Tag Archives: nitrous oxide

World food demand could double by 2050 – if so agricultural intensification could save 2 billion tonnes of CO2 per year

A new projection by the University of Minnesota and the University of California Santa Barbara shows global food demand could rise by 100-110 percent between 2005 and 2050, which would pose a grave threat to remaining tropical rainforests and would … Continue reading →

Rare space radiation disasters may lead to extinction events – just how deadly is a two-month ozone hole?

Both supernovae and extreme solar flares can damage Earth’s ozone layer. But perhaps a black hole swallowing a neutron star somewhere not too far away gives a bigger punch – lasting a second or so.

Climatic CO2 benefits of fertiliser offset by increased N2O emissions

Since the 1860’s nitrogen additions to the terrestrial biosphere have more than doubled, due to human activities. Since nitrogen is a key nutrient needed for plant growth and therefore used as a fertiliser, the additions have made a drastic increase … Continue reading →

Soils don´t need warming to add another positive climate feedback

We recently reported on a possible negative carbon feedback of forest soils in higher latitudes: when such soils warm, nutrient availability may increase, as would (therefore) biomass production and CO2 uptake. But not all climate feedbacks operate through temperature. It … Continue reading →