Do forest soils absorb methane, and is that changing with climate?

Yes. Well-drained forest soils contain microorganisms that break down methane, so they pull this potent greenhouse gas out of the air. A study from the University of Göttingen and the Baden-Württemberg Forest Research Institute (FVA), published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, analyzed up to 24 years of soil gas measurements from 13 forest sites in southwestern Germany.

On average, methane uptake by those soils rose by about 3% per year. The researchers linked the increase to less rainfall and warmer temperatures, which make it easier for methane to move into the soil and be consumed by microbes. The result challenges earlier research suggesting that climate change is generally reducing forest soils’ ability to absorb methane.

Source: “A 24-year study uncovers a surprising climate benefit beneath forests,” ScienceDaily, from materials provided by the University of Göttingen (October 17, 2026).

Image: Beeches in Bramble Wood, New Forest, by Jim Champion, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.