Natural mechanism could lower emissions from tropical peatlands
Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - 14:20
in Earth & Climate
Scientists have long feared that as Earth warms, tropical peatlands -- which store up to 10 percent of the planet's soil carbon -- could dry out, decay and release vast pools of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change. A new study however, finds theses swamps and marshes have a natural biochemical defense mechanism that helps them resist decay and could reduce or slow their emissions.