Deciduous trees offset carbon loss from Alaskan boreal fires, new study finds
The study began in the wake of the dramatic 2004 fire season in Alaska when 6.7 million acres of forest burned—an area about five times the size of Prince Edward Island and seven times the long-term average. Historically, more than half of this forested terrain has been dominated by black spruce, but after fire, faster-growing aspen and birch are replacing some of these stands. “In a region with only five common tree species, this study shows how changes in tree composition can dramatically alter patterns of carbon storage in boreal forests,” said Jill Johnstone, adjunct profe...
Source: yorktonthisweek.com