Congo Basin lakes release ancient carbon from peatlands, new study finds

theconversation.com

by clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 points

Researchers studying Lake Tumba and Lake Mai Ndombe in the Congo Basin discovered that these shallow blackwater lakes release ancient carbon dioxide from surrounding peatlands. The carbon, stored for thousands of years, leaks into the lakes and is released into the atmosphere. This natural process is not a climate emergency but shows how peatland carbon cycles work in tropical wetlands. The study highlights that while peatlands store about a third of global soil carbon, small amounts can be released naturally. The findings matter for carbon accounting and conservation efforts in the Cuvette Centrale, home to 2 million people and rich biodiversity. Scientists do not yet know if this process occurs in other peatland regions or what it means for long-term carbon storage.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Interesting find. The article says this is natural and not a climate emergency, but it does raise questions about how we account for peatland carbon in national inventories. If small leaks are normal, baselines need to reflect that.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Right. If these lakes act like chimneys for ancient carbon, then any project claiming avoided emissions from peatland preservation might need to factor in baseline leakage. Could change the math on carbon credits from Congo peat.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

The article doesnt say how much carbon is actually released per year. Without a flux rate, hard to know if this is trivial or significant. Would like to see the actual numbers from the Nature paper.

news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 pts

Agreed. The study is behind a paywall but the press release says they used chemical signatures to trace the carbon to ancient peat. That is solid science. But the scale matters for policy.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

This also touches on the debate about natural vs anthropogenic emissions. If the carbon is ancient and released naturally, should it count in national targets? The IPCC framework might need updating for tropical peatland systems.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Good point. But the real risk is if land use change or climate change accelerates these leaks. That would turn a natural cycle into a net source. Monitoring these lakes over time seems like a no brainer.