Final answer:
Wildfires immediately impact the carbon cycle by releasing carbon stored in plants into the atmosphere and causing additional indirect losses through the death and decomposition of woody plants. This process contributes to climate change as forests may switch from carbon sinks to carbon sources, enhancing the greenhouse effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
How wildfire immediately impacts the carbon cycle on the release of carbon stored in plant biomass back into the atmosphere. During a wildfire, the combustion of both live and dead biomass leads to a direct loss of carbon to the atmosphere. Additionally, the death of woody plants and their later decomposition or combustion contribute to carbon loss. This is exemplified by the invasion of cheatgrass in the Great Basin which has resulted in significant carbon loss. Furthermore, the interplay between carbon dioxide and the greenhouse effect is crucial, as wildfires not only release carbon dioxide but also affect the amount of food available in ecosystems, which can accelerate changes to the carbon cycle.
These immediate impacts are important in the context of climate change, where increased atmospheric CO₂ levels can shift forest ecosystems from being carbon sinks to carbon sources, worsening global warming. The significance of this process underscores the importance of understanding and managing fire regimes and greenhouse gas emissions in order to mitigate the broader implications for Earth's climate and biodiversity.