The Suess Effect

The Suess Effect refers to the decrease in the ratio of radioactive carbon-14 to stable carbon isotopes in the atmosphere and biosphere, caused by the mixing of fossil fuels that contain very little carbon-14. Since fossil fuels are millions of years old, their combustion releases large amounts of carbon dioxide lacking radioactively decayed carbon-14, diluting the natural atmospheric levels. This shift helps scientists track and date recent biological materials and measure human impacts on the carbon cycle, providing insights into how fossil fuel consumption influences atmospheric composition over time.