Species-rich forests improve faster; biodiversity loss may cut gains 17%

Forests with more tree species appear to be improving faster over time, according to a new global study published in Nature Climate Change. doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02698-7By tracking forest photosynthesis across two decades, researchers found that biodiversity does more than support healthy ecosystems in the present: it also helps forests strengthen their ability to absorb carbon as the years go by.That matters because photosynthesis is the process that powers forest growth and carbon uptake. When forests photosynthesize more efficiently, they can pull more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making them an important natural buffer against climate change.What the study foundThe researchers combined a high-resolution map of tree species richness with satellite-based photosynthesis data from 2001 to 2020.