Multiple state-of-the-art independent observing systems consistently disagree on magnitudes and patterns of ecosystem metabolism of carbon dioxide, but together can shed new insight.
carbon cycle
Posted inResearch Spotlights
The Gaps in Environmental Networks Across Latin America
Despite its notable influence on global carbon and water cycles, Latin America accounts for a relatively small share of FLUXNET sites, which limits the representativeness of the network in the region.
Posted inScience Updates
Earth’s Volatile Balancing Act
How do greenhouse gases and water circulate from minerals deep below Earth’s surface into the atmosphere and oceans—and then back again? Our understanding continues to evolve.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
How River Engineering Alters Carbon Cycling
Artificial levees in the Lower Mississippi River bypass floodplain processing and increase delivery of carbon to the ocean.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Coastal Flooding Enhances Methane Buildup in Forests
Increased seawater exposure from flooding and storms is altering how coastal forests cycle methane, leading to more greenhouse gas accumulation in tree stems and soil.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Robot Measures Air-Sea Carbon Dioxide Exchange in Southern Ocean
Unique air and ocean surface observations of the Southern Ocean from a 22,000 km, 196-day circumnavigation around Antarctica by an Uncrewed Surface Vehicle.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
The Alkalinity Trap at the Bottom of the World
Tiny microorganisms in the Southern Ocean affect the way the rest of the world’s seas respond to carbon dioxide.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
The Role of Midsized Phytoplankton in Earth’s Biological Pump
New research finds that nanoplankton may have a larger influence on carbon cycling than previously thought.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A Global Look at Surface Soil Organic Carbon
Soil organic carbon is an important element of ecosystem and climate health. Remote sensing can now give scientists a global look at this important piece of the carbon puzzle.
Posted inNews
Trees That Live Fast, Die Young, and Mess with Climate Models
The trade-off between tree longevity and life expectancy can mean future carbon uptakes are overestimated in current global climate models.