One possible way that subsurface microbes can combat climate change is by capturing carbon and converting it to limestone.
These microbes use chemicals from rock as an energy system to feed themselves far underground, in the absence of sunlight. In doing so, they can produce organic matter that fuels the growth of other organisms, they can convert CO2 to fuels and other chemicals, and they can enhance the efficiency of solar panels (“photon-to-fuel efficiency”).
At the Washington State Soil Health Committee, we wonder what relationship these microbes have to topsoil?
What do you think? What do you know?