A new study has highlighted that rising temperatures are reducing microbial diversity, with devastating consequences for ecosystems and food security.
Research conducted by a team at the University of Oklahoma has identified a worrying link between soil health and global warming, with serious implications for plants, animals and people.
Photography of person carrying soil
The results of an eight-year experiment have shown that as the planet becomes hotter, the diversity of microbial life is reducing. This is concerning given such organisms are essential for soil health, and losing them in turn places entire ecosystems at risk, potentially impacting food chains and security.
‘Climate change is a major driver of biodiversity loss from local to global scales, which could further alter ecosystem functioning and services,’ said director of the Institute for Environmental Genomics at the University of Oklahoma, and lead author of the study. Despite the critical importance of below ground soil biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem functions, how climate change might affect the richness and abundant distribution of soil microbial communities (bacteria, fungi, protists) was unresolved.
‘Our findings show explicit evidence that long-term climate warming reduces microbial biodiversity in a field setting,’ Zhou continued. ‘Additionally, this is the first study documenting the differential responses of both spore and non-spore-forming microbes to climate warming, and this is the first study documenting the predominate role of warming in regulating microbial biodiversity.’
The work has important implications in terms of predicting ecological consequences of climate change, and within ecosystem management. The effects of climate change on biodiversity are largely caused by reduced moisture, leading Zhou and colleagues to warn that microbial loss is likely to be far more pronounced in severely dry areas, arid, semi-arid, and dry-subhumid ecosystems. In total, 41% of the world’s landmass falls into these categories.
Another recent study showed that 44% of land on Earth needs conservation efforts to protect its biodiversity.
Nearly 44% of the Earth’s land area, the equivalent of 64 million square kilometers, requires conservation to protect biodiversity, according to new research.
A team of scientists used geospatial algorithms to map the best areas for conservation and to quantify how much of this land is at risk from human activities by 2030.
The research comes as governments are negotiating a new global biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity, with biodiversity goals set to come into effect later this year.
Green trees on forest during daytime
Lead author of the study, Dr James R. Allan from the University of Amsterdam, said: Our study is the current best estimate of how much land we must conserve to stop the biodiversity crisis – it is essentially a conservation plan for the planet.
‘We must act fast, our models show that over 1.3 million km2 of this important land – an area larger than South Africa – is likely to have its habitat cleared for human uses by 2030, which would be devastating for wildlife.’
New global targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity will set the conservation agenda for the next decade, with governments required to regularly report on their progress.
One goal currently being considered is for nations to conserve 30% of land through protected areas and site-based approaches by 2030.
Co-author of the study, Dr Kendall Jones, said: While this is a great step in the right direction, our study suggests that more ambitious goals and policies to maintain ecological integrity beyond this 30% target are crucial.
‘If nations are serious about safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services that underpin life on Earth, then they need immediately to scale up their conservation efforts, not only in extent and intensity but also in effectiveness.’
The study is believed to provide essential information for development planning and will help to guide future national and global conservation agendas.
You must be logged in to post a comment.