Move over cows, here's how ocean clams and worms are increasing global warming

Scientists have found that ocean clams and worms release a huge amount of harmful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere -- almost as much as 20,000 dairy cows. A team of researchers at Cardiff University in the UK and Stockholm University in Sweden have shown that the ocean critters are producing large amounts of the strongest greenhouse gases -- methane and nitrous oxides -- from the bacteria in their guts. What the study authors said: As reported by PTI, Ernest Chi Fru from Cardiff University said, "What is puzzling is that the Baltic Sea makes up only about 0.1 per cent of Earth's oceans, implying that globally, apparently harmless bivalve animals at the bottom of the world's oceans may in fact be contributing ridiculous amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere that is unaccounted for." How they did it: To arrive at their results the team analysed trace gas, isotopes and molecules from the worms and clams, known as polychaetes and bivalves respectively, taken from ocean sediments in the Baltic Sea The team analysed both the direct and indirect contribution that these groups were having on methane and nitrous oxide production in the sea The results showed that sediments containing clams and worms increased methane production by a factor of eight compared to completely bare sediments More about the study: Methane gas is making its way into the water and then finally out into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming -- methane has 28 times greater warming potential than carbon dioxide The researchers estimate that this is equivalent to as much methane given off as 20,000 dairy cows This is as much as 10 per cent of the entire Welsh dairy cow population and one per cent of the entire UK dairy cow population Interested in General Knowledge and Current Affairs?