The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that melting ice is a serious threat to the planet. After the melting of the glaciers on the Tibetan plateau, nearly a thousand microbes were discovered by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Glaciers are melting rapidly due to global warming
Covering 2.5 million square kilometres, the plateau tibetan brings together the third largest concentration of ice in the world, following the North and South Poles. Also known as the “Asian Water Tower”, it is an important source of water supply for nearby Asian cities.
According to scientists, it is warming three times faster than the global average. In particular, glaciers have shrunk by 80% due to climate change. The World Meteorological Organization states that ” most of the Tibetan plateau experienced a decrease in snow days between 1980 and 2016, with an average decrease of less than 2 days/year over nearly half of the region, and more than 4 days/ year in some areas. »
A threat to the planet
Following the melting of the glaciers of the Plateau du Tibet, Chinese scientists have discovered 968 species of microbes living in extreme conditions. These microbes are able to freeze and thaw depending on the temperatures. They spring back to life when conditions are right.
Between 2016 and 2020, scientists identified 3,241 genomes in 21 glaciers on the plateau. 82% of them are new species11% were found on the same glacier and 10% found on all glaciers. Some microbes would be there for 10,000 years, even 15,000 years. According to the Chinese researchers, the microorganisms that have been in the ice for thousands of years likely originated from the plants or soils they grew in before the glaciers formed. In addition, carbon and methane would also have been retained in the ice.
These findings have researchers worried. First, the release of carbon and methane into the atmosphere is likely to accentuate climate change. In addition, certain viruses and microbes might cause new pandemics. Furthermore, the authors of the study note that “ we know very little regarding viruses and microbes in these extreme environments, and what is actually there ».
