Animals Play Crucial Role in Carbon Storage, Study Suggests
A new study suggests that animals play a crucial role in carbon storage, potentially enabling ecosystems to store two to three times more carbon. Matteo Rizzuto from Yale University highlights how animals contribute through activities like trampling, grazing, and bodily functions. This new perspective challenges previous assumptions about carbon dynamics, emphasizing the importance of preserving the relationships between species for conservation and climate change mitigation.
The Role of Crustal Carbonate Build-Up in Earth’s Oxygenation
A recent study published in Nature Geoscience sheds light on the role of crustal carbonate build-up as a driver for Earth’s oxygenation, presenting a theoretical framework for the long-term global oxygen, phosphorus, and carbon cycles. The findings reveal that the accumulation of carbonates in the Earth’s crust has a significant impact on the planet’s oxygenation trajectory in both the atmosphere and oceans, providing valuable insights into the complex interplay between geological and biological processes that have shaped Earth’s atmosphere and oceans over billions of years.
Study Challenges Understanding of Soil Microbiome Diversity and Carbon Cycle
A recent study from the University of Vienna challenges existing understanding of soil microbiomes’ impact on the global carbon cycle. The research found that warmer soils increase microbiome diversity, affecting carbon release. This suggests that carbon release is not solely due to accelerated microbe growth, but also from previously dormant bacteria. The study’s lead author emphasized the complexity of soil microbiome dynamics in response to temperature changes.