Soil microbes that survived tough climates can help young trees do the same

Transplanting the right microbes could give reforestation efforts a boost

A photo of a wooded area with green plants in the foreground and a fallen tree in the middle ground.

This field site in central Illinois represented a region that’s becoming too hot for native trees to handle. Transparent sheets of plastic, seen in the background, diverted rainfall away from some saplings to mimic drought.

Cassandra Allsup

Microbial stress can be a boon for young trees.