Terrestrial Biosphere as a Source and Sink of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

2012 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rattan Lal ◽  
K. Lorenz ◽  
R. F. Hüttl ◽  
B. U. Schneider ◽  
Joachim von Braun
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Terrestrial Biosphere ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon ◽  
Source And Sink

Constraining a terrestrial biosphere model with remotely sensed atmospheric carbon dioxide

2017 ◽  
Vol 203 ◽  
pp. 109-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Kaminski ◽  
M. Scholze ◽  
M. Vossbeck ◽  
W. Knorr ◽  
M. Buchwitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Remotely Sensed ◽  
Terrestrial Biosphere ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon ◽  
Biosphere Model

scholarly journals Preservation of terrestrial organic carbon in marine sediments off shore Taiwan: mountain building and atmospheric carbon dioxide sequestration

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-206
Author(s):  
S.-J. Kao ◽  
R. G. Hilton ◽  
K. Selvaraj ◽  
M. Dai ◽  
F. Zehetner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Marine Sediments ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Terrestrial Biosphere ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Abstract. Geological sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) can be achieved by the erosion of organic carbon (OC) from the terrestrial biosphere and its burial in long-lived marine sediments. Rivers on mountain islands of Oceania in the western Pacific have very high rates of OC export to the ocean, yet its preservation offshore remains poorly constrained. Here we use the OC content (Corg, %), radiocarbon (Δ14Corg) and stable isotope (δ13Corg) composition of sediments offshore Taiwan to assess the fate of terrestrial OC. We account for rock-derived fossil OC to assess the preservation of OC eroded from the terrestrial biosphere (non-fossil OC) during flood discharges (hyperpycnal river plumes) and when river inputs are dispersed more widely (hypopycnal). The Corg, Δ14Corg and δ13Corg of marine sediment traps and cores indicate that during flood discharges, terrestrial OC is transferred efficiently to the deep ocean and accumulates offshore with little evidence for terrestrial OC loss. In marine sediments fed by dispersive river inputs, the Corg, Δ14Corg and δ13Corg are consistent with mixing of marine OC and terrestrial OC and suggest that efficient preservation of terrestrial OC (> 70%) is also associated with hypopycnal delivery. Re-burial of fossil OC is pervasive. Our findings from Taiwan suggest that erosion and marine burial of terrestrial non-fossil OC may sequester > 8 TgC yr−1 across Oceania, a significant geological CO2 sink which requires better constraint. We postulate that mountain islands of Oceania provide strong link between tectonic uplift and the carbon cycle, one moderated by the climatic variability that controls terrestrial OC delivery to the ocean.

Africa as source and sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide

1993 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 41-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Branchu ◽  
H. Faure ◽  
J.-P. Ambrosi ◽  
E.M. van Zinderen Bakker ◽  
L. Faure-Denard
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon ◽  
Source And Sink

scholarly journals Preservation of terrestrial organic carbon in marine sediments offshore Taiwan: mountain building and atmospheric carbon dioxide sequestration

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.-J. Kao ◽  
R. G. Hilton ◽  
K. Selvaraj ◽  
M. Dai ◽  
F. Zehetner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Marine Sediments ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Terrestrial Biosphere ◽  
Holocene Sediments ◽  
Co2 Sink ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon

Abstract. Geological sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) can be achieved by the erosion of organic carbon (OC) from the terrestrial biosphere and its burial in long-lived marine sediments. Rivers on mountain islands of Oceania in the western Pacific have very high rates of OC export to the ocean, yet its preservation offshore remains poorly constrained. Here we use the OC content (Corg, %), radiocarbon (Δ 14Corg) and stable isotope (δ13Corg) composition of sediments offshore Taiwan to assess the fate of terrestrial OC, using surface, sub-surface and Holocene sediments. We account for rock-derived OC to assess the preservation of OC eroded from the terrestrial biosphere and the associated CO2 sink during flood discharges (hyperpycnal river plumes) and when river inputs are dispersed more widely (hypopycnal). The Corg, Δ14Corg and δ 13Corg of marine sediment traps and cores indicate that during flood discharges, terrestrial OC can be transferred efficiently down submarine canyons to the deep ocean and accumulates offshore with little evidence for terrestrial OC loss. In marine sediments fed by dispersive river inputs, the Corg, Δ14Corg and δ 13Corg are consistent with mixing of terrestrial OC with marine OC and suggest that efficient preservation of terrestrial OC (>70%) is also associated with hypopycnal delivery. Sub-surface and Holocene sediments indicate that this preservation is long-lived on millennial timescales. Re-burial of rock-derived OC is pervasive. Our findings from Taiwan suggest that erosion and offshore burial of OC from the terrestrial biosphere may sequester >8 TgC yr−1 across Oceania, a significant geological CO2 sink which requires better constraint. We postulate that mountain islands of Oceania provide a strong link between tectonic uplift and the carbon cycle, one moderated by the climatic variability which controls terrestrial OC delivery to the ocean.

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