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Coral reefs kept Earth's carbon cycle stable for 250 million years - Oceanographic
- New research shows coral reefs shifted Earth’s carbon cycle for over 250 million years, affecting climate recovery.
- Shallow-water reef growth reduced deep-ocean exchange, slowing the planet’s CO₂ rebound after disturbances.
- When reef space collapsed, deep-sea carbonate burial rose, boosting plankton productivity and speeding recovery.
- Study portrays reefs as active climate modulators, not just passive recorders of change.
- Researchers used plate tectonics, climate simulations, and ecological modeling to trace past carbonate production.
- Today’s reefs face rapid decline from warming and acidification, potentially limiting stabilizing effects on carbon.
- The study warns that ecological losses would delay any geological-scale recovery.
- Shallow-reef dynamics influenced marine plankton evolution and long-term ocean chemistry.
- Researchers emphasize learning from the deep past to understand modern carbon dynamics.
- Authors warn that stabilizing effects depend on preserving reef ecosystems.
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