What effect would a massive forest fire have on the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Answer 1

Apart from the carbon dioxide (and CO as well) from the burning process, it means losing trees that can provide oxygen supply to the atmosphere by their photosynthesis cycle. They take up CO2 from the air and release oxygen.

O2 level in the atmosphere is often associated with earth's temperature. The higher the O2 level, the colder it is. Take a good look of earth in the past. Check Carboniferous Forest on Google if you want. During that period, O2 level was 10% higher than it is now (20%). Dragonfly used to be as big as birds and their 'lungs' (trachea) are designed to circulate more oxygen. Earth was covered with green. Temperature was a lot cooler.

When the temperature rose, there were a lot of organisms that could not survive from Carboniferous Period but it in turn gave rise to new species that could persist in the higher temperature. If the O2 level now changed, I think there would be extinction and new species development. More likely those which have the ability to convert toxic effect of O2 to their body (Humans can use O2 because we have enzyme to convert the toxic form of O2). Temperature will most likely be cooler. I hope this helps ^__^ Check wiki often, it often provides you with info that you do not expect.

Answer 2

the fumes of the fires give off a toxic gas, carbon dioxide, which pollutes the earth, this gas causes global warming, the more the trees go, the more the earth dies as the trees keep us alive by providing us with oxygen.

Answer 3

No it can't because a small can't do damage like a big or huge fire because if it was a huge or big fire things would have got messed up or destroyed but a small little camp fire wouldn't really start something dangerous.

Answer 4

Well trees give off oxygen and burning them would mean the forest is producing less oxygen. And fire burning isn't the best smell in the world.

Answer 5

Its because burning objects releases CO2 in the air, and the co2 is trapped on earth making it hotter, creating global warming.

Answer 6

About 50% of a tree is carbon, so a massive forest fire would release vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Answer 7

No, carbon dioxide, yes.