Forest Soils Are Getting Better at Pulling Methane From Air
⏮ BeforeEarlier predictions expected climate change to weaken forests' ability to absorb methane.
✅ NowA 24-year study found methane absorption in some forest soils rising about 3% a year.
In short
- A study spanning up to 24 years tracked methane absorption in forest soils.
- Absorption rose by an average of 3% each year.
- The result challenges earlier predictions about how climate change would affect forests.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, so soils that absorb more of it matter for the climate. The finding runs against earlier predictions that warming would weaken forests' role. The source does not say how large the overall effect is across the planet.
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From ScienceDaily
Scientists have discovered that some forest soils are becoming surprisingly better at removing methane from the atmosphere as temperatures rise and rainfall declines. A study spanning up to 24 years found methane absorption increasing by an average of 3% annually, challenging previous predictions about climate change's effects on forests.
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