The Boundless Carbon Cycle (IMAGE)
Caption
Research now demonstrates that the processes of inland water ecosystems transfer significant amounts of carbon through the burial of sediments and the outgassing of carbon to the atmosphere -- factors that are unaccounted for in climate change mitigation strategies and the carbon cycle models on which they are now based. The schematic highlights carbon fluxes through inland waters, and also includes pre-industrial and anthropogenic fluxes. Values are net fluxes between pools (black) or rates of change within pools (red); units are Pg C yr (billion metric tons carbon per year); negative signs indicate a sink from the atmosphere. Gross fluxes from the atmosphere to land and oceans, and the natural (Nat) and anthropogenic (Ant) components of net primary production are shown for land and oceans. Gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (R) are poorly constrained; we therefore modified respiration to close the carbon balance. Chemical weathering and non-biological dissolution of anthropogenic carbon dioxide by the oceans are also included. Fluxes to the lithosphere represent deposition to stable sedimentary basins and the flux from the lithosphere to land represents erosion of uplifted sedimentary rocks.
Credit
(C) 2009 NPG
Usage Restrictions
For use beyond the context of this press release and related stories, permissions must be obtained from: Laura Graham-Clare L.Graham-Clare@nature.com 44-20-7014-4222
License
Licensed content