Ocean sediment traps measure the sequestrated sinking organic carbon. While sinking, the particles are affected by local currents, which presents a challenge with regard to linking the deep flux with the surface. We present a machine learning tool that predicts the source location of the sinking particles based on satellite data. The predictions demonstrate a stronger correlation between surface and deep carbon fluxes, allowing a more comprehensive understanding of the deep carbon sequestration drivers.

Identifying the pathways of N₂O produced through nitrification and denitrification in soil is crucial for effective mitigation. Thus, we monitored a new natural isotopic signature (Δ¹⁷O) of N₂O in forested soil, which is almost stable during various biogeochemical processes, to identify the pathways. Our results suggest Δ¹⁷O is a promising signature for identifying pathways of N₂O production, revealing that increased denitrification drives the high emission of N₂O in soil on rainy days.

We propose a method for the automated detection of the uppermost forest lines with the aim of supporting their monitoring through a replicable mapping that can be adopted in different geographical contexts and at different scales of analysis according to the available datasets. We adopted a trend analysis of Landsat-based wetness and greenness index time series of the last 40 years, detecting an increase in forest cover along the forest line ecotone in both the Italian Alps and the Apennines.

Oceanic light has historically been modeled based on phytoplankton concentration, consistent with a grazing food chain. This study indicates that oceanic light variability is more closely linked to variability in dissolved organic matter. The result is consistent with advancing knowledge of the microbial loop, wherein dissolved compounds are important ecosystem drivers. The findings also indicate that accurate retrieval of dissolved organics is key to the remote sensing of phytoplankton.

Nitrate pollution from farming is a global problem. A natural process called denitrification helps remove nitrate but also releases CO₂, which contributes to climate change. Our study shows that CO₂ from this process in Danish groundwater may be a major overlooked source – similar to other known agricultural CO₂ emissions. This highlights the need to update greenhouse gas reporting to better reflect farming’s full climate impact.

Coccolithophores are tiny oceanic algae that produce calcium carbonate, which can help organic matter sink and affect the oxygen levels below. As ocean conditions change, we studied how these algae contribute to carbon transport in a low-oxygen, low-pH region of the Southeast Pacific. Our results show they survive in these challenging conditions, but their impact is lower than in most regions, suggesting that other phytoplankton may play a bigger role in moving organic carbon here.

This study examines methodological uncertainties in FDOM (fluorescent dissolved organic matter) measurements due to filter blanks, pore sizes, and storage conditions. Results show that pre-cleaning filters and optimizing storage improve measurement reliability. These findings minimize procedural errors and provide clear guidelines for FDOM analysis, emphasizing the need for method standardization in marine biogeochemical research.

This study shows that transpiration is the key reason behind the high-altitude forest zone's limited runoff generation. Furthermore, within the altitude range of 2500–3200 m, an increase in recirculated water vapour was observed alongside an increase in precipitation, suggesting a direct positive correlation between these two factors.

In Lake Geneva, we studied how different types of organic matter affect methane production. Despite varying sources, like algae and land-based materials, both deep and delta areas are significant methane sources, and methane was mainly produced through CO₂ reduction. Surprisingly, the origin of organic matter did not strongly influence methane production rates or pathways. Our findings highlight the need to better understand microbial processes to predict methane emissions from lakes.

In the subsaline reed wetland of Lake Neusiedl, we found the highest CH₄ emissions in summer and via plant-mediated transport in each season. A clear diel cycle of CH₄ emission was only identified for plant-mediated transport in summer. The isotopic source signature of CH₄ differed between seasons, with the most ¹³C-depleted signature in fall. Desiccation reduced methanogenic diversity in the sediments and resulted in a marked increase in and dominance of the O₂-tolerant Methanomicrobiales.

Wildfires impact nutrient cycles on land and in water. We used burning experiments to understand the types of phosphorous (P), an essential nutrient, that might be released to the environment after different types of fires. We found the amount of P moving through the environment post-fire is dependent on the type of vegetation and degree of burning, which may influence when and where this material is processed or stored.

The spatial variability of CO₂ and water vapour exchanges with the atmosphere was quantified above an agroforestry system and further compared to a monocropping system using a total of four eddy covariance stations. The variability of fluxes within the agroforestry site was found to be as large as the variability between agroforestry and monocropping site, induced by the heterogeneity of the site, which highlights the need for replicated measurements above such ecosystems.

Coral reefs are under threat due to warming and ocean acidification. It is difficult to project future coral reef production due to uncertainties in climate models, socioeconomic scenarios and coral adaptation to warming. Here we have included a coral reef module within a climate model for the first time to evaluate the range of possible futures. We show that coral reef production decreases in most future scenarios, but in some cases coral reef carbonate production can persist.

The polar planktonic foraminifer Neogloboquadrina pachyderma eats diatoms. Unlike other planktonic species, it also keeps the diatom chloroplasts (photosynthesising organelles) inside its cell. In benthic foraminifera, this is known as kleptoplasty, and the roles of these stolen chloroplasts are diverse. Their role in N. pachyderma needs to be investigated to find out if stored chloroplasts enable N. pachyderma to live in polar waters and under the ice, where no other planktonic species survive.

Using O₂ stable isotope analysis, we determined the isotopic fractionation of biological O₂ consumption by 10 flavin-dependent enzymes and 6 metalloenzymes. Metalloenzymes displayed a narrower range and lower values of isotopic fractionation than flavin-dependent enzymes. This work expands our understanding of the variability of oxygen isotopic fractionation at the enzyme level, improving the ability to study O₂ dynamics from molecular to ecosystem scales.

Ecosystems in Greenland have experienced significant changes over recent decades. We show the consistency of a high-resolution polar-adapted reanalysis product to represent bio-climatic factors influencing ecological processes. Our results describe the relevance/interaction between snowmelt and soil water content before the growing season onset, infer how the thermal growing season relates to changes in spectral greenness, and describe regions of ongoing changes in vegetation distribution.