Microbes have produced oxygen on Earth for 4 billion years before an atmosphere existed in which humans could evolve and thrive. Yet, in the last 150 years, humans have been producing carbon dioxide at a rate which is 2700 times faster than microbes are producing oxygen.
In times of climate change, the contribution of microbes to a habitable Earth cannot be ignored. Many environments are dramatically changing and with them the microbes that inhabit these. What will happen to these microbes and their contribution to ecosystem services? As of yet, we do not know, but there is an urgent need to find out more.
Find the full article by the Scientific American on microbes and climate change here.
Photo credit: 12019 via Pixabay.
