Earth and Environment Atlas

How The Planet Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Open Question

How much will land and ocean carbon sinks weaken as the planet keeps warming?

Facts
Why Open
Earth system models predict a wide range of land and ocean carbon uptake even under identical atmospheric concentration or emission scenarios, so how far the natural sinks that currently absorb roughly half of human carbon emissions will weaken under continued warming is not settled. 1
What Would Resolve
Convergence of Earth system models on a narrower projected range for land and ocean carbon uptake under a shared warming scenario, backed by stronger observational constraints on how each sink actually behaves as the climate changes. 1
Discipline Needed
Earth system modeling and biogeochemistry 1
Open Question

Earth system models predict a wide range of land and ocean carbon uptake even under identical atmospheric concentration or emission scenarios, so how far the natural sinks that currently absorb roughly half of human carbon emissions will weaken under continued warming is not settled.

What would resolve this Convergence of Earth system models on a narrower projected range for land and ocean carbon uptake under a shared warming scenario, backed by stronger observational constraints on how each sink actually behaves as the climate changes.
OpenEarth system modeling and biogeochemistryCarbon Cycle (Wikipedia)
Connections

Question On

Source Carbon Cycle (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Carbon Cycle (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia, "Carbon cycle", section on carbon cycle feedbacks and future sinksView the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.