ETH News
All stories by Vanessa Bleich, Florian Meyer
Global warming accelerates CO2 emissions from soil microbes
News
![Microscopic image of microbes on humus](/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/06/global-warming-accelerates-co2-emissions-from-soil-microbes/_jcr_content/pageimages/imageSmall.imageformat.contentteaser.373161690.jpg)
When microorganisms break down organic material in the soil, they actively release CO2 into the atmosphere. This process is called heterotrophic respiration. A novel model shows that these emissions could surge by up to 40 percent by the end of the century – most significantly in the polar regions.