Forest scientist in the U.S. and Europe say they have put to bed the
ongoing debate about whether old-growth forests absorb more carbon
dioxide (CO2) than they emit. The answer is they do, according to an
Associated Press report.
A report, published in the online edition of the journal Nature, states
that forests between 15 and 800 years old absorb about 1 billion metric
tons of carbon dioxide a year, or roughly 10% of the net carbon uptake
worldwide. The report is based on the review of research at more than
500 forest sites around the world.
According to the AP story, conventional wisdom for the last 40
years has been that old-growth forests are carbon neutral, emiting as
much CO2 from decomposition as they draw from the atmosphere through
photosynthesis.
This study is timely, as international negotiations
on climate change are currently debating if and how developing nations
will be compensated for preserving large tracts of forests in an
attempt to combat global climate change resulting from a build-up of
CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
Read the full report.
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