PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study finds rivers and streams release more greenhouse gas than all lakes

2013-12-09
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Nick Manning
nmanning@uwaterloo.ca
519-888-4451
University of Waterloo
Study finds rivers and streams release more greenhouse gas than all lakes

Rivers and streams release carbon dioxide at a rate five times greater than the world's lakes and reservoirs combined, contrary to common belief.

Research from the University of Waterloo was a key component of the international study, the findings of which appear in a recent issue of the journal Nature.

"Identifying the sources and amounts of carbon dioxide released from continental water sources has been a gap in understanding the carbon cycle. Our findings show just how much carbon dioxide inland waters release and identified that rivers and streams are the main source not lakes and reservoirs, as previously thought," said Professor Hans Dürr, research professor from the Faculty of Science at Waterloo.

A team of scientists from Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany and the United States found that the rate at which lakes and reservoirs release carbon dioxide, or evasion rate, was lower than previous estimates. The rate from rivers and streams was three times higher, and even greater in smaller, fast-moving streams. The researchers found that the global carbon dioxide evasion rate from rivers and streams was 1.8 billion tons of carbon per year, compared with the 0.32 billion tons from lakes and reservoirs.

Professor Dürr, a co-author of the study, is a member of the Ecohydrology Research Group and Water Institute at Waterloo. His modelling tool called Coastal Segmentation and related Catchments, or COSCAT, was critical to putting the data into the global context.

"This study is an example of how new knowledge can be gained by bringing together different tools, techniques and ideas from hundreds of scientists to tackle a global issue," said Professor Dürr. "More integrated, international collaborations like this are needed."

The model is a global database of water bodies, or catchments, that connect to oceans. This land–ocean water connection is important for the movement of nutrients, greenhouse gases and metals in water systems.

This study provides new insights into how rivers and streams affect the global carbon cycle but emphasizes that additional research is needed to determine the carbon dioxide evasion rate for inland waters in the northern hemisphere.

Better estimates of carbon dioxide emissions are crucial because climate models project higher temperature increases than the global average in latitudes higher than 60 degrees north, yet many of the tools are derived from satellite products that do not yet exist for these latitudes.



INFORMATION:



This research was partly funded by Philippe Van Cappellen's Canada Excellence Research Chair in Ecohydrology.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Hard rock life

2013-12-09
Hard rock life Scientists are digging deep into the Earth's surface collecting census data on the microbial denizens of the hardened rocks. What they're finding is that, even miles deep and halfway across the globe, many of these communities are somehow ...

NASA's IRIS provides unprecedented images of sun

2013-12-09
NASA's IRIS provides unprecedented images of sun The region located between the surface of the sun and its atmosphere has been revealed as a more violent place than previously understood, according to images and data from NASA's newest solar observatory, ...

Math models enhance current therapies for coronary heart disease

2013-12-09
Math models enhance current therapies for coronary heart disease Equations help explain key parameters of stents that combat artherosclerosis Coronary heart disease accounts for 18% of deaths in the United States every year. The ...

Survey of supposed deep-sea chemical munitions dump off Southern California

2013-12-09
Survey of supposed deep-sea chemical munitions dump off Southern California Preliminary survey reveals trash and 55-gallon drums, but no chemical weapons SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Since World War II, US nautical charts have shown seven "chemical munitions ...

System 90L no longer suspect for development

2013-12-09
System 90L no longer suspect for development The low pressure area known as "System 90L" in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean is no longer suspect for tropical or subtropical development. On Sunday, December 8, System 90L's showers had diminished. The low was non-tropical ...

Mapping the demise of the dinosaurs

2013-12-09
Mapping the demise of the dinosaurs SAN FRANCISCO, CA — About 65 million years ago, an asteroid or comet crashed into a shallow sea near what is now the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. The resulting firestorm and global dust cloud caused the ...

Genetic flaw in males triggers onset of liver cancer, diabetes

2013-12-09
Genetic flaw in males triggers onset of liver cancer, diabetes Michigan State University researchers have uncovered a genetic deficiency in males that can trigger the development of one of the most common types of liver cancer and forms of diabetes. The ...

Biomarker linked to aggressive breast cancers, poor outcomes in African-Americans

2013-12-09
Biomarker linked to aggressive breast cancers, poor outcomes in African-Americans ATLANTA — Among African-American women with breast cancer, increased levels of the protein HSET were associated with worse breast cancer outcomes, according to ...

Diabetes identified as risk factor for liver cancer across ethnic groups

2013-12-09
Diabetes identified as risk factor for liver cancer across ethnic groups ATLANTA — Diabetes was associated with an increased risk for developing a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma, and this association was highest for Latinos, ...

Potential biological factor contributing to racial disparities in prostate cancer

2013-12-09
Potential biological factor contributing to racial disparities in prostate cancer ATLANTA — Researchers have uncovered a potential biological factor that may contribute to disparities in prostate cancer incidence and mortality between African-American ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Osteoporosis treatment benefits people older than 80

Consuming more protein may protect patients taking anti-obesity drug from muscle loss

Thyroid treatment may improve gut health in people with hypothyroidism

Combination of obesity medication tirzepatide and menopause hormone therapy fuels weight loss

High blood sugar may have a negative impact on men’s sexual health

Emotional health of parents tied to well-being of children with growth hormone deficiency

Oxytocin may reduce mood changes in women with disrupted sleep

Mouse study finds tirzepatide slowed obesity-associated breast cancer growth

CMD-OPT model enables the discovery of a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor as preclinical candidate for the treatment of acute liver injury

Melatonin receptor 1a alleviates sleep fragmentation-aggravated testicular injury in T2DM by suppression of TAB1/TAK1 complex through FGFR1

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction retards colorectal tumorigenesis by regulating the TMEM131–TNF signaling pathway-mediated differentiation of immunosuppressive dendritic ce

Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B Volume 15, Issue 7 Publishes

New research expands laser technology

Targeted radiation offers promise in patients with metastasized small cell lung cancer to the brain

A high clinically translatable strategy to anti-aging using hyaluronic acid and silk fibroin co-crosslinked hydrogels as dermal regenerative fillers

Mount Sinai researchers uncover differences in how males and females change their mind when reflecting on past mistakes

CTE and normal aging are difficult to distinguish, new study finds

Molecular arms race: How the genome defends itself against internal enemies

Tiny chip speeds up antibody mapping for faster vaccine design

KTU experts reveal why cultural heritage is important for community unity

More misfolded proteins than previously known may contribute to Alzheimer’s and dementia

“Too much going on”: Autistic adults overwhelmed by non-verbal social cues

What’s driving America’s deep freezes in a warming world?

A key role of brain protein in learning and memory is deciphered by scientists

Heart attacks don’t follow a Hollywood script

Erin M. Schuman wins 2026 Nakasone Award for discovery on neural synapse function and change during formation of memories

Global ocean analysis could replace costly in-situ sound speed profiles in seafloor positioning, study finds

Power in numbers: Small group professional coaching reduces rates of physician burnout by nearly 30%

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: A comprehensive review of CCUS-EOR

New high-temperature stable dispersed particle gel for enhanced profile control in CCUS applications

[Press-News.org] Study finds rivers and streams release more greenhouse gas than all lakes