Dec

12

2007
 
 

Vicious circle



Higher atmospheric CO2 leads to… higher atmospheric CO2

leaf fall not so pleasant nowThe atmospheric fallout of climate change – higher carbon dioxide levels, temperatures and shifting rainfall – is predicted to result in higher rates of leaf litterfall. The results of a five-year field experiment, published this week in PLoS ONE, suggest the extra leaf litter will make things worse by increasing soil respiration. In turn, say University of Cambridge biologist Emma Sayer and colleagues, more of the soil’s carbon will find its way into the atmosphere. If only we had a way to get rid of the extra leaf litter… Source: Sayer EJ, Powers JS & Tanner EVJ (2007) Increased litterfall in tropical forests boosts the transfer of soil CO2 to the atmosphere. PLoS ONE DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001299

Image © Alain Lacroix

Filed Under Climate change, Habitat, Monitoring, Socio-political issues | 

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