There is a large amount of greenhouse gases in the air, but as Ball State biologist Melody Bernot recently found, it is three times higher than experts estimated.
Through researching for "Nitrous Oxide Emission from Denitrification in Stream and River Networks", Jake Beaulieu of the Environmental Protection Agency and 25 co-authors discovered greenhouse gas emissions are three times higher than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change originally estimated. The total damage is currently at 10 percent global anthropogenic nitrous oxide emissions to the atmosphere.
Bernot said the group's studies were more accurate because of how they tested for the greenhouse gas emissions.
"They don't normally look at streams," Bernot said. "They look at soils."
The group of 26 researchers tested 72 different rivers throughout North America. In a press release, Bernot said the researchers were surprised to see so much pollution coming from freshwater streams, rather than from obvious places such as cars and factories.
According to the report, the reason for freshwater rivers being such an unexpectedly high source of pollution is streams draining urban basins. The report also indicated fixed nitrogen has more than doubled by humans.
The greenhouse gas being researched is known as nitrous oxide. The report defines it as "a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and stratospheric ozone destruction."
The team started researching in 2001, and their efforts were finally rewarded when the report was published Dec. 20.
Bernot said it is an honor to have contributed to a study that is not only published, but has made a difference in the research of greenhouse gas emissions.
"There has been a lot of interest in it, and that is always rewarding," she said.
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