Geology news from mongabay.com

Geology has split the Amazon into two distinct forests

2012-01-19T17:38:00Z

The common view of the Amazon is that it is one massive, unbroken forest. This impression is given by maps which tend to mark the Amazon by a large glob of green or even by its single name which doesn't account for regional changes. Of course, scientists have long recognized different ecosystems in the Amazon, most especially related to climate. But a new study in the Journal of Biogeography has uncovered two distinct forest ecosystems, sharply divided, caused by million of years of geologic forces.

Climate change melting southern Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves

2010-02-23T17:22:00Z

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has found that every ice front in the southern part of the Antarctic Peninsula—the coldest part—has been retreating overall for the past sixty years with the greatest changes visible since 1990.

Underwater rocks could be used for massive carbon storage on America's East Coast

2010-01-05T01:37:00Z

Considering it is unlikely that global carbon emissions will start dropping anytime soon, researchers are beginning to look at other methods to combat climate change. One of these is to hook polluting power plants up to massive carbon sinks where instead of the carbon going into the atmosphere it would be stored away in rocks. The process is known as carbon capture and storage or CCS. But before one can even debate the pros and cons of setting up CCS, scientists must see if high-quality sites exist.

Extinction debt can last millions of years

2009-07-29T20:24:00Z

Extinction can be set in motion millions of years before a species' actual demise, suggesting that present-day drivers of habitat destruction and degradation may have already doomed many species to eventual extinction, report researchers writing in Proceedings of the Royal Society B online.

Age of the Amazon River estimated at 11 million years

2009-07-08T05:29:00Z

A new study, published in the journal Geology, estimates the age of the Amazon river at 11 million years.

New process may fight climate change by storing billions of tons of CO2 in rock

2008-11-04T14:30:39Z

Researchers may have devised a way to store massive amounts of carbon dioxide in rock through a relatively simple process. The finding is described in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Geology, climate links make Guiana Shield region particularly sensitive to change

2008-06-14T14:30:39Z

Soil and climate patterns in the Guiana Shield make the region particularly sensitive to environmental change, said a scientist speaking at a biology conference in Paramaribo, Suriname.

Earth's minerals kept CO2 levels in balance prior to humans

2008-04-28T14:30:39Z

The natural feedback system that has kept Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide levels finely-balanced for millions of years has been overwhelmed by fossil fuel combustion, reports a new study published in Nature Geoscience.

Cretaceous sea levels were 550 feet higher than today

2008-03-06T14:30:39Z

Sea levels were 550 feet (170 m) higher in the late Cretaceous period, about 80 million years ago, than today, shows a new reconstruction of historic ocean basins published in the journal Science. The authors say the work may help model current global warming-driven sea level change.

How Old Is the Grand Canyon?

2008-03-06T14:30:39Z

The Grand Canyon began to open at least 17 million years ago, report researchers writing in the journal Science.

Amazon river flowed into the Pacific millions of years ago

2006-10-24T15:48:39Z

A new study adds further evidence the theory that the world's largest river, the Amazon, once flowed in the opposite direction, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) discovered "ancient mineral grains" in the central Amazon that could only have originated in now-eroded mountains that once existed in the central and eastern South America, not the more recently formed Andes in the west

Weight of flooded Amazon river causes Earth to sink 3 inches

2005-10-05T15:19:39Z

As the Amazon River floods every year, a sizeable portion of South America sinks several inches because of the extra weight -- and then rises again as the waters recede, a study has found. This annual rise and fall of earth's crust is the largest ever detected, and it may one day help scientists tally the total amount of water on Earth.