Instanz: TeilenTeilen:Arctic Ocean keeps permafrost carbon firmly lockedRoland Koch Kommunikation und MedienAlfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung31.07.2026 11:00Permafrost in the Arctic stores large quantities of organic carbon. The carbon stored here can then enter the Arctic Ocean via rivers and eroding coastlines. This provides an indication of how much CO₂ microorganisms have ‘exhaled’ after ‘digesting’ the organic carbon. By way of the 14C isotope, we were able to determine whether the single-celled organisms preferred old organic carbon from permafrost or fresh organic carbon from algae remains.” This is because some of the organic carbon from the permafrost may already have been broken down before it reaches the seabed.”