Scientists discover unexpected climate benefit hidden in forest soils

Researchers report that methane absorption has increased under shifting climate conditions, based on a long-term study conducted in Germany.

Forest soils play a key role in regulating the climate by removing large amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere. A research team from the University of Göttingen and the Baden-Württemberg Forest Research Institute (FVA) analyzed what is considered the most extensive global data set on methane uptake in forest soils.

Their findings show that under certain climate conditions, which may become more frequent in the future, these soils can actually increase how much methane they absorb. The analysis draws on long-term observations collected at 13 forest sites in southwestern Germany, with some records extending up to 24 years. On average, methane uptake rose by about three percent each year.

The researchers link this increase to changing climate conditions. Lower rainfall results in drier soils, allowing methane to move more easily into the ground compared with wetter soils. At the same time, higher temperatures speed up the activity of microorganisms that break down methane. The study was published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology.