A Changing Carbon Balance

Soil organic carbon supports soil health, water retention, nutrient cycling, soil structure, and microbial diversity. A review led by Nanthi Bolan examines how climate change-induced droughts, floods, and wildfires can alter these functions by changing carbon inputs, decomposition, erosion, and the movement of dissolved organic carbon.

The analysis places soil carbon within the wider climate system. Depending on environmental conditions and land management, soils can either store carbon or contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions. The authors argue that protecting soil carbon is important not only for climate mitigation but also for sustaining agricultural productivity and ecosystem services.

Mapping the Evidence

On 14 January 2026, the authors searched Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science using terms related to climate change, extreme weather, soil carbon, microbial activity, decomposition, erosion, dissolved organic matter, and leaching. The initial search produced 14,218 records. After duplicate removal and eligibility screening, 3,754 articles were retained for bibliometric and qualitative analysis.

The ‘Lost Lakes’ database provides access to information on water area to identify changes in Arctic permafrost landscapes and help local communities respond to these shifts.

As our world continues to warm, a multidisciplinary group of researchers from the University of Exeter and the UK Health Security Agency encourage consideration of potential interactions between urban green spaces, vector-borne diseases, and climate change as we work to increase public health benefits and reduce risks.