximately 405,000 years. These findings indicate that the marine carbon cycle is particularly responsive to such astronomical signals.
A new study reveals that intensifying tropical land use is causing forests to contribute less to carbon dioxide uptake, affecting the global carbon cycle. Researchers used satellite data and dynamic vegetation models to estimate carbon dioxide absorption by different ecosystems worldwide.
Gelatinous zooplankton contributes significantly to marine carbon cycle, binding large amounts of carbon transported into deep ocean. This contribution is quantified for the first time globally using over 90,000 observations.
Scientists and innovators present the concept of the Circular Carbon Economy, a system where carbon emissions are reduced, reused, recycled, and removed. This approach is inspired by nature and aims to restore the balance of the carbon cycle.
A researcher is studying how carbon moves through landscapes and across land-water boundaries, exploring its impact on water quality and freshwater food webs. The goal is to understand the fate of terrestrial carbon and improve global carbon budgets.
International researchers have found that most of the black carbon transported to the Atlantic Ocean is 'young' and likely results from recent forest fires. The study, published in Nature Communications, used radiometric dating and molecular composition analysis to quantify and characterize the black carbon flowing in the Amazon River.
A study reveals a decline in forest carbon storage time, hindering forests' ability to absorb and re-emit carbon. Forests are crucial for regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and increased tree mortality is contributing to this decline.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute uncover forgotten metabolic pathway in ocean microorganisms, finding widespread distribution and ecological significance. The discovery provides valuable insights into the degradation of glycolic acid and its impact on global climate change.
A Yale University study reveals that the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event was triggered by a sharp drop in ocean acidity, leading to the demise of marine calcifiers and a 50% decline in species productivity. The research provides new insights into the recovery of marine life after the event.
UIC researchers have successfully developed a fully rechargeable prototype of a lithium-carbon dioxide battery, demonstrating its potential for advanced energy storage systems. The battery's efficiency and long-lasting cycle life are significantly improved due to the use of new materials and a hybrid electrolyte.
Research reveals that horizontal and vertical circulation of carbon-rich ocean water in the subpolar Southern Ocean work together to control carbon storage and release. The study found that large gyres, such as the Weddell Gyre, play a key role in transporting carbon-containing phytoplankton out of the region.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change offers a roadmap for detecting changes in the ocean due to climate change. The research found that sea temperature rise and ocean acidification have already emerged, while other impacts such as changes in ocean microbes will take several decades to a century to appear.
A world-leading team reveals ice sheets are no longer passive parts of the Earth's carbon cycle, but reactors that process rock and boost nutrient release. Ice sheets store vast amounts of organic carbon, fuel marine food webs, and influence global carbon sinks.
A University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science-led research cruise is exploring the marine carbon cycle in the deep Atlantic Ocean. Scientists are analyzing bacterial diversity and function to better understand how cyanobacteria contribute to the process.
Researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology have successfully fabricated a binder-less tin phosphide/carbon composite film electrode for lithium-ion batteries via aerosol deposition. The electrode exhibits improved charging and discharging cycling stabilities, enabling advanced Li-ion batteries with higher capacity.
A study found that pushing past a critical threshold in the carbon cycle can trigger extreme ocean acidification, potentially leading to mass extinctions. The research suggests that once this threshold is breached, the Earth's response becomes self-sustaining, amplifying the effects of initial triggers.
International study finds that as temperatures rise, trees grow faster but die younger, reducing the amount of carbon they store. This phenomenon has significant implications for global carbon cycle dynamics.
A new paper outlines critical mechanisms involved in the ocean carbon cycle, specifically the biological pump. Researchers found that particle injection pumps are a more efficient way of pulling carbon from the surface into the deep waters.
A new Yale study uncovers key relationship between storm events, ecology, and topography in moderating greenhouse gas release from rivers and streams. Concentrations of three greenhouse gases increase during rainstorms in wetland streams but decrease or remain constant in forested streams.
A new study reveals the microbial food web in Amazonian waters, consisting of 20% of the whole Amazon, produces 10 times more CO2 than the classical food chain by decomposing organic matter. This accounts for most of the carbon circulating in lakes, floodplains, and wetlands.
Scientists discovered over 1,000 buried wetland sites worldwide, revealing a record of wetland presence and peat burial. These findings suggest that peat burial can slow down the transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to land, potentially offsetting climate warming.
A new study reveals that peatlands have been a significant carbon sink over the past 130,000 years, storing carbon in their deposits and potentially slowing down climate change. The research, published in PNAS, fills a key knowledge gap about the global extent of peatlands and their role in the carbon cycle.
Researchers use X-ray nanotomography to study the 3D structure of coccolithophore calcite shells, revealing correlations between shell mass and organic template size. The findings provide new insights into the role of these tiny microorganisms in the global carbon cycle.
Recent studies found that dry inland waters play a significant role in the global carbon cycle, emitting around 0.2 gigatonnes of CO2 annually. Freshwaters also act as carbon sinks when water levels are high, but emit gases when they dry out. The team suggests reservoirs as potential targets for reducing CO2 emissions from inland waters.
A global collaboration of ecological researchers, including Kent State University's Dave Costello, has revealed new findings on the effect of climatic factors on river-based ecosystems. The study found that temperature and moisture influenced carbon-cycling rates of river ecosystems.
A new study reveals that animal movements can trigger direct or indirect feedback effects altering landscapes' capacity to absorb or release carbon. This integration of animal ecology and remote sensing can improve predictions and management of carbon cycling across ecosystems.