Findings challenge current models of long-term carbon
storage in lakes and rivers
A new study reveals that a significant amount of carbon
released into the atmosphere from lakes and rivers in Southern Québec, Canada,
is very old – approximately 1,000 to 3,000 years old – challenging the current
models of long-term carbon storage in lakes and rivers.
Previous studies have suggested that there is a tight
coupling between the terrestrial and aquatic environment such that aquatic
bacteria rapidly consume modern carbon. The new findings of the respiration of
old carbon in aquatic systems suggests there may be significant lags in the
coupling between these systems and further represents an additional, unaccounted
for source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.