Unaccounted feedbacks from climate-induced ecosystem changes may increase future climate warming
Monday, July 26, 2010 - 04:49
in Earth & Climate
The terrestrial biosphere regulates atmospheric composition, and hence climate. Projections of future climate changes already account for 'carbon-climate feedbacks,' which means that more CO2 is released from soils in a warming climate than is taken up by plants due to photosynthesis. Climate changes will also lead to increases in the emission of CO2 and methane from wetlands, nitrous oxides from soils, volatile organic compounds from forests, and trace gases and soot from fires. All these emissions affect atmospheric chemistry, including the amount of ozone in the lower atmosphere, where it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas as well as a pollutant toxic to people and plants...