Most ancient Arctic carbon entering the ocean gets buried

A study led by Alfred Wegener Institute and MARUM at University of Bremen found that most ancient Arctic carbon entering the ocean gets buried in the seafloor, with only about 10% converted into greenhouse gases.

The study examined sediment cores off the coast of Qikiqtaruk (Herschel Island) in Canada to determine the fate of carbon released from thawing permafrost and eroding coastlines.

Arctic permafrost holds roughly 1,300 gigatonnes of organic carbon on land, with an additional 400 gigatonnes in ocean sediments and river deltas.

Up to 0.02 gigatonnes of this carbon enter the sea annually, and forecasts suggest this outflow could rise by 70 to 150% by 2100.