Research from Guizhou University shows that limestone reservoirs in karst landscapes are more effective at locking away carbon than previously thought. These reservoirs use a biological carbon pump to pull dissolved carbon from the water, which then settles into the sediment. The key finding is the high percentage of resistant carbon that survives bacterial decomposition. This durable fraction ensures that carbon remains stored in the mud for long periods rather than returning to the atmosphere, suggesting that global carbon accounting may be underestimating the role of these basins.
