| MadSci Network: Microbiology |
Hello A very happy new year!! I will try to answer your question..... Microbes and Global warming is a interesting as well as intriguing topic. There are different opinions about how microbes can work for and against global warming.....Numerous biological and chemical processes contribute to atmospheric composition. For many gases microbes are major sources or sinks. One of the reports says that,"Scientists have uncovered breeds of microscopic helpers which help attenuate a key greenhouse gas that drives climate change. The unsung assistants are methane- gobbling microbes that live in the deep ocean at the vents of so-called mud volcanoes. Another report on the "Role of Soil Microbes in Global Warming Clarified" says that,"Current models of global climate change predict warmer temperatures will increase the rate that bacteria and other microbes decompose soil organic matter, a scenario that pumps even more heat- trapping carbon into the atmosphere. But a new study led by a University of Georgia researcher shows that while the rate of decomposition increases for a brief period in response to warmer temperatures, elevated levels of decomposition don’t persist. Third report on," Microbes and MEthane" says that, By analyzing the DNA of an entire community of microorganisms in deep-sea sediment, researchers at MBARI and the Joint Genome Institute have shown how some of these microbes could consume methane, an important contributor to global warming. Microbes in marine sediments are known to produce huge quantities of methane, but very little reaches the atmosphere. Scientists have speculated that most of this methane is consumed by other microbes that also live in the sediment. This recent DNA analysis identifies a key group of microbes that consume methane by reversing the biochemical process used by methane producers. These reports published in Scientific Journal Science and Ecology Letters say microbes work against global warming, in other words they help prevent global warming.... But there is another report that says,"Nitrous oxide from Ocean Microbes could be adding to the global warming since, a large amount of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide is produced by bacteria in the oxygen poor parts of the ocean using nitrites. There are both report on both aspects because, although microbes are responsible for transforming many of the Earth’s most abundant compounds, and thus central to the global changes causing concern. Both the ubiquity of microbes and the delicacy of environmental balances contribute to the Earth’s sensitivity to disturbances in the microbial world. Carbon compounds,methane,nitrogen and nitrogen oxides, as well as toxic elements such as mercury and arsenic, are part ofthe monumental production and recycling processes carried on by specialized microorganisms in our environment. However, despite their fundamental importance there are many uncertainties about microbes and the processes with which they are involved. I hope this answers your question..... PLease visit the links that I have provided below for more on the above reports Cheers!!! shashank http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Munching_Microbes_Help_Battle_Against_Global_Warming_999.html http://carbon-based-ghg.blogspot.com/2008/10/role-of-soil-microbes-in-global- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081028120951.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210103955.htm http://www.asm.org/ASM/files/CCPAGECONTENT/DOCFILENAME/0000006005/globalwarming%
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