Lakes That Fight Climate Change: The Power of Littoral Zones

In simple terms, the shallow, vegetated areas of lakes, called littoral zones, absorb so much carbon dioxide (CO_2) that they can change an entire lake from releasing CO_2 into the atmosphere to absorbing it. A new global study shows that these plant-rich fringes act like a sponge, pulling enough carbon from the air to make many lakes a net carbon sink.

 

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