{"id":401120,"date":"2025-09-09T16:23:02","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=401120"},"modified":"2025-09-09T16:23:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:23:04","slug":"oh-noes-desert-soils-emit-greenhouse-gases-in-minutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=401120","title":{"rendered":"Oh noes! Desert soils emit greenhouse gases in minutes!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Anthony Watts<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From the \u201cSTOP GREENING THE DESERT\u201d department and the \u201cnobody cares except you guys\u201d division comes this complete waste of time and money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SDE BOKER, Israel, September 3, 2025 <\/strong>\u2014 A groundbreaking study from researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev reveals that desert soils can emit powerful greenhouse gases within minutes of being wetted\u2014even in the absence of microbial life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published by Dr. Isaac Yagle and Prof. Ilya Gelfand at BGU\u2019s Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research in Scientific Reports<\/em>, the study challenges long-standing assumptions that soil microbes are solely responsible for post-rain \u201cpulse emissions\u201d of gases like carbon dioxide (CO\u2082), nitrous oxide (N\u2082O), and nitric oxide (NO). These gas bursts\u2014common in drylands after rainfall\u2014are known to contribute significantly to atmospheric warming and pollution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using laboratory experiments, the team compared emissions from natural and sterilized desert soils collected near the Dead Sea. The sterilization, achieved through high-dose gamma irradiation, eliminated most living organisms from the soil. Yet, even without live microbes, the sterilized soils released large quantities of N\u2082O and NO immediately after wetting\u2014up to 13 times more NO and 5 times more N\u2082O than the live soils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur results show that chemical reactions\u2014not just biology\u2014drive these immediate emissions<\/strong>, especially for nitrogen-based gases,\u201d said Dr. Yagle. \u201cThis changes how we understand and model greenhouse gas emissions from soils in drylands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While CO\u2082 emissions remained higher in live soils due to microbial respiration, a substantial portion was still generated through non-biological processes<\/strong>, such as reactions involving soil carbonates and physical gas release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These findings are particularly important as drylands expand globally<\/strong> due to climate change. With increasingly erratic rainfall patterns, the frequency of soil wetting and drying cycles is rising\u2014potentially increasing the contribution of these abiotic emissions to the global greenhouse gas budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur work highlights the need to factor in abiotic processes<\/strong> when assessing the environmental impact of dryland soils,\u201d added Prof. Gelfand. \u201cIgnoring them may lead to underestimation of regional and global emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (Grant No. 305\/20) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space of Israel (Grant No. 16797-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Journal<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Scientific Reports DOI 10.1038\/s41598-025-12362-3 <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the \u201cSTOP GREENING THE DESERT\u201d department and the \u201cnobody cares except you guys\u201d division comes this complete waste of time and money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":401123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"Discover groundbreaking research on how desert soils emit greenhouse gases rapidly after wetting, reshaping our understanding of dryland emissions.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Desert Soils Emit Greenhouse Gases: New Groundbreaking Study","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691837853,691837849,691829997,691837850,691818443,691837852,691837851],"class_list":{"0":"post-401120","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-abiotic-processes","9":"tag-ben-gurion-university","10":"tag-carbon-dioxide-co","11":"tag-desert-soils","12":"tag-greenhouse-gas-emissions","13":"tag-live-soils","14":"tag-sterilized-soils","16":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQO_nM4AkzXY336PQP1kZV2xV9ycZPIPJ9mZ6s2yZrDCYePfoeQ05fMNAQhEtscMnL52Rc2E-Q6Np4vc9ApbYkEWvez0PVoDpO5fZIGr4A4DDRF55CPt3r8lFWQYYQ4Z9FS2yR6HfNH8FvrsrFqKVKIO1KWDlw-1.jpeg?fit=1280%2C1280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1GlG","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":248694,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=248694","url_meta":{"origin":401120,"position":0},"title":"The Science of Dryness and California\u2019s Droughts","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"20\/03\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Democracy depends on a better-informed public. A public succumbing to fear mongering and lies only opens the door for bad solutions and government tyranny.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C628&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":240463,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=240463","url_meta":{"origin":401120,"position":1},"title":"Increased Atmospheric Dust Is Masking Greenhouse Gases\u2019 Warming Effect","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"19\/01\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"UCLA researchers say climate change could accelerate slightly if dust levels stop climbing","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-835.png?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-835.png?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-835.png?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-835.png?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-835.png?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":386430,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=386430","url_meta":{"origin":401120,"position":2},"title":"CO2 Sustains Greenhouse Farming Revolution","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/07\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The world would be safer if industrial emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) were stopped, according to the teachings of many schools, the regulatory schemes of some governments and the hyperbolic public relations campaigns of a climate industrial complex. But the truth is happier: CO2 is an irreplaceable plant food that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"agricultural revolution\"","block_context":{"text":"agricultural revolution","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=agricultural-revolution"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0IMG_4197-1440x960-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0IMG_4197-1440x960-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0IMG_4197-1440x960-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0IMG_4197-1440x960-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0IMG_4197-1440x960-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":245602,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=245602","url_meta":{"origin":401120,"position":3},"title":"The ecologist who says we *need* huge herds of cows and sheep to stop desertification?","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"25\/02\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Allan Savoury\u00a0is a farmer from Zimbabwe who used to believe that livestock were destroying the land. He still believes the CO2 scary narrative, but even despite all that, he\u2019s an ecologist who now argues we need large herds moving nomadically to\u00a0stop\u00a0desertification.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-809.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":205618,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=205618","url_meta":{"origin":401120,"position":4},"title":"Claim: Climate Friendly GM Rice can Trap More CO2","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"23\/06\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Essay by Eric Worrall According to the Innovative Genomics Institute, Genetically modifying Rice to make it more vigorous with deeper roots, could trap more CO2. How CRISPR rice could help tackle climate change\u00a0Gene-edited rice might be better at trapping carbon dioxideBy\u00a0Justine Calma@justcalma\u00a0\u00a0Jun 22, 2022, 5:32pm EDTCan gene-editing technology CRISPR create\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/image-91.png?fit=850%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/image-91.png?fit=850%2C563&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/image-91.png?fit=850%2C563&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/image-91.png?fit=850%2C563&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":359451,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=359451","url_meta":{"origin":401120,"position":5},"title":"Drought in the Southwestern U.S.","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"28\/12\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Stories of some sort of current catastrophic drought in the western U.S. are greatly exaggerated (apologies to Mark Twain). While the western U.S. is dry due to its location under a zone of perpetual high atmospheric pressure and little rain, the present drought conditions in the region are moderate by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"drought\"","block_context":{"text":"drought","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=drought"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0us_drought.jpg?fit=1200%2C672&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0us_drought.jpg?fit=1200%2C672&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0us_drought.jpg?fit=1200%2C672&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0us_drought.jpg?fit=1200%2C672&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0us_drought.jpg?fit=1200%2C672&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=401120"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":401124,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401120\/revisions\/401124"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/401123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=401120"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=401120"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=401120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}