A study led by the UAB and the CREAF shows that the loss of nitrogen from Arctic soil not only deprives plants of a vital nutrient but also contributes, proportionally and irreversibly, to increased CO2 emissions. The study was conducted in subarctic grasslands in Iceland, at a site where natural geothermal gradients simulate the effects soil warming will have on the planet’s coldest ecosystems. A new sampling expedition is planned for this summer.