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

As temperatures rise around the globe, scientists are trying to understand how forests respond not only in the canopy but also in the soil, where vast amounts of carbon are stored. Previous studies have focused mainly on how trees absorb carbon through photosynthesis, but a recent study in China shows that biodiversity also plays an important role in protecting soil carbon. Forests with higher tree species diversity retain more carbon in the soil as temperatures rise because soil microbes release less carbon and store more in biomass.

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