CO2 absorption would reduce due to warmer ecosystems: Experts

A new research has found that a predicted rise in global temperature could lead to a reduction in ecosystems' ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.

The scientists at Queen Mary, University of London said the predicted rise in global temperature of 4 degrees Celsius by 2100 would reduce absorption by 13 percent.

Lead author of the Philosophical Transactions paper, Gabriel Yvon-Durocher from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences said, "Respiration increases more rapidly with increasing temperature. So if climate change raises environmental temperatures, the balance between respiration and photosynthesis in the ecosystem will change, favouring more respiration and less CO2 absorption."

"We saw longer food chains, with predators becoming bigger and more abundant as temperatures increased from 5°C to 25°C," said Dr Guy Woodward, whose paper complements the study.

"We also have evidence that in Icelandic streams, the warmer ones emitted far more CO2 than the cooler streams and acted as sources of carbon, rather than sinks," he added.

The study is published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.