Bogs may have helped global warming

UCLA study suggests gases aided greenhouse effect, facilitated glacier melting at end of ice age

A new UCLA study suggests the rapid growth of a huge northern bog complex may have helped activate global warming around the time of the ice age. The study may provide insight into current concerns about the impact of global warming on the planet.

Peat bogs, which are masses of organic matter such as leaves and plants, cause plant material to decay without oxygen, and as a result release methane gas into the atmosphere. Peat bogs also play a role in the exchange of carbon dioxide, another greenhouse gas.

The findings not only dispel previous assumptions of bogs, but also reveal the environment's potential to change drastically over a short period of time.