High levels of carbon dioxide within the atmosphere are a significant driver of climate change. At the identical time, a rise in co2 May encourage plants to grow faster, allowing them to soak up more carbon and potentially slow warming. However, this profit depends upon plants gaining access to sufficient nitrogen, a nutrient that is crucial for growth. Scientists have recently taken a more in-depth have a look at how much nitrogen is definitely available in nature. New research involving the University of Graz shows that so-called participants2 The effect of fertilizer is significantly enhanced.
Plants cannot use nitrogen on their very own. Nutrients must first be converted right into a usable form through a process called nitrogen fixation, which relies on microorganisms within the soil. This process occurs in natural ecosystems in addition to in fields. “Although this process has been significantly enhanced in nature, it has increased by 75 percent in the last 20 years due to agriculture,” says Bethna Weber, a biologist on the University of Graz, summarizing the findings from a study published earlier this yr.
Building on these results, a brand new evaluation suggests that the best way by which nitrogen fixation is calculated in some Earth system models is re-evaluated. These models are widely used to project climate trends and inform major assessments, including the Global Climate Report. The latest findings were published within the journal Science.
New findings Quick edit on climate model
The study was led by Sian Ko Giesbrecht of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, Canada. This work was carried out by a global research group specializing in biological nitrogen fixation, including Batena Weber. This working group is supported by the US Geological Survey (USGS) John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis.
“We compared different models of the Earth system with current nitrogen fixation values and found that they overestimate nitrogen fixation rates over natural surfaces by about 50 percent,” explained Weber. Because plants rely upon this process to access nitrogen, it has meaningful consequences. According to the study, this resulted in an overall 11 percent drop in predicted participation2 Effect of fertilizer.
Why is it necessary to update models?
Weber emphasizes the importance of adjusting climate models to reflect these latest measurements. “This is because gases such as nitrogen oxides and nitrous oxide are produced as part of the nitrogen cycle. These can be released into the atmosphere through conversion processes and can alter or disrupt climate processes.” Accurately accounting for nitrogen dynamics, they are saying, is crucial to creating reliable predictions about future ecosystem and climate responses.