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Keenan’s Study Suggest Accumulation of CO2 in the Atmosphere has Plateaued2 min read

by Maryann Villavert on November 8, 2016

Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division Climate Modeling Program In The Press Publication
iStock Aerial view of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil

Aerial view of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil—a tropical and high-latitude ecosystem (image from iStock).

A paper in Nature Communications, published online today (November 8), suggests that the rate at which CO2 is accumulating in the atmosphere has plateaued in recent years because Earth’s vegetation is grabbing more carbon from the air than in previous decades. These new finding by Trevor Keenan et al. “…highlights the need to identify and protect ecosystems where the carbon sink is growing rapidly,” says Keenan (research scientist, Climate & Ecosystem Sciences Division).

Trevor Keenan portrait

Trevor Keenan

The scientists used ten “global dynamic vegetation models” that predict how the terrestrial carbon cycle changes over time, as well as a model that incorporates satellite measurements of vegetation cover and plant activity to predict global photosynthesis and respiration rates. Model validations were done by comparing its results with data from AmeriFlux (managed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the Department of Energy) and FLUXNET. Model projections were generated using different scenarios of atmospheric CO2 level, temperature, soil moisture, and other processes. This enabled the researchers to evaluate the impacts of these processes on the planet’s terrestrial carbon cycle. Models showed rising CO2 levels as having the biggest impact on photosynthesis and plant respiration. The result was a boost in terrestrial carbon uptake, particularly in tropical and high-latitude ecosystems. The scientists concluded this carbon uptake put the brakes on the growth rate of atmospheric CO2 between 2002 and 2014.

Read more about the “Study: Carbon-Hungry Plants Impede Growth Rate of Atmospheric CO2” from the Berkeley Lab News Center (November 8, 2016).

Press

  • Are plants slowing the rise of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere? – The Christian Science Monitor
  • If you’re looking for good news about climate change, this is about the best there is right now – The Washington Post
  • Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Growth Rate Paused: Thanks, Plants! – Tech Times

News & Events

Former Intern Emily Nagamoto Wins AGU Award1 min read

March 27, 2023

Former Science Undergraduate Laboratory Intern (SULI) Emily Nagamoto received an American Geophysical Union (AGU) Outstanding Presentation Award, which honors exceptional presentations given during AGU’s 2022 Fall meeting. She was mentored by Staff Scientist Charuleka Varadharajan and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Mohammed Ombadi during her Summer 2022 SULI term. Currently an undergraduate student in Duke University’s Nicholas…

EESA Scientists Investigate How Tropical Soil Microbes Might Respond to Future Droughts2 min read

March 14, 2023

As the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, tropical rainforests are just as critical to sustaining environmental and human systems as they are beautiful. Their unique climate with high temperatures, humidity, and precipitation promotes high primary productivity, which offsets high respiration, resulting in these ecosystems being one of the largest carbon sinks on Earth,…

Doubling Protected Lands for Biodiversity Could Require Tradeoffs With Other Land Uses, Study Finds4 min read

March 3, 2023

This article first appeared on lbl.gov. Scientists show how 30% protected land targets may not safeguard biodiversity hotspots and may negatively affect other sectors – and how data and analysis can support effective conservation and land use planning Although more than half the world’s countries have committed to protecting at least 30% of land and oceans…

Six Berkeley Lab Scientists Named AAAS Fellows6 min read

This article first appeared at lbl.gov Six researchers have been elected into the 2022 class of the American Association for the Advancement of Science The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has announced their 2022 Fellows, including six scientists from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). This lifetime honor, which follows…

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