Microscopic Organisms: The Main Reason behind Global Warming

A new research published in Science magazine Nature revealed that more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes soil to release the greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide. To establish this theory, scientists gathered data from several regions including Europe, Asia and North America by conducting experiments in forests, wetlands and agricultural fields including rice paddies. The common theme in their experiments was to find out how extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affects and how soils absorb or release the gases nitrous oxide and methane.

Scientists discovered that specialized microscopic organisms in soil are the main reason behind the global warming that respire the chemicals nitrate and carbon dioxide. The microbes also produce methane a greenhouse gas many times more powerful than carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide.

The other reason these microorganisms become more active is that increasing CO2 makes plants grow faster and the extra plant growth supplies soil microorganisms with extra energy, increasing their metabolism. With more CO2, plants grow more, absorbing up carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.