Saturday, January 18, 2014

Soil Microbes Alter DNA in Response to Warming

Soil plots that were heated to simulate the rise in temperatures forecast by climate models. The radiators (top) warm the plots 2 degrees Celsius. (Credit: Mengting Yuan, U. of Oklahoma) Click to enlarge.
Scientists studying grasslands in Oklahoma have discovered that an increase of 2 degrees Celsius in the air temperature above the soil creates significant changes to the microbial ecosystem underground.  Compared to a control group with no warming, plants in the warmer plots grew faster and higher, which put more carbon into the soil as the plants senesce.  The microbial ecosystem responded by altering its DNA to enhance the ability to handle the excess carbon.

 Soil Microbes Alter DNA in Response to Warming
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