Peruvian Mountainside (IMAGE)

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Peruvian Mountainside

Caption

Wondering how warmer climates might affect tropical soils, a research team carried soils down a mountain to warmer areas lower on the slopes. They found that microbial activity increases, releasing more carbon dioxide, creating a positive feedback that may increase global atmospheric carbon dioxide by around 9%.

Credit

Andrew Nottingham

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Credit: Andrew Nottingham only for use with this release.

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