Struck by Nature: The Hidden Toll of Lightning on Global Forests

A groundbreaking study estimates that lightning strikes could be responsible for killing 320 million trees each year, constituting about two to three percent of global plant biomass loss. The environmental impact is staggering, potentially releasing between 0.77 and 1.09 billion tonnes of CO2 annually.

According to researchers from the Technical University of Munich, the carbon emissions from lightning-damaged forests match those from wildfires, highlighting a critical yet overlooked area of ecological disturbance. The study warns that rising global temperatures could lead to more frequent lightning strikes, a trend that necessitates urgent scientific attention.

The research provides the first global estimate of trees killed by lightning, an important natural process that is challenging to monitor. The findings stress the need for a deeper understanding of the ecological consequences of lightning, especially as models predict increased lightning activity in temperate and boreal regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)