Carbon cycling was much smaller during last ice age than in today's climate: study
Sunday, November 20, 2011 - 13:30
in Earth & Climate
Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most important greenhouse gases and the increase of its abundance in the atmosphere by fossil fuel burning is the main cause of future global warming. In past times, during the transition between an ice age and a warm period, atmospheric CO2 concentrations changed by some 100 parts per million (ppm) from an ice age value of 180 ppm to about 280 ppm during warm periods.