Scientists find warming feedback loop in soil carbon
November 29th, 2008 by Jim JustScientists have found that global warming actually changes the molecular structure of organic matter in soil, releasing carbon in the process in a feedback loop that worsens global warming.
Soil contains more than twice the amount of carbon than the atmosphere in the form of organic matter. Organic matter makes dirt fertile and able to support plant life, retains water in the soil, and prevents erosion. Natural processes of decomposition of soil organic matter provide plants and microbes with the energy source and water they need to grow. Carbon is released into the atmosphere as a by-product of this process. Warming temperatures speed up this process, which will increase the amount of CO2 that is transferred to the atmosphere. The loss of organic matter in soils also has ominous implications for agriculture.
The research findings are published in the journal Nature Geoscience.