New research led by Dr. Shuang Zhang, an assistant professor in the department of Oceanography at Texas A&M University, is examining what happens to carbon after it is captured through enhanced weathering, an emerging carbon removal strategy involving spreading finely ground minerals on farmland, where natural chemical reactions can draw carbon dioxide from the air while also improving soil conditions.
Zhang’s newly funded study will investigate how carbon captured through enhanced rock weathering moves through waterways, helping scientists better understand the long-term effectiveness of the strategy. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award program, a prestigious honor awarded to Zhang for his exceptional work as an early career researcher.
Researchers have studied how the process works in agricultural settings, but less is known about how carbon behaves once it enters connected streams, rivers and groundwater systems. Zhang's research will address that gap by developing advanced computer models that follow carbon through river networks. Using the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin as a natural laboratory, the project will examine how physical, chemical and biological processes influence carbon storage and release.
These findings could help researchers more accurately estimate the climate benefits of enhanced weathering and identify conditions that maximize its effectiveness. Improved accounting methods are expected to be increasingly important as carbon-removal approaches move from experimental studies toward broader implementation.
The CAREER Award recognizes researchers who demonstrate exceptional promise in both scholarship and education. Alongside the scientific work, Zhang will create learning opportunities that introduce students to environmental data analysis and Earth-system science, helping prepare future researchers to tackle complex environmental challenges.
This research is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes (WaLCZ) program. It provided $631,745 to support the next five years of work.
To learn more about Zhang’s project, read the long-form article here.