Researches connect the current mix of soil bacteria to climate conditions from 50 years ago

Scientists expect climate change influences the geographical of microbes in the soil, but few studies have dug deeply into that relationship. A study published this week suggests the connection can drag across decades .After sequencing soil samples from North America and the Tibetan plateau, and comparing those to historical climate records, an international team of researches found that today's mix of soil bacteria is strongly influenced by the climate of 50 years ago.

The past climate can better predict bacteria distribution than today's climate. Previous studies have shown a lag in plants and animals , in which organisms take years or decades to adjust to the changing climate , but this study is the first to show such a legacy effect for soil - based prokaryotes.