The interactive visualisation shows how different forests take up and release carbon at different times of the year and of the day.
is an interactive, browser-based visualisation of the carbon cycle at different stages of a Finnish forest's rotation period. It offers anyone interested in the topic an easy and illustrative way to explore how carbon moves through forests. Hiilimetsä shows when forests act as carbon sinks, when they are carbon sources, and which kinds of forests make the best carbon stores.
Developed at the University of Helsinki, Hiilimetsä is aimed at anyone who wants a basic understanding of how the carbon cycle works in Finnish forests. It is also suitable for use in science education. The service also provides concise, easy-to-understand descriptions of the most common forest characteristics from the perspectives of both the carbon cycle and biodiversity.
Hiilimetsä's data are based on the SMEAR measurement network of the University of Helsinki's Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), its long-term measurements and the scientific publications based on them. Hiilimetsä is part of the online service.
Hiilimetsä will also become part of the Metsä exhibition at the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia, opening early next year [CHECK: year]. Both Metsä and the Vesi exhibition, which opens at the same time, are also largely based on research conducted at the University of Helsinki.
