China’s forests with the greatest tree diversity were better at keeping carbon in the soil as temperatures rose, scientists found, because soil microbes released less carbon and stored more in biomass

Rising global temperatures pose a threat to soil carbon storage, but a new study from China reveals a surprising protector: tree diversity. Forests with a variety of tree species are better at retaining carbon in the soil as it warms. This is because diverse forests boost soil microbes’ efficiency, leading to more carbon stored in their biomass and less released into the atmosphere.