Long-term study finds forest soils taking up more methane under warmer, drier conditions
Researchers examined methane uptake data collected over as long as 24 years at 13 forest sites in southwestern Germany. They found that the soils took in roughly 3% more methane each year on average, a trend tied to warmer temperatures and reduced rainfall. The result contrasts with earlier expectations that climate change would weaken this natural methane sink.
Researchers from University of Göttingen and Baden-Württemberg Forest Research Institute analyzed methane uptake records from 13 forest sites in southwestern Germany, with monitoring spanning as long as 24 years. They combined soil gas profiles sampled every two weeks via underground tubes with chamber measurements at the surface.
Across sites, uptake rose about 3% per year on average. The pattern was associated with warmer, drier conditions, which may let methane move into soil more readily for microbial breakdown. This contrasts with prior expectations and a large US study that reported reduced uptake under heavier rainfall.
These findings could influence how forest managers, climate modelers, and policymakers value forest soils as methane sinks. If the trend holds, some temperate forests may provide a stronger natural buffer against warming than assumed, potentially affecting carbon accounting and land-use decisions. Yet because results come from 13 sites in one region, communities and industries relying on broader climate projections may need further evidence before treating this as a widespread benefit.