A natural mechanism that plants use to help the climate is secretly making global warming worse.
April 14, 2026
Original Paper
Biological nitrification inhibition compromises the soil methane sink
bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.04.12.685468
The Takeaway
Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) was thought to be a win-win because it stops nitrous oxide emissions. However, this study shows it also kills the methane-eating bacteria in the soil, potentially canceling out all its climate benefits.
From the abstract
Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) is a plant-mediated process that suppresses nitrification and is widely considered beneficial for reducing nitrous oxide emissions. Here, we show that BNI compounds also inhibit methane oxidation by methanotrophic bacteria, revealing a previously unrecognized trade-off in greenhouse gas regulation. Across soil bioreactor systems and pure cultures of both Type I and Type II methanotrophs, BNI compounds consistently suppressed methane oxidation activity. K