Tiny amoebas could play a big role in climate

26. For the first time, researchers at EPFL and the WSL investigate how the fate of tiny algae-harboring amoebas that live in peatlands could reinforce global warming. The world's peatlands store tremendous amounts of carbon - up to 20 years' worth of human and natural emissions. While today they sequester more carbon than they release, research suggests that in a warmer world, they could decompose more quickly, reinforcing the vicious cycle of global warming by releasing additional CO2 into the atmosphere. In a recent study, scientists have investigated one of the most predominant types of peatland microorganisms and how their response to higher temperatures could impact the uptake or release of carbon by peatlands. Their findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group), suggest how increasing temperatures could decrease levels of carbon fixation in peatlands. Peatlands are teeming with microorganisms - algae, bacteria, and others - with a wide range of feeding strategies.