A research project conducted by Aalto University found that favoring broadleaved species in boreal forestry is a climate-friendly option when considering the forest albedo.
Therefore, forest management actions can directly affect forest albedo, and hence the climate, without decreasing forest productivity.
Vegetation cover and land-use changes alter the surface albedo, or the extent to which incoming solar radiation is reflected back to the atmosphere and outer space. Even though land surface albedo is a critical variable affecting our climate, it is still among the main uncertainties of the radiation budget in current climate modelling. Aalto University’s soon ending project funded by the Academy of Finland examined how changes in boreal forests affect albedo and its seasonal variation.
The connection between the on-going environmental changes in the boreal zone and forest albedo has been unknown. Especially important in terms of climate is to assess how forest management actions and natural changes in forests affect albedo. On the other hand, it is critical also to examine how forest albedo and forest productivity are interconnected.
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