The Arctic Carbon Cycle – Does Sea Ice Matter?

The emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases from human activities are the single largest anthropogenic factor contributing to climate change. Thankfully the Earth’s oceans have played a critical role in limiting warming associated with these emissions, largely through the “ocean carbon sink.” The Arctic Ocean is thought to be particularly active in taking in CO2, but putting precise numbers on uptake is challenging, due largely to the fact that the processes that control gas exchange in the Arctic are tied to climate, which is actively changing.

A striking consequence of climate change in the Arctic has been the rapid and dramatic decrease in sea ice. In recent years several groups have debated the extent to which sea ice affects the oceans’ ability to take in CO2, and how uptake may be affected by climate change. In reviewing what we know of the Arctic’s carbon cycle and CO2 uptake potential, Dr. Papakyriakou will address the question: does sea ice matter?