Red alert!!! Instead of storing carbon, some soils may emit it as CO2
News about a study published last week in the newsletter of the National Academy of Sciences on the United States of America has been circulating on the web and suggest that soils of turf ecosystems (Histosol) could generate about 6% of total carbon dioxide emissions per year.
The study, that was carried out in the Amazon region of Peru, indicated that if the climate continue to warm and has its humidity increased, the turf basin of this region may emit around 500 millions of tons of CO2 until the end of this century. And look, this basin is considered small!
You may be wondering how this greenhouse gas ends up on soil, right? Well, let us explain!
Plants reduces the carbon molecule of the atmospheric CO2 by trapping light energy during the photosynthesis process:
CO2 + H2O (+ luminous energy) → CH2O + O2
Non-photosynthetic organisms tend to re-establish equilibrium by decomposition (oxidation) of dead organic matter. During decomposition, part of the carbon stored during photosynthesis is respired, releasing CO2 and energy:
CH2O + O2 → CO2 + H2O + thermal or chemical energy
Part is converted into microbial biomass and a very small part is transformed into humic compounds, which are relatively resistant to further decomposition. Although, the carbon fraction of organic material that is transformed into humus is usually less than 5%, more than 90% of soil organic matter is constituted of humus, due to its high recalcitrance.
Histosol, turf soils, or simply turf, are soils rich in organic matter, thus representing a great ally when it comes to CO2 capture from the atmosphere, not being overcome by any other type of soil or natural coverage, besides being important water reservoirs.
Once again, the interference of humankind has being causing great impact on soils, and on the whole environment. Contribute to the preservation of the turfs and help change this reality!
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