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Many people see the carbon cycle as a vertical phenomenon – carbon dioxide oscillating between soil, plants and the atmosphere.
However, according to a new study from Michigan State University, a new dimension is being added to the vertical perspective by showing how water displaces large amounts of carbon laterally across ecosystems – particularly when water is in the water. ; floods. These results, which badyzed more than 1,000 watersheds, covering approximately 75% of the contiguous United States, have implications for climate change and water quality.
Carbon in the environment, particularly dissolved organic carbon (DOC), is a key variable that influences many fundamental processes of the planet, such as water chemistry, emissions of greenhouse gases and the transport of pollutants through the soil and water.
circulates through ecosystems, captures organic carbon from plants and soils, and in many cases water determines whether the ecosystem is a net source or source of carbon. net amount of carbon absorbed each year by the atmosphere. Accurate accounting is therefore essential for managing the "carbon bank account," said Jay Zarnetske, the lead author of the study. leaving ecosystems as DOC by including flood data. Quoting logistical and safety issues, scientists generally place great importance on rivers during floods. As a result, researchers know less about the DOC behavior during floods. However, when water flows quickly and turns brown, it is when most of the carbon is transported out of most watersheds. In other words, it's a time when more samples are needed.
What surprised the team of scientists is that the floods easily remove carbon from the landscapes of various ecosystems in North America, ranging from the forests of Michigan to to the Sonoran Desert. At first, they thought the DOC would be diluted by floods in many parts of the United States. However, large quantities of DOC – or stronger tea, metaphorically speaking – have been released from almost all environments in a relatively short time.
Another important confirmation of the data set of the study is the important role that wetlands play in our watersheds. DLC dumping behavior in the United States was primarily related to wetland area in a watershed. Wetlands act as buffers or DOC storage in watersheds. If floodwaters rise, water and DOC in the wetlands closest to the river can spread rapidly.
Therefore, the location of natural wetlands in the watershed is important. Degreasing the natural wetlands and "swapping" them for another nearby swamp or creating an artificial area may seem interesting, but it will affect the ability of an area to store and release carbon, Zarnetske added.
(This story was not edited by Business Standard staff and is generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)
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