Jakarta – Global warming is changing weather patterns and increasing the Earth’s surface temperature, and triggering the release of carbon stored in the soil. Experiments led by Peter Reich, Director of the Institute for Global Change Biology at the University of Michigan, show that more carbon is released into the air than is sequestered by plants.
“This is not good news because it suggests that, as the world warms, soils will return some carbon to the atmosphere,” Reich said in a University of Michigan press release, August 2024.
The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, shows that rising temperatures are accelerating the release of carbon from soils, particularly in areas with high organic matter content. The research was conducted by monitoring ecosystems in various regions, including boreal forests, grasslands and tundra, over an extended period of time.
The lead author of the journal article, Guopeng Liang, explains that soils that previously served as natural carbon sinks are losing this capacity due to rising global temperatures.
The findings underscore the enormous challenge of tackling the climate crisis. According to Reich, the impacts of climate change are not only limited to the atmosphere but are also deeply felt in terrestrial ecosystems.
The researchers emphasised the importance of more aggressive mitigation measures to reduce carbon emissions from human activities. Reich called for stronger and more comprehensive environmental policies to maintain the balance of carbon in nature. (Hartatik)
