Decades-long study finds 'stable' soil carbon degrades

Decades-long study finds 'stable' soil carbon degrades

After nearly four decades, the world's longest-running soil warming experiment is revealing a surprising result: even "stable" carbon in forest soils can break down as temperatures rise, releasing more CO₂ into the atmosphere. The findings are published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.

Long-Term Study Reveals ‘Stable’ Soil Carbon Is Actually Degrading

For nearly forty years, scientists have conducted the world’s longest soil warming experiment deep within the Harvard Forest in central Massachusetts. This groundbreaking work, led by distinguished environmental scientist Jerry Melillo, has provided unprecedented insights into how rising temperatures impact soil carbon dynamics, a crucial component of the global carbon cycle. The experiment artificially raises soil temperatures by 5 degrees Cels…