It seems that there is finally a remedy that, apart from being effective, is really very interesting. It's about a microbe from the order of Methanosarcinales that has been found by a group of researchers from RadBoud University, in the Netherlands, and the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, who have prepared a study that has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A very interesting finding that could represent, without any doubt, a before and after in the fight against the consequences that global warming could bring.
The researchers already suspected that there was a microbe that could eat, not only methane, but also iron, but until now they had not found it. Fortunately, they have discovered an arch that uses iron to convert methane to carbon dioxide. In doing so, it reduces the amount of iron available to other bacteria, thus initiating an energy cascade that influences the iron-methane cycle and methane emissions. Furthermore, this discovery is part of a context of ongoing research into the relationship between fungi and global warming.
And as if this were not enough, these archaea can convert nitrate into ammonium, which is the food of anamnox bacteria, which convert ammonia to nitrogen… Without using oxygen! This is especially relevant for wastewater treatment, as highlighted by Boran Kartal, a microbiologist at the Max Planck Institute, who added:
“A bioreactor containing anaerobic methane and ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms can be used to simultaneously convert ammonium, methane, and oxidized nitrogen in wastewater into nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide, which have a much lower global warming potential.”
Although they knew of the existence of these iron-dependent methane oxidizers, they hadn't been able to isolate them. However, they managed to find them in their own sample collection, and now they may be able to help curb global warming.
Microbes represent a crucial resource in the fight against climate change and global warming. With their ability to metabolize various compounds, including greenhouse gases, these microorganisms emerge as essential allies in mitigating harmful emissions.
The crucial role of microbes in carbon capture
As humans try to combat the effects of climate change, it may be time to turn to microbes as our crucial solution to global warming. Microbes are responsible for many historical environmental changes that have shaped the Earth. These tiny life-formers have survived for billions of years, and future research may hold the answers we've been seeking all along. Furthermore, the study of microbes effects of climate change on microbes becomes increasingly relevant.
Microbes, including bacteria and fungi, are crucial to maintaining a healthy soil and combat climate change. A key element in this context is the carbon sequestration. Soil microbes are essential for carbon sequestration. Certain bacteria and algae convert carbon carbon dioxide into organic matter, which is then stored in the soil. This helps remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, mitigating the effects of global warming.
Some of the main soil microbes involved in carbon sequestration are:
- Mycorrhizal fungi: These fungi form mutualistic relationships with plant roots, helping them absorb nutrients and water from the soil. They also play a role in carbon sequestration by increasing the amount of carbon stored in the soil.
- Actinobacteria: These bacteria are known to decompose plant litter and other organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide in the process. They also play a role in carbon sequestration by producing organic compounds that help stabilize soil organic matter.
- Rhizobia: These bacteria form symbiotic relationships with legumes, fixing nitrogen from the air and making it available to the plant. This process also helps increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil.
- Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: These fungi form symbiotic relationships with a wide range of plant species and play a key role in carbon sequestration by increasing the amount of carbon stored in the soil.
- Proteobacteria: These bacteria decompose plant litter and other organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide. However, they can also play a role role in carbon sequestration by producing compounds that help stabilize soil organic matter.
Microbes and the nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for plant growth, but it must be in the proper form for plants to use it. Soil microbes play a fundamental role in the nutrient cycle. They decompose organic matter, such as dead plants and animals, and release essential nutrients into the soil. Plants can absorb these nutrients and use them for growth and development.
For example, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium, convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use, such as ammonia or nitrite. This process, called nitrogen fixation, is essential for the growth of many plants, as nitrogen is a critical component of proteins and other cellular structures. Microbes' interaction with the nitrogen cycle is vitally important for soil and ecosystem health.
These are some of the key microbes involved in the nitrogen cycle:
- Nitrogen-fixing bacteria: These bacteria, like Rhizobia y Azotobacter, can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants. This process, called nitrogen fixation, is essential for plant growth and ecosystem health.
- Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria: These bacteria, like Nitrosomonas y Nitrosococcus, convert ammonia into nitrite, which is an intermediate form of nitrogen.
- Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria: These bacteria, like Nitrobacter, convert nitrite into nitrate, which is another intermediate form of nitrogen.
- Denitrifying bacteria: These bacteria, like Pseudomonas y Paracoccus, they convert the nitrate back into nitrogen gas, which is released into the atmosphere.
Microbes and plant growth
Soil microbes play a vital role in plant growth. They decompose organic matter, provide nutrients, promote root development and protect against disease. Other microbes and fungi help break down complex organic molecules, such as cellulose and lignin, into simpler compounds that plants can use. This process, known as decomposition, returns various nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, to the soil. Soil microbes also produce many Vitamins and other growth-promoting compounds that plants absorb. For example, soil bacteria produce vitamin B12, which is essential for plant growth and development.
Some soil microbes, such as mycorrhizal fungi, form symbiotic relationships with plant roots. These fungi help improve the water absorption and nutrients through plant roots, which supports their growth and development. Soil microbes can also help protect plants from disease. For example, certain bacteria produce antibiotics that can kill or inhibit the growth of pathogenic microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, that cause plant diseases. The interaction between microbes and plants is a key factor for agricultural sustainability.
