In the longleaf ecosystem: more fire, more carbon stored?

Longleaf pine habitats burn, which releases smoke- and carbon- into the atmosphere. But might this ecosystem actually store carbon? To find out, we visit the Jones Center at Ichauway, a research facility in Georgia dedicated to the study of fire ecology. They've been studying whether frequent fire in this ecosystem- which maintains biodiversity here- is releasing more carbon than the system can store.
We also talk to soil researcher Dr. Yuch-Ping Hsieh of Florida A&M University. He's partnering with Tall Timbers Research Center to study the effects of fire on the ability of soil to store carbon. One important factor is black carbon- biochar- a by product of regular fire.
For a deeper dive into the topic, visit the WFSU Ecology Blog: blog.wfsu.org/...
This segment was produced in collaboration with NOVA. Major funding for the NOVA Science and Society Project is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding is provided by the GBH Planet Future Fund.