#1
#1 out of 2
20h ago
Coral reefs have fuelled severe global warming in Earth's past
- New research shows coral reefs may have increased atmospheric CO2 by producing calcium carbonate in Earth's past.
- The study models coral–plankton balance over 250 million years to explain past climate shifts.
- Periods of extensive reef growth may have disrupted the carbon cycle and warmed oceans in the deep past.
- When reef coverage declines, deeper-sea carbonate burial can lower CO2 and cool the climate over long timescales.
- The researchers caution that deep-time feedbacks operate over long timescales and may not apply to today’s rapid changes.
- Experts say reef–plankton interactions illustrate a co-evolving feedback between life and climate.
- The study highlights potential reef contributions to climate feedbacks beyond corals, including ancient microbial communities.
- The research emphasizes the need to consider historical carbon-cycle dynamics when modeling future climate.
- Carbon cycling disruptions in the past were linked to shifts in reef extent and nutrient dynamics.
- The article notes the implications for understanding how life interacts with climate over geological timescales.
Vote 0
