Biotech Updates

Soil Microbes Alter DNA in Response to Warming

January 22, 2014

Scientists studying grasslands in the University of Oklahoma have discovered that an increase of 2 degrees Celsius in the air temperature above the soil causes significant changes to the microbial ecosystem underground. Compared to a control group with no warming, plants in the warmer plots grew more rapidly and more robust, 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.

The report published at Applied and Environmental Microbiology is based on a 10-year study that aimed to understand how soil ecosystem will respond to climate change. The research was sponsored by the US Department of Energy, in collaboration with several universities.

Read the news release at http://www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/soil-microbes-alter-dna-in-response-to-warming/.