How microbes can save us from global warming

How microbes can save us from global warming

A study published in the journal nature Last week, he stressed the essential role soil microorganisms play in storing carbon. These microbes are responsible for causing the Earth to store up to three times this component of the atmosphere, being an important ally in the fight against climate change.

carbon on Earth

According to Yiqi Luo, a professor at Cornell University in New York, the group is one of the first to “assess the relative importance of microbial processes in relation to others.”

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This is because soil carbon availability is a widely studied topic, but research always tends to relate it to other organic processes, such as plant roots and litter (leaf cover and other organic matter at various stages of development). soil covering the ground).

Microbes are also key to soil health (Photo: Piyaset/Shutterstock)

The importance of microbes

  • However, microbial dynamics can be up to four times greater than those of other microbes occurring in the same soil;
  • To come to this conclusion, the group of scientists measured the efficiency of carbon use by microorganisms, trying to understand how much matter they absorb, how much it uses for growth and how much remains in cells in relation to what is lost in metabolism. ;
  • They found that when stored in the cell, carbon does not contribute to global warming.

Microbes and food safety

The researchers also found that the presence of soil microbes is essential for maintaining health and thus for good agricultural production.

Thus, the search for ways to improve the efficiency of carbon use by soil microorganisms can improve food security in the world.

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The dynamics of microorganisms among themselves is a new area of ​​study (Photo: ART-ur/Shutterstock)

Other research

In this study, the scientists used calculations from machine learning techniques and big data, analyzing large amounts of database information with soil information from around the world.

Now, they hope their methodology will help other similar studies around the world.

with information from nature

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By Andrea Hargraves

"Wannabe internet buff. Future teen idol. Hardcore zombie guru. Gamer. Avid creator. Entrepreneur. Bacon ninja."