After 37 Years, the World’s Longest-Running Soil Warming Experiment Uncovers a Startling Climate Secret

A 37-year warming experiment at Harvard Forest found that long-term heat can destabilize soil carbon.

Researchers reported that decades of soil warming sped up microbial decomposition of forest soil organic matter.

Carbon thought to stay locked in soils for centuries was released as CO2.

The finding raises concerns that warming could trigger extra greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen climate feedbacks.