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https://www.sciencealert.com/the-worlds-largest-forest-wilderness-seems-to-be-shrinking>
"Earth's boreal forests circle our planet's far northern reaches, just south of
the Arctic's treeless tundra. If the planet wears an Arctic ice cap, then the
boreal forests are a loose-knit headband wrapped around its ears, covering
large portions of Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia and Siberia.
The boreal region's soils have long buffered the planet against warming by
storing huge quantities of carbon and keeping it out of the atmosphere. Its
remoteness has historically protected its forests and wetlands from extensive
human impact.
These two traits rank boreal forests among the most important ecosystems on
Earth. In addition, numerous species of mammals, fish, plants, insects and
birds make these forests home.
For over two centuries, scientists have recognized that climate plays a key
role in determining the geographic zones of plant communities. Because boreal
forests and soils face subzero winters and short summers, these forests and the
animals that live in them are shifting northward as temperatures rise.
However, boreal forests' northward advance has been spotty and slower than
expected. Meanwhile, their southern retreat has been faster than scientists
predicted. As scholars who study northern ecosystems, forests and wetlands, we
see concerning evidence that as the world warms, its largest forest wilderness
appears to be shrinking."
Via Rixty Dixet.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
