Nitrogen Cycle To The Rescue? Bedrock Nitrogen May Help Against Climate Change
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 - 10:20
in Earth & Climate
It seems trees have the ability to tap into nitrogen found in rocks, boosting the trees’ growth and their ability to pull more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.That's good news in the short term. Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas most are worried about so that means nitrogen in rocks can significantly affect how rapidly the earth will warm in the future, the U.C. Davis researchers say. Nitrogen, found in such vital molecules as DNA and protein, is necessary for all life and is used worldwide as a fertilizer for food crops. It is the nutrient that most often limits plant growth in natural ecosystems.read more