Diminishing periods of snow cover in northern forests, shortened by climate change, are poised to disrupt a delicate balance in some of the planet’s most climate-sensitive regions, according to new research from McMaster University, VU Amsterdam, and the Woodwell Climate Research Center.
Diminishing periods of snow cover in northern forests, shortened by climate change, are poised to disrupt a delicate balance in some of the planet’s most climate-sensitive regions, according to new research from McMaster University, VU Amsterdam, and the Woodwell Climate Research Center.
Historically, carbon emissions from northern forest fires were counteracted by the reflective cooling power of snow cover in charred areas, but that is now under threat.
When northern forests burn, the charred landscape sits exposed through long winters. Snow settles over the open ground, creating a surface far brighter than the darker tree canopy of intact forests. This increases the surface brightness, known as surface albedo, which reflects more solar energy.
Read More: McMaster University
