Carbon flux, in the context of biogeochemical topics, denotes the rate at which carbon in its various chemical forms (e.g., CO₂, CH₄, dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, particulate organic carbon) is transferred per unit area and time between reservoirs such as the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere, oceans, and lithosphere. It encompasses processes including photosynthetic uptake, respiration, decomposition, combustion, weathering, ocean–atmosphere gas exchange, and sedimentation. Quantification of carbon fluxes, typically in units like g C m⁻² yr⁻¹, is central to constraining carbon budgets, modeling the global carbon cycle, and assessing feedbacks in climate system research.
As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, the ocean plays a crucial role in helping to reduce the full impact of human-driven climate change by absorbing roughly a quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted by human ...
Environment
Jun 25, 2025
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Today, at the Living Planet Symposium, ESA revealed the first stunning images from its Biomass satellite mission—marking a major leap forward in our ability to understand how Earth's forests are changing and exactly how they ...
Planetary Sciences
Jun 23, 2025
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As Earth's largest carbon reservoir, the ocean locks carbon away from the atmosphere. However, scientists still struggle to measure and monitor exactly how much carbon is stored in the ocean, hindering efforts to model and ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 19, 2025
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New research reveals the importance of winter sea ice in the year-to-year variability of the amount of atmospheric CO2 absorbed by a region of the Southern Ocean.
Earth Sciences
Jun 18, 2025
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A study has found New Zealand's native forests are absorbing more carbon dioxide (CO2) than previously thought. Study leader, NIWA atmospheric scientist Dr. Beata Bukosa says the findings could have implications for New Zealand's ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 17, 2025
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Methods to enhance the ocean's uptake of carbon dioxide (CO₂) are being explored to help tackle the climate crisis. However, some of these approaches could significantly exacerbate ocean deoxygenation. Their potential impact ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 14, 2025
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A team of planetary scientists, ecologists, and marine biologists affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. and one in the U.K., has found evidence suggesting that parts of the world's oceans have already passed what ...
Forest fires are a fundamental force in Earth's dynamics with a direct impact on human health, food security, and biodiversity. From air quality to landscape configuration and resource availability, the consequences of fire ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 13, 2025
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Approximately 30% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are removed by terrestrial vegetation through photosynthesis. Researchers affiliated with UNIST have unveiled an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) analysis ...
Environment
Jun 4, 2025
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A new study has revealed for the first time that ancient carbon, stored in landscapes for thousands of years or more, can find its way back to the atmosphere as CO₂ is released from the surfaces of rivers.
Earth Sciences
Jun 4, 2025
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