24-Year Study Finds Some German Forest Soils Are Absorbing More Methane
Göttingen researchers saw methane uptake climb about 3% a year at 13 sites, challenging the idea that forest soils are steadily losing this ability.
Forest soils in southwestern Germany have been pulling more of the potent greenhouse gas methane out of the air over time, according to a long-term study from the University of Göttingen, highlighted by ScienceDaily on 17 October 2026.
What the researchers found
The team analysed measurements from 13 forest sites, some going back 24 years. Methane uptake rose by about 3% per year on average. The authors, Verena Lang, Valentin Gartiser, Peter Hartmann and Martin Maier, published the work in *Agricultural and Forest Meteorology*.
"Climate change does not necessarily have a negative impact on how much methane forest soils absorb." — Prof. Martin Maier
How they measured it
- Air samples were drawn every two weeks through thin tubes installed underground and analysed in a lab.
- Airtight chambers on the soil surface confirmed and quantified the uptake.
- The data came from the Baden-Württemberg Forest Research Institute's monitoring programme.
Why it may happen
Drier, warmer conditions can leave more air-filled pores in the soil, letting methane travel deeper, where microbes consume it. Warmth can also speed up those microbes. Waterlogged soil does the opposite by slowing gas movement.
Important context
This is not a verdict that climate change helps forests. The researchers stress the picture is complex and varies locally; a large earlier US study found methane uptake declining as rainfall rose, and several meta-analyses had suggested declines. The findings come from one region, which is why the authors emphasise long-term regional monitoring to catch gradual changes.
