Articles tagged with Carbon Cycle
The study found that superlinear scaling occurs in aquatic ecosystems of larger watersheds, releasing carbon back into the atmosphere. Smaller watersheds are less effective at filtering pollutants and mitigating nonpoint source pollution.
A new Michigan Medicine study suggests that genes from oceanic bacteria have entered the human gut microbiome, enabling digestion of seaweed polysaccharides. The research found that these genes are more common than previously recognized and are linked to the ability to process certain seaweed-derived sugars.
Researchers at University of Illinois develop new method to accurately estimate soil organic carbon using airborne and satellite hyperspectral sensing. The study leverages machine learning algorithms with a comprehensive soil spectral library, enabling large-scale monitoring of surface soil organic carbon.
Seagrasses form methane from methylated compounds, which persist in plant tissue for decades, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Methane production is highly efficient and robust against environmental stresses in seagrass meadows.
A new study suggests that wildfires can lead to increased soil carbon stocks in savannahs and grasslands, potentially offsetting short-term emissions. The research found that fires could store up to 90 million tonnes of carbon per year, but the breakdown rate of charcoal in soils remains uncertain.
Researchers at University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science found that marine snow particles help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, contributing to a more efficient carbon cycle. The discovery sheds light on how oxygen deficient zones play a crucial role in the Earth's carbon cycle.
Researchers at Stanford University have created a new catalyst that can convert carbon dioxide into gasoline up to 1,000 times more efficiently than existing standards. The breakthrough allows for the production of long-chain hydrocarbons, making it easier to handle and store, with potential applications in a carbon-neutral cycle.
Researchers analyzing Martian sediment samples suggest three possible explanations for the carbon's origin, including cosmic dust, ultraviolet degradation of carbon dioxide, or biological activity. The findings provide insights into the ancient Mars' carbon cycle and its potential habitability.
Researchers at West Virginia University aim to develop more precise predictions about the role of individual soil microorganisms in the carbon cycle. They will use stable isotope probing to track carbon uptake and characterize the function of microbes in their natural communities.
Researchers at Bigelow Laboratory found that some coccolithophore species can use organic compounds as carbon sources, allowing them to thrive in dark conditions. This discovery has significant implications for understanding global ocean processes and the role of algae in the carbon cycle.
Tropical seagrass meadows may not be as effective in absorbing carbon dioxide as previously believed. According to a new study, some of these ecosystems actually release more CO2 into the atmosphere than they store. This finding is significant for accurately calculating their climate protection potential.
A recent study by Oregon State University reveals that a type of bacteria called SAR11 consumes acetone and isoprene, volatile organic compounds produced by phytoplankton. These findings suggest that the marine carbon cycle is not fully understood and highlights the importance of studying plankton's role in gas exchange.
Researchers successfully reproduced the formation of methane from diamonds under high-pressure conditions, shedding light on the deep Earth's carbon cycle. This finding suggests that hydrocarbons like methane can be created without biological activities, which has significant implications for our understanding of the planet's climate.
Scientists found that variations in Earth's orbit drive cycles of higher and lower diversity in coccolithophore size and shape, with rhythms of 100 and 400 thousand years. This influence may have played a role in ancient climates and climate variations during past warm periods.
Researchers at Cornell University developed a novel method to track microbes and understand their role in processing soil carbon. The study found that different types of bacteria have varying strategies for assimilating carbon, categorized into guilds based on their access to food.
Acetobacterium woodii bacteria can efficiently metabolize CO2 into formate, providing a sustainable alternative to oil-based products. This process can be genetically modified to produce ethanol or lactic acid, enabling the recycling of CO2 and carbon monoxide.
Researchers at Virginia Tech uncover two types of microorganisms that produce amorphous carbon, a form of elemental carbon thought to be formed under extreme conditions. This discovery challenges existing knowledge and raises questions about its impact on the Earth's carbon cycle.
A new study found that heat and antibiotics alone and in combination degrade soil microbe efficiency, resilience, and ability to trap carbon. This could diminish soils' resilience to future stress and exacerbate climate change effects.
A University of Cambridge study reveals that periodic caterpillar outbreaks improve lake water quality but increase CO2 emissions by altering nutrient cycling and favouring greenhouse gas-producing bacteria. This phenomenon is likely to worsen as climate change expands the insects' range, threatening northern forests.
A team of scientists at MBARI has developed an autonomous robotic rover, Benthic Rover II, to study the deep sea's role in cycling carbon. The rover provides long-term monitoring of the coupling between the water column and seafloor, critical for predicting climate change impacts.
Researchers led by NUS found that climate change is increasing fluvial sediment loads in the high mountains of Asia, with implications for hydropower, food, and environmental security. The study reveals that sediment fluxes could more than double by 2050 under an extreme climate change scenario.
Scientists from Stellenbosch University found that phytoplankton are active during winter in the Southern Ocean, contradicting previous assumptions. This discovery improves predictive global climate models and sheds light on adaptation strategies of phytoplankton under adverse growth conditions.
Scientists have made significant gains in understanding the Arctic's carbon cycle by studying the transfer of dissolved organic carbon from land to ocean via rivers. The research highlights the importance of this process in coastal foodwebs and the impacts of climate change on freshwater export and DOC loading.
A new study reveals that Earth's natural habitats can remove significant amounts of carbon dioxide due to previously undiscovered rock nitrogen weathering reactions. Preserving these ecosystems is vital to conserve the planet's carbon sink service and combat climate change.
The Deep Soil Ecotron will enable scientists to conduct experiments on columns of soil up to three meters deep, improving understanding of how deep soil organisms react to unprecedented conditions and sequester carbon. The facility will also be used to develop sensors to monitor deep soils in the field.
A new study found that four distinct episodes of volcanic activity coincided with significant environmental changes, including the Late Triassic Carnian Pluvial Episode, which drove animal and plant diversification. The research suggests that large volcanic eruptions had a profound impact on global temperature and humidity.
A new study suggests that climate change is displacing cold-water communities of algae with warm-adapted ones, threatening to destabilize the delicate marine food web. The research found a clear boundary between these communities at moderate water temperatures, highlighting the vulnerability of polar ecosystems.
Five innovative research projects tackle fundamental questions of environmental and earth science, including the origins of Earth and life on Mars. The studies aim to advance our understanding and lead to important scientific breakthroughs.
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.
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.
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.
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.