As climate change increases thunderstorms, scientists warn the already staggering annual loss of 320 million trees to lightning strikes could grow substantially in coming decades.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich have quantified a previously unmeasured environmental impact: approximately 320 million trees die worldwide each year from direct lightning strikes. Their findings, published Tuesday, exclude secondary losses from lightning-induced fires.

The study estimates these strikes account for 2.1% to 2.9% of annual plant biomass loss globally. This damage releases between 770 and 1,090 million tonnes of carbon dioxide – a significant figure comparable to the 1,260 million tonnes of CO2 emitted annually from vegetation fires.

Until now, lightning's ecological impact has been challenging to assess systematically due to detection difficulties in forest environments.

Scientists warn these losses may increase as climate models predict more frequent thunderstorms, particularly in mid-to-high latitude regions.