Biogeosciences
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Articles | Volume 23, issue 17
Articles | Volume 23, issue 17
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-5983-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-5983-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 23, issue 17
Research article
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 | 
31 Aug 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 31 Aug 2026

Natural disturbances from bark beetle outbreaks and windthrow increasingly affect Europe's most mature and carbon-rich forests

Simon Besnard, Alba Viana-Soto, Henrik Hartmann, Marco Patacca, Viola H. A. Heinrich, Katja Kowalski, Maurizio Santoro, Wanda De Keersmaecker, Ruben Van De Kerchove, Martin Herold, and Cornelius Senf

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Editorial statement
European forests are an important carbon sink, but this sink and the carbon stocks that these forests contain are at risk from biotic disturbances and extreme events. Besnard and others use observations of forest changes to show that older and more carbon rich forests are disproportionately impacted by these events and are projected to become even more susceptible, emphasizing the role of proactive management to ensure forest resilience and diversity.
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Short summary

Europe’s forests store vast amounts of carbon, but climate-driven disturbances are becoming more frequent. By combining satellite records with information on forest age and structure, we show that recent disturbances increasingly affect the oldest and most carbon-rich forests, particularly spruce forests in Central Europe. This emerging pattern puts long-accumulated carbon at risk and may reduce the long-term climate benefits provided by Europe’s forests.

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