Climate change could cause global food crisis

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This is a terrible threat to 821 million worldwide.

Climate change is associated with many health problems: longer, more intense Allergy seasons, the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zeke and malaria, and the spread of dangerous bacteria., writes the Chronicle.info with reference to enovosty.com.

New report of the intergovernmental group of experts on climate change (IPCC) adds to this list another serious risk: increasing levels of carbon dioxide lowers the nutritional value of basic foods such as rice and wheat.

Studies have shown that the cultivation of these crops in environments with a high content of carbon dioxide reduces the concentration of protein, zinc and iron.

The accelerated warming of our planet caused by increased emissions of greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere. In may, scientists have recorded the highest concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the entire history of mankind.

It may seem that increasing the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) will benefit crops, as the plants uses carbon dioxide gas for photosynthesis. But the researchers found that the internal chemical composition of some plants requires an accurate balance of carbon dioxide from the air and nutrients from the soil.

Plants such as rice and wheat, use a type of photosynthesis called C3, which is less energetically efficient than C4 photosynthesis, which takes place in such crops like corn. If a plant with C3 photosynthesis consumes too much carbon dioxide, it can lead to the formation of too large quantities of carbohydrate fuel, which reduces the concentration in the plant other internal connections such as vitamin V.

According to the report of the IPCC, wheat, grown at elevated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, contains 6-13% less protein to 4-7% less zinc and 5 to 8% less iron.

Research conducted in 2014 showed that grains and legumes (such as chickpeas, beans, soybeans, and peanuts) grown in conditions with higher CO2 levels, have lower concentrations of protein, zinc and iron.

The study authors found that at elevated CO2 levels of the protein in rice, wheat, barley and potatoes decreased by 6.4 to 14.1 percent.

Finally, a study published last year showed that rising levels of carbon dioxide will lead to changes in proteins, minerals and vitamins in rice. According to research published in June, rice, grown under the CO2 levels that the Earth can reach by 2050, will also contain 17-30% less Riboflavin, thiamin, and folate — nutrients required for muscle, nerve signals and red blood cells.

Currently, 76% of the world’s population gets most of their daily protein from plants. Thus, this study shows that climate change is likely to be a catalyst for the global food crisis, when millions of people will not be able to obtain the necessary nutrients from food.

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