Sunlight, not microbes, key to carbon dioxide in Arctic
Thursday, August 21, 2014 - 15:10
in Earth & Climate
The vast reservoir of carbon stored in Arctic permafrost is gradually being converted to carbon dioxide after entering the freshwater system in a process thought to be controlled largely by microbial activity. However, researchers say that sunlight and not bacteria is the key to triggering the production of CO2 from material released by Arctic soils.