The nutrient cycle and its importance
Nutrient cycling helps the soil. In addition to nitrogen, soil microbes help cycle other nutrients. essential nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, making them available for plant growth. This process, known as nutrient cycling, helps maintain soil health and fertility.
These are some of the key microbes involved in nutrient cycling:
- Decomposers: These microbes, such as fungi and bacteria, decompose dead organic matter and recycle its nutrients back into the soil.
- Phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria: These bacteria, like Bacillus y Pseudomonas, can recycle phosphorus from insoluble sources, making it available to plants and other organisms.
- Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria: These bacteria, like Thiobacillus y Beggiatoa, play a crucial role in the sulfur cycle by oxidizing sulfur compounds, making sulfur available to other organisms in the ecosystem.
Reducing soil pollution
Soil microbes can reduce your contaminationMany industrial processes and consumer products release harmful chemicals into the environment, contaminating the soil. But some soil microbes can break down these contaminants, helping to clean up contaminated soil and protect the ecosystem. It's also important to consider how pollution affects natural biogeochemical cycles.
When waste decomposes, it releases methane, another potent greenhouse gas. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and can negatively impact carbon capture efforts.
Some microbes, particularly certain types of archaea and bacteria, are involved in methane production. Methanogenic archaea are an example. These microbes are responsible for the majority of methane production in anaerobic environments, such as wetlands, rice paddies, and the digestive tracts of ruminants. They produce methane as a byproduct of their metabolic activities, which involve the decomposition of organic matter. Therefore, it is important to investigate how pollution affects the Earth's biogeochemical cycles.
The production of methane by these microbes can release significant amounts of the gas into the atmosphere, which can negatively impact the climate and carbon sequestration efforts. However, it's important to note that not all microbes involved in methane production are harmful. Some microbes, such as those involved in biogas production, can be harnessed to produce renewable energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Microbiome and soil health
A healthy soil microbiome is essential for maintaining soil health and promoting sustainable agriculture. Microbes play a crucial role in soil microbiome health in several ways:
- Decomposition: Microbes, such as fungi and bacteria, decompose dead organic matter and recycle its nutrients back into the soil, supporting the growth of plants and other organisms.
- Nutrient cycle: Microbes play a key role in the cycling of essential elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, through the ecosystem. This helps maintain the balance of nutrients in the soil and makes them available to plants and other organisms.
- Soil structure: Microbes, such as mycorrhizal fungi, can help improve soil structure by forming networks of hyphae that bind soil particles together. This can help improve water retention, reduce erosion and increase overall soil health.
- Disease suppression: Microbes can help suppress plant diseases by competing with pathogens for resources, producing antibiotics, and promoting healthy root growth.
- Pest control: Microbes can play a role in pest control by producing toxins that are toxic to insects and other pests and by promoting the growth of pest-resistant plants.
Soil biological testing is vital to understanding soil health and the role of the microbiome in crop production. Biome Makers offers a soil biological analysis called the BeCrop Test. The BeCrop Test is practical for farmers because this soil biological analysis shows blocked nutrient pathways, microbial diversity, the relationship between fungi and bacteria, disease risk detection, and hormone production and stress adaptation. With this data, farmers can apply fertilizers or biological products more accurate to diagnose specific problems, saving time and money and increasing crop yield and quality.
Microbes and diseases
The transmission and spread of pathogenic microorganisms, their replication rate and survival in the environment, are greatly influenced by rainfall, relative humidity, temperature, salinity, and wind. Climate change can also affect the emergence and spread of pathogens. infectious diseases both in marine and terrestrial environments. It can also influence the health of ecosystems, an aspect that deserves attention, especially in the context of effects of global warming on health.
For example, there is a link between rising sea surface temperatures and coral diseases: warming oceans can alter coral microbiota, contributing to the emergence of certain diseases. Ocean acidification can cause tissue damage in fish, weakening their immune systems and promoting the invasion of pathogenic bacteria. A similar situation occurs with amphibians when temperatures rise. On land, many plant and crop pathogens are sensitive to temperature changes and are influenced by climate.
The rise in antibiotic resistance among some human pathogens has also been linked to climate change. It has been suggested that rising temperatures may favor the horizontal transfer of resistance genes and an increase in pathogen growth rates. Pathogens transmitted by vectors, such as mosquitoes and ticks, through food, air, or water may be especially susceptible to the effects of climate change.
Innovations in microbial biotechnology
Microbial biotechnology can provide innovative solutions for more sustainable development. Research is underway to genetically engineer microorganisms to increase their N reduction capacity.2O to N2 atmospheric, so as to neutralize emissions of this gas; manipulate the rumen microbiota to reduce CH production4; using microorganisms to produce biofuels and reduce the use of fossil fuels; or the recent transformation of a bacterium to consume CO2.
There is no doubt that climate change can affect the rate at which microbes transform nitrogen and other biogeochemical cycles. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the impact of microorganisms on ecosystems and how these, in turn, are affected by climate change.
Over the years, research has shown that these microorganisms are essential not only for soil health and agriculture, but also for the global health of the planet, acting as climate regulators and functioning as natural filters for greenhouse gases.
