PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 10, 2024
A University of New England professor of environmental studies is among a global team of scientists who have co-authored a groundbreaking study examining how climate change influences the ability of wetlands to store carbon. UNE’s Pam Morgan, Ph.D., is part of an international team of 110 scientists involved in the research. The researchers deployed over 19,000 tea bags — both green and rooibos — to analyze carbon decomposition rates in 180 wetlands worldwide. The findings reveal that warmer temperatures generally accelerate the decay of organic matter, leading to a reduced ability of wetlands to act as carbon sinks. However, the effects varied by wetland type, with freshwater and tidal marshes showing greater potential for carbon storage compared to other ecosystems.