Due to the dry summer, trees in Brasschaat absorbed much less CO2

The unique long-term measurements in the Brasschaat forest show just how strongly drought affects carbon uptake. Continuous measurements of CO₂ exchange have been carried out in the Brasschaat forest since the 1990s. These measurements are part of ICOS, a large network of monitoring stations across Europe, making it possible to clearly track changes over time. So, what do the measurements show? During the exceptionally dry summer of 2026, the trees absorbed significantly less CO₂ because water shortages limited photosynthesis. The measurements illustrate how increasingly frequent periods of drought could weaken forests’ ability to act as carbon sinks. Professor Ivan Janssens of the Global Change Ecology Centre took the current affairs programme Ter Zake to the unique research site to explain these observations.