Terrestrial export of organic carbon (original) (raw)

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• Published: 21 February 2002

Climate change (Communication arising)

Nature volume 415, pages 861–862 (2002)Cite this article

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Abstract

Dissolved organic matter in the oceans represents one of the biosphere's principal stores of organic carbon. A large proportion of this matter is drained from the continents — particularly from northern peatlands, which contain 20% of the global soil carbon1. Freeman et al.2 have suggested that rising temperatures may enhance this transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from peatlands to the oceans. We argue here that warming can affect DOC export in different ways, depending on whether it is accompanied by increased or decreased precipitation. An alteration in the rate of relocation of organic carbon from the continents to the oceans cannot therefore be predicted on the basis of temperature change alone.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Limnology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 20, Uppsala, 752 36, Sweden
   L. J. Tranvik
2. Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Umeå, Umeå, 901 87, Sweden
   M. Jansson

Authors

1. L. J. Tranvik
2. M. Jansson

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Tranvik, L., Jansson, M. Terrestrial export of organic carbon.Nature 415, 861–862 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/415861b

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• Issue date: 21 February 2002
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/415861b

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