Climate feedback loops for wildfire and associated black carbon (BC) production - Figure from Coppola et al. (2022)
In a new review paper, Sasha Wagner and co-authors describe the role of black carbon (BC) in the Earth system and its importance with regards to carbon sequestration and climate feedback loops. Wildfires are the main source of BC, producing roughly 130 million tons of refractory (relatively unreactive) carbon per year. As the occurrence of wildfire increases with anthropogenic warming, the production and long-term storage of BC could act as a negative climate feedback that offsets (counteracts) some portion of carbon dioxide emissions. However, the magnitude of these effects are currently unknown.
To account for the role of BC in Earth System Models and future climate scenarios, we must work towards a comprehensive understanding of regional and global BC stocks and fluxes. Key research questions include:
What is the chemical identity of BC?
What are the major pathways and rates for BC decomposition in soils, floodplains, and inland water bodies?
If not all BC is produced on land, what are the sources of BC in the ocean?
The review paper was led by Alysha Coppola, is entitled “The black carbon cycle and its role in the Earth system” and was published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment.
