It has been witnessed that microbes and plants that are grown in atmospheres with high levels of CO2 virtually always displays increased rates of photosynthesis and high biomass productions. A number of studies carried out have indicated that CO2 that is atmospheric enriched rarely affects microorganisms in the soil. A study carried out in 2000 found no significance in difference in microbial biomass in soil below some aspen seedlings that were grown at 350 as well as 700 ppm CO2 after nearly 2.5 years in differential treatment.
However, there are some studies that have showed higher levels of CO2 can have a significant impact on microorganisms in soil. Another study was carried out and it turned out that CO2 exposure that is elevated for three months at 700 ppm significantly increased the soil microbial biomass below the ryegrass plants by up to 42% which is somewhat relative to the one that is produced under cool CO2 conditions.
Other Microbial biomass was reported to have an increase of up to 15% under agricultural fields which were subjected to a 2-year crop rotation of wheat and soybean.
With a closer look at a number of the studies conducted, it is clear that increased CO2 causes subsequent shifts in the population of soil microbes and plants. Researchers have concluded that elevated atmospheric CO2 normally reduces the growth of plants when it is combined with some of the most likely climate change consequences, such as high temperatures, increased deposits of nitrogen in soil, or even increased precipitation.
Since the evolution of microbes, they have been absorbing as well as releasing the largest amount of greenhouse gases. This has highly impacted the earth’s climate.