8legs: Congo basin, democratic republic of the congo

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Earth’s Largest Land-Based Carbon Sink Has Sprung a Disturbing Leak

Researchers report that two Congo Basin lakes release significant peat-derived carbon annual CO2, potentially altering the regional carbon balance.
Isotopic evidence and microbial activity suggest peat breakdown drives CO2 release from the Congo Basin lakes.
Climate warming and land-use changes may destabilize peatlands, turning a carbon sink into a carbon source.
The study used river routes as a logistical approach to study the Basin’s inaccessible central regions.
The module indicates peat accounts for a substantial portion of carbon in both Mai Ndombe and Tumba lakes.
The findings quantify a previously uncertain carbon budget for Congo Basin peatlands.
Researchers warn of potential feedback loops that could amplify global warming if emissions rise.
The team plans further investigations into mechanisms and historical changes over 12,000 years.
The Congo Basin’s peatlands store about 30 billion metric tons of carbon, one-third of tropical peat carbon.
The study’s context highlights the Congo Basin as the world’s largest land-based carbon sink.

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