Flourishing microalgae could offset emissions as the planet heats up

Microbes in carbon-rich soils ramp up their rate of photosynthesis in warmer conditions, suggesting current climate models may be overestimating the total emissions expected from degrading landscapes as the climate warms.

As the world warms, natural ecosystems like peatlands and permafrost are expected to start rapidly releasing stored carbon dioxide as microbial activity shifts in their soils. These environments could be huge sources of future emissions, with estimates suggesting the northern hemisphere stores 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon in permafrost, while the world’s peatlands …