When we think of deforestation the last thing we think about is the soil. It turns out that deforestation disturbs underground microbial communities in the soil that regulate the loss of carbon into the atmosphere. According to new research led by Yale University scientists, deforestation may have far greater consequences for climate change then we thought. the consequence vary from soil to soil and it depends almost exclusively on the texture of the soil.
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| Deforestation more dangerous then we thought |
When deforestation happens serious consequences begin to happen. One of them being extensive loss of carbon from the soil. This carbon is usually retained by subterranean microbes that need the trees to survive and thrive. Once these trees are taken out the microbes begin to die and CO2 is released into the air, but not all soil textures react the same way.
Thomas Crowther who is a postdoctoral fellow at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies said that, “Texture overrode the effects of all the other variables that we thought might be important, including temperature, moisture, nutrient concentrations, and soil pH.” For example deforestation dramatically affects sandy soils, but it has minimal effects in muddy, clay-like soils, even after extensive tree removal. This is due to particles in clay like soil that have access to a larger area to bind nutrients and water. This means that soil texture that has mud or clay can do fine without trees for a very long time, but soil textures that are sandy will quickly become uninhabitable to microbes.
With this new information deforestation companies can take more precautions on where to cut down trees or not, due to the texture of the soil. Because we now live in a world where global warming is a serious issue these precautions have to be taken. We don’t want any more CO2 in the air then what we already have.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140401162203.htm
Wow. Would you look at that, sort of like a domino effect. One thing affects another and this time its the life of a microbe. We need the trees to survive and these microbes need the frees to survive. It seems like a lot of living organisms depend on trees and the worst thing about that is that it doesn't seem to be a big concern here in America. We continue to cut down trees and waste paper and polluting this air. This is a major problem that needs to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteThis is a cool article! A lot of us know about global warming, saving the planet and trees, etc. but most wont do something unless it affects them immediately. I always say how microbes are so tiny but have the ability to keep us alive! This article proves it!
ReplyDeleteReally good article Steve, too often we are told how entwined everything is, the smallest animal serves as a purpose. This article is the testament to this, our environment is something that we should take care of, the earth is our most precious commodity, after all we live here if we keep up our current lifestyles these tiny microbes wont be able to do what they do and then what? As shown in the article when we start taring down trees, deforestation begins we are killing off critical microbes that effect our ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article and your mention of the texture aspect has given me an idea for my research!
ReplyDeleteDoes this relate to anything you've read or heard before? How does the author strengthen his argument? What are the rhetorical strategies he uses?
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