Arctic soils are losing vital nitrogen at an alarming rate of 2.6% per degree Celsius of warming, triggering an irreversible climate feedback loop.

Govind Tekale

Half of the world's carbon is stored in frozen Arctic soils, but as temperatures rise, this carbon bomb is beginning to tick faster than ever before.

Photo Credit: AWeith (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The shocking discovery: plants can't compensate for increasing CO2 emissions because they're being starved of the nitrogen they need to grow.

Photo Credit: Rancesco Ungaro (Pexels)

Scientists in Iceland found that microorganisms become active during winter when plants are dormant, creating a dangerous mismatch in timing.

Photo Credit: Gaspar Zaldo (Pexels)

When microbes consume nitrogen in winter but plants aren't ready to use it, where does it go? Into waterways as pollution or into the air as a gas 300 times more potent than CO2.

Photo Credit: David Brown (Pexels)

As Arctic regions warm 2-4 times faster than the global average, the problem accelerates - warming causes nitrogen loss, which prevents plants from absorbing CO2.

Photo Credit: Matti & Keti (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Researcher Sara Marañón warns this creates "a dangerous cocktail" - the transformed nitrogen either contaminates water systems or becomes nitrous oxide, a super-potent greenhouse gas.

Photo Source: U.S. Geological Survey's (CC0)

The most troubling finding? This process is irreversible. Once these ecosystems lose their nitrogen, they can't recover their natural ability to counter rising CO2 levels.

Photo Source: U.S. Geological Survey's (CC0)

The decade-long study in Iceland's natural geothermal laboratory showed fine roots and soil microorganisms diminishing, leaving "fewer and fewer reserves available."

Photo Source: U.S. Geological Survey's (CC0)

Scientists are planning a new expedition this summer to further investigate this climate threat, which could accelerate global warming beyond current predictions.

Photo Source: U.S. Geological Survey's (CC0)

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