Cloud cooling effects of afforestation and reforestation at midlatitudes.
Because of the large carbon sequestration potential, reforestation and afforestation (R&A) are among the most prominent natural climate solutions. However, while their effectiveness is well established for wet tropics, it is often argued that R&A are less advantageous or even detrimental at higher latitudes, where the reduction of forest albedo (the amount of reflected solar radiation by a surface) tends to nullify or even overcome the carbon benefits. Here, we carefully analyze the situation for R&A at midlatitudes, where the warming effects due to vegetation albedo are regarded to be almost balanced by the cooling effects from an increased carbon storage. Using both satellite data and atmospheric boundary-layer models, we show that by including cloud-albedo effects due to land-atmosphere interactions, the R&A cooling at midlatitudes becomes prevalent. This points to a much greater potential of R&A for wet temperate regions than previously considered.
Duke Scholars
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Related Subject Headings
- Trees
- Temperature
- Models, Theoretical
- Forests
- Ecosystem
- Conservation of Natural Resources
- Climate Change
- Carbon Sequestration
- Atmosphere
Citation
Published In
DOI
EISSN
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Related Subject Headings
- Trees
- Temperature
- Models, Theoretical
- Forests
- Ecosystem
- Conservation of Natural Resources
- Climate Change
- Carbon Sequestration
- Atmosphere