{"id":110050,"date":"2025-10-08T02:11:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T00:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sonnenseite.com\/?p=110050"},"modified":"2025-10-10T10:01:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T08:01:16","slug":"the-earths-breath-is-becoming-more-extreme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sonnenseite.com\/en\/environment\/the-earths-breath-is-becoming-more-extreme\/","title":{"rendered":"The Earth\u2019s \u201cBreath\u201d Is Becoming More Extreme"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Researchers Warn of an Accelerated CO\u2082 Cycle in Northern High Latitudes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Global warming is causing the Earth to “breathe” more rapidly, making the natural ups and downs of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels more extreme. An international meta-study involving Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Buermann from the University of Augsburg shows that seasonal CO\u2082 fluctuations in arctic and boreal regions have increased by 50 percent since the 1960s. This acceleration of the carbon cycle could seriously endanger global climate goals.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u00a9 Conceptual diagram of seasonal CO\u2082 flux variations in northern high latitudes. (Abb. aus Liu et al. 2024)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In summer, plants absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO\u2082) from the air as they grow; in winter and during transitional seasons, it is released again\u2014for example, through the decomposition of plant material in the soil. This natural “inhaling and exhaling” is being significantly intensified by climate change. An international research team, including Augsburg geographer Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Buermann, has compared and analyzed multiple studies on this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CO\u2082 Fluctuation Between Summer and Winter Rises by 50 Percent<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Their meta-study shows that this effect is especially pronounced in the boreal forests of Eurasia – which include parts of Scandinavia, the Urals, and Siberia. Rising temperatures are extending the growing season and increasing plant productivity. The higher carbon dioxide content in the air also acts as a fertilizer. While this boost in productivity leads to more CO\u2082 uptake during summer, it also comes with increased respiratory activity in winter. The result: the annual CO\u2082 range in arctic and boreal terrestrial ecosystems (between the 50th and 65th latitudes) is growing steadily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur results show that CO\u2082 fluctuations between summer and winter in the northern latitudes have increased by around 50 percent since the 1960s,\u201d says Augsburg geographer Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Buermann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arctic Ecosystems Especially Relevant<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve provided strong evidence that more active plant growth is the main reason the carbon cycle is accelerating in northern regions,\u201d Buermann explains. \u201cScientists have been observing this trend for some time, but by combining data from multiple studies, we were able to better understand the specific processes driving this change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The international research team is particularly concerned that respiration could begin to outpace productivity. Combined with increases in wildfires and thawing permafrost, this could lead to greater greenhouse gas emissions from northern ecosystems and further intensify global warming. In this context, it\u2019s crucial that current Earth system models -used for climate projections – more effectively integrate these aspects of northern ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buermann notes: \u201cArctic and boreal ecosystems are changing faster than any others on Earth, and the feedback effects could be enormous – which could seriously jeopardize realistic targets for reducing CO\u2082 emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Study Background<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The study results are the product of 15 years of planning and execution as part of the Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE), led by NASA. The international research team, headed by Zhihua Liu (University of Montana, USA), compiled a vast amount of research findings into a comprehensive review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n