Dr. Luke Jeffrey
@jeffrethane.bsky.social
ARC DECRA Fellow | Biogeochemist | Senior researcher investigating the role of tree stems and their microbial communities within the global climate cycles. #Treethane #Methane #Wetlands #Carbon #Forests 🌱
(8/8) Also see the short piece we wrote for @theconversation.com here: theconversation.com/we-discovere...
We discovered microbes in bark ‘eat’ climate gases. This will change the way we think about trees
We already knew forests were heavy lifters in reducing climate pollution. New research reveals the tiny microbes in tree bark can also “eat” climate gases.
theconversation.com
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
(8/8) Also see the short piece we wrote for @theconversation.com here: theconversation.com/we-discovere...
(7/8) Bottom line: trees aren’t just carbon stores.
They’re hosts to complex microbial ecosystems that play an active role in regulating the atmosphere
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats 🙌 @bobpmleung.bsky.social @greening.bsky.social @drdamo77.bsky.social @jodittmann.bsky.social et al.
They’re hosts to complex microbial ecosystems that play an active role in regulating the atmosphere
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats 🙌 @bobpmleung.bsky.social @greening.bsky.social @drdamo77.bsky.social @jodittmann.bsky.social et al.
Bark microbiota modulate climate-active gas fluxes in Australian forests
Recent studies suggest that microbes inhabit tree bark, yet little is known about their identities, functions, and environmental roles. Here we reveal, through gene-centric and genome-resolved metagen...
www.science.org
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
(7/8) Bottom line: trees aren’t just carbon stores.
They’re hosts to complex microbial ecosystems that play an active role in regulating the atmosphere
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats 🙌 @bobpmleung.bsky.social @greening.bsky.social @drdamo77.bsky.social @jodittmann.bsky.social et al.
They’re hosts to complex microbial ecosystems that play an active role in regulating the atmosphere
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Congrats 🙌 @bobpmleung.bsky.social @greening.bsky.social @drdamo77.bsky.social @jodittmann.bsky.social et al.
(6/8) These systems are dynamic. Under low-oxygen conditions inside bark, some microbes can switch to producing methane or hydrogen — meaning climate change (e.g. flooding, warming) could alter these processes...
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
(6/8) These systems are dynamic. Under low-oxygen conditions inside bark, some microbes can switch to producing methane or hydrogen — meaning climate change (e.g. flooding, warming) could alter these processes...
(5/8) Why this matters: the global surface area of tree bark is immense — comparable to Earth’s land surface!! This points to a previously unrecognised, large-scale atmospheric sink. See video explainer📽️:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5eV...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5eV...
Microbes found in bark enhance benefits of trees by removing greenhouse gases
YouTube video by Southern Cross University
www.youtube.com
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
(5/8) Why this matters: the global surface area of tree bark is immense — comparable to Earth’s land surface!! This points to a previously unrecognised, large-scale atmospheric sink. See video explainer📽️:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5eV...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5eV...
(4/8) Our lab and field experiments show bark microbes can remove multiple climate-relevant gases from the atmosphere, with particularly strong uptake and affinity for hydrogen.
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
(4/8) Our lab and field experiments show bark microbes can remove multiple climate-relevant gases from the atmosphere, with particularly strong uptake and affinity for hydrogen.
(3/8) These bark microbes aren’t just living there — they’re active. Many use trace gases like #Hydrogen (H₂), #Methane (CH₄), and #CarbonMonoxide (CO) as #Carbon and energy sources.🦠
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
(3/8) These bark microbes aren’t just living there — they’re active. Many use trace gases like #Hydrogen (H₂), #Methane (CH₄), and #CarbonMonoxide (CO) as #Carbon and energy sources.🦠
(2/8) Across 8 common Australian tree species (paperbarks, eucalypts, acacias, mangroves & more), bark contains trillions of microbial cells per m² — distinctly unique from soil or water communities.
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
(2/8) Across 8 common Australian tree species (paperbarks, eucalypts, acacias, mangroves & more), bark contains trillions of microbial cells per m² — distinctly unique from soil or water communities.