Suess Effect

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-027201",
  "term": "Suess Effect",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "The relative change in the 14C/C or 13C/C ratio of any carbon pool or reservoir caused by the addition of fossil- fuel CO2 to the atmosphere. Fossil fuels are devoid of 14C because of the radioactive decay of 14C to 14N during long underground storage and are depleted in 13C because of isotopic fractionation eons ago during photosynthesis by the plants that were the precursors of the fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide produced by the combustion of fossil fuels is thus virtually free of 14C and depleted in 13C. The term Suess effect originally referred to the dilution of the 14C/C ratio in atmospheric CO2 by the admixture of fossil-fuel produced CO2, but the definition has been extended to both the 14C and 13C ratios in any pool or reservoir of the carbon cycle resulting from human disturbances.",
  "references": [
    "NASA Sustainable Development Indicators Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/suess-effect/"
}