Tag

Carbon Cycling

All articles tagged with #carbon cycling

science25 days ago•8 min saved

Hidden Deep: Fungi and Tardigrades Thrive in the Antrim Shale's Subsurface

Scientists analyzing water pumped from the Antrim Shale gas field uncovered a surprisingly rich subterranean ecosystem, including 689 fungal species (13 potentially new), rotifers, worms, tardigrades and other organisms. Fungi from classes Agaricomycetes and Dothideomycetes appear to metabolize hard-to-digest carbon, suggesting a significant role in subsurface carbon cycling. The oxygen conditions are unclear due to sampling methods, but the community has likely been isolated for millennia since the Late Pleistocene. Human extraction and biocides threaten these habitats, highlighting their biodiversity and potential impact on carbon storage models.

via ScienceAlert|

#antrim-shale #carbon-cycling #deep-subsurface

science29 days ago•15 min saved

Michigan's Deep Subsurface Blooms with 689 Fungal Species from 11,000-Year-Old Water

A University of Michigan team found 689 fungal species living in water 1,640 feet beneath Michigan, where the liquid dates back to 11,000 years ago as glacial melt carried surface organisms into the Antrim Shale; the underground ecosystem also hosts tardigrades and worms and may reshape understanding of carbon cycling and potential environmental cleanup applications.

via The Times of India|

#antrim-shale #carbon-cycling #deep-subsurface

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Planet-Spanning Fungal Web Revealed: A Hidden Network Linking Plants and Carbon Storage

Scientists have mapped a massive underground network of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that spans an estimated 110 quadrillion kilometres, connecting plant roots, aiding nutrient absorption, and transporting carbon to soils. The densest networks are in natural ecosystems like grasslands and wetlands, while intensive farming reduces these networks, with implications for crop resilience and climate regulation; protecting and restoring them could boost food security and reduce fertilizer use.

via The Times of India|

#carbon-cycling #mycorrhizal-fungi #plant-science

science3 years ago•4 min saved

Coccolithophores' Carbon Extraction and Fixation Observed in the Field.

New research from Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences shows that coccolithophores, a globally ubiquitous type of phytoplankton, can survive in low-light conditions by taking up dissolved organic forms of carbon, forcing researchers to reconsider the processes that drive carbon cycling in the ocean. This is the first evidence of this phenomenon in nature. The uptake of these free-floating organic compounds is another step in both the biological and alkalinity pumps that drive the transport of carbon from the ocean surface to depths below.

via Phys.org|

#carbon-cycling #coccolithophores #ocean-sciences