Home Mission 2007 Team Members Research Sources Progress Journal	Decomposition - carbon sink that mitigates global warming Slow decomposition of mosses allows the mosses to contribute significantly to the Arctic carbon sink. By photosynthesis, they "fix" carbon from the atmosphere to organic compounds and by slow decomposition they help trap the carbon instead quickly releasing them back to the atmosphere. It is estimated that northern peatlands contain 120,000x106 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to 24 years' emission from fossil fuels at the present rate, and more than 50% of emissions since 1860, with half derived from Sphagnum and a further component from other mosses. Annual carbon fixation by slowly decomposing mosses in peatlands and boreal forests was estimated as 6.5% of current emissions from fossil fuels. Therefore, mosses in the Arctic region serves as a buffer for alleviating global warming. Considering that the mosses in many regions of Alaska has already been disturbed by urban development and oil exploitation, the value of mosses in ANWR arouses much concern at the present.
Last updated: Oct 13, 2003 (12pm) Webmistresses: Holly and Lia Team 7 - m2007-7@mit.edu