Scientists have warned that as many of the world’s glaciers are melting due to climate change, large amounts of bacteria could spread into the environment. The dangerous pathogen may be one of thousands of microbes being released into rivers and lakes, scientists say. A team of researchers at Aberystwyth University in Wales said their study highlighted the need for urgent action to stop global warming.
Glaciers are large chunks of ice that have formed over hundreds or thousands of years. As the earth warms, they melt at an alarming rate causing sea levels to rise. The Aberystwyth University team estimates that this could result in the release of more than 100,000 tons of microbes, including bacteria, into the environment over the next 80 years.
This number is equivalent to all the cells in every human body on this planet. Microbiologist Arwyn Edwards said that this study was the first to clearly demonstrate the large array of microbes living on the surface or locked in Earth’s glaciers.
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“The amount of microbes released is very dependent on how fast the glaciers are melting, and therefore how fast we continue to warm the planet,” he said. The team’s calculations are based on a “moderate” warming scenario, as developed by the IPCC, an international panel of climate experts.
This will see global temperatures rise by an average of between 2 degrees Celsius and 3 degrees Celsius by 2100. When the flow of microbes into rivers, lakes, fjords and seas increases, there can be significant impacts on water quality, Edwards explained.
