Working Group 1: C, N, P and S Biogeochemical Dynamics and Cycling in the Geologic Record

Abstract

Consideration of the geochemical cycles of C, N, P and S on the multi-million year or geological time scale provides a frame of reference to those studying shorter-term phenomena such as global changes occurring over the past decades to millenia. During the past 600 million years, or Phanerozoic time, there have been probable changes in the earth surface environment which dwarf those comtemplated for the next century. For example, consideration of the long-term carbon cycle strongly suggests that there have been variations in atmospheric CO₂ several times larger than the doubling expected over the next century or so as a consequence of fossil fuel burning and deforestation.