Drying of the Aral Sea reshapes the anthropogenic carbon inventory of Central Asia

Science 2026

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Authors: Rafael Marcé, Daniel Diaz‐de‐Quijano, Sofía Rodríguez-Gómez, Enrique Moreno‐Ostos, Makhambet Mukhtar, Bjoern Wissel, Zoraida Quiñones-Rivera, Carolina Olid, Santiago Giralt, Joan Pere Casas‐Ruiz, Georgiy Kirillin, Daniel Mercado‐Bettín
+3 more Valentí Rodellas, Jordi Ibáñez, Núria Catalán
DOI: 10.1126/science.aeb2344
Cited by: 1
References: 91

Abstract

Lakes store large quantities of carbon in their sediments, contributing to climate regulation. Yet the fate of this carbon after lake desiccation remains unclear. Using a space-for-time substitution approach, combining sediment cores, carbon dioxide flux measurements, and remote sensing, we quantified organic carbon losses from the world's largest desiccated lake, the Aral Sea. Since 1960, exposed lake bed sediments have released 204 ± 53 teragrams of carbon (Tg C), with vegetation growth offsetting less than 1%. Incorporating these emissions alters the regional carbon budget, transforming the Aral Sea basin from a presumed land-use-change carbon sink into a net source. Reflooding the sea could prevent an additional 165 ± 13 Tg C release, reframing restoration not only as an ecological and humanitarian imperative but also as a climate mitigation opportunity.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Transboundary Water Resource Management Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity Water Resources and Management

Publication details

Journal / source
Science
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Volume
393
Issue
6808
Pages
300–305
Publication date
16 July 2026
Language
EN