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Paleoclimatological studies of carbon and climate

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2026-08-20 00:52 UTC → 2026-08-23 16:10 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Scientific research into Earth’s geological history continues to examine the relationship between carbon cycles and climate shifts. Studies of the Carboniferous period indicate that a massive natural decarbonisation event occurred as plant material was buried, though temperature changes were influenced by factors beyond CO2 levels. Further research into the Permian-Triassic mass extinction links volcanic eruptions and greenhouse gas releases to rising ocean temperatures and reduced dissolved oxygen, which disproportionately affected marine species. Complementary findings regarding the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) suggest that rapid increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide can lead to forest canopy collapse. By analyzing fossilized leaf fragments, researchers determined that approximately 60% of standing vegetation biomass was lost during this period as temperatures rose and rainfall declined. Recent geological research has identified a potential ‘hidden climate thermostat’ that operated via shallow seas for approximately 60 million years. According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, rising sea levels flooded continental shelves and trapped phosphate, which reduced marine productivity and weakened organic carbon burial, thereby allowing atmospheric CO2 to rise. Conversely, falling sea levels released phosphate, boosting marine life and carbon burial. ~~New~~ Newer reconstructions of PETM forest canopies using fossilized leaf cells indicate that landscapes became ‘significantly browner’ due to shifting plant species and reduced rainfall. Research published in Science using fossils from Wyoming’s Hanna Basin shows that while CO2 can sometimes promote growth, the heat stress and drought during the PETM caused forest canopies to lose roughly 60% of their density. Researchers emphasize that the current rate of human-driven carbon emissions ~~exceeds any known~~ is approximately 10 times faster than the natural ~~process in Earth’s history.~~ processes that drove the PETM. While global vegetation showed a greening trend since 1982, about 90% of those areas have seen a reversal since 2000 due to intensifying heat and drought.

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