Humans may be accelerating the rate at which organic matter decomposes in rivers and streams on a global scale, according to a new study. That could pose a threat to biodiversity in waterways around the world and increase the amount of carbon in Earth's atmosphere, potentially exacerbating climate change. The study is the first to combine a global experiment and predictive modeling to illustrate how human impacts to waterways may contribute to the global climate crisis.
Published in Science, the study is the first to combine a global experiment and predictive modeling to illustrate how human impacts to waterways may contribute to the global climate crisis. And when the process speeds up, that insect doesn't have a chance to absorb the carbon from the leaf. Instead, the carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse gas pollution and ultimately disrupting the food chain.
The authors compiled the data into a free online mapping tool that shows how fast different kinds of leaves decompose in local waterways. The study was co-authored by John Paul Schmidt, from UGA's Odum School of Ecology; Christopher J. Patrick, Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Jennifer J. Follstad Shah, University of Utah; Carrie J. LeRoy, The Evergreen State College; and the CELLDEX Consortium.S. D. Tiegs, K. A. Capps, D. M. Costello, J. P. Schmidt, C. J. Patrick, J. J. Follstad Shah, C. J. LeRoy, Vicenç Acuña, Ricardo Albariño, Daniel C.