Answer:
The release of methane from thawed permafrost.
Explanation:
The complete question is
A group of scientists in Alaska notices that not only have atmospheric CO2 levels increased at their sampling site but so too have methane levels. What could account for this increase in methane levels?
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None of the answer options is correct.
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The release of methane from thawed permafrost.
-A decrease in beef production near the researchers' sampling area.
-The melting of permafrost accompanied by the thawing of methane-producing bacteria.
-The failure of rice paddies to be established in Alaska, given its climate.
Permafrost regions like the arctic circle hold a large supply supply of methane in their soils and their seas. Ordinarily, this methane should be gradually released naturally over a long period of time, but the effects of global warming is making these permafrost to thaw at a much faster rate, accelerating the release of methane into the atmosphere. The dark side is that methane is about 80 times more deadly when compared to CO2 in its contribution to the green house effect on earth.
