Most of us think about carbon as something in the air, like carbon dioxide and methane. This form of carbon is called dissolved organic carbon, or DOC. DOC is exactly what it sounds like: carbon from plants, soils and peat that has dissolved into water. That makes Ireland uniquely vulnerable to large losses of carbon from land to water. By revealing where carbon is leaking from land into water, and why, the project will help guide forestry management, agriculture and drinking water protection.

Source: Irish Examiner January 16, 2026 15:10 UTC