Detailed maps of the world’s natural landscapes could help scientists to better predict the impacts of future climate change.
The complex charts of forests, grasslands and other productive ecosystems provide the most complete picture yet of how carbon from the atmosphere is reused and recycled by Earth’s natural habitats.
Although it is well known that these landscapes absorb and process massive amounts of carbon dioxide, little is known about where exactly the carbon is stored or how long it remains there.
Using satellite images and field study data covering a 10-year period from 2000 to 2010, researchers have constructed maps that show where – and for how long – carbon is stored in plants, trees and soils.