May 21, 2014

Semi-arid ecosystems emerging role in global carbon cycle dynamics




In 2011, global land carbon uptake was estimated to be a record breaking 40% of annual fossil fuel and land-cover change CO2 emissions. According to a new study published in this week’s issue of the renowned journal Nature by an international team of researchers including David Frank, researcher at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL and the University of Bern’s Oeschger Center, enhanced semi-arid ecosystem productivity in Australia, South America, and South Africa explain much of this strong land sink.