Abstract
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Glaciers participate in the global carbon cycle. They collect, produce, transform, store and release carbon. A part of this carbon is ancient and is "captured" by the glacier in two ways. Firstly, a growing glacier may override an ecosystem and lock organic matter long enough to become ancient. Secondly, the surface of even remote glaciers "collect" aerosols containing ancient carbon. These aerosols are combustion products of fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas. Sooner or later, compounds containing ancient carbon are released from the glacier, and these compounds can be bioavailable. It has been shown that ancient carbon can be assimilated into food webs in glacier forelands, in glacial rivers, and in marine environments. Living invertebrates may achieve a radiocarbon age of several thousand years. Increased glacier melting due to climate change will increase the flow of ancient carbon to various food webs and may disturb radiocarbon dating of sediments.