Friday, June 06, 2014

Wildfire's Part in Global Warming

Scientists know that wildland fire emissions play a significant role in the global carbon cycle and that its principal component – carbon dioxide – is a primary driver of climate change. But predicting and quantifying the effects of potential future emissions is a difficult process requiring the integration of complex interactions of climate, fire, and vegetation. The current state of knowledge, critical knowledge gaps, and importance of fire emissions for global climate and terrestrial carbon cycling is the focus of nine science syntheses published in a special issue in the Forest Ecology and Management journal titled, Wildland Fire Emissions, Carbon, and Climate: Science Overview and Knowledge Needs.

The issue reflects the collaborative efforts of a team of 17 scientists and associates from the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest, Rocky Mountain, Pacific Northwest, Northern and Southern Research Stations, George Mason University, University of Montana, and the private sector. The development of the series included planning workshops, regular meetings of all lead authors, significant collaboration among scientists from the five Stations and their associates, and both peer- and blind- referee review.

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