Dynamics of forest biomass carbon stocks from 1949 to 2008 in Henan Province,east-central China

We estimated forest biomass carbon storage and carbon density from 1949 to 2008 based on nine consecutive forest inventories in Henan Province,China.According to the definitions of the forest inventory,Henan forests were categorized into five groups: forest stands,economic forests,bamboo forests,open forests,and shrub forests.We estimated biomass carbon in forest stands for each inventory period by using the continuous biomass expansion factor method.We used the mean biomass density method to estimate carbon stocks in economic,bamboo,open and shrub forests.Over the 60-year period,total forest vegetation carbon storage increased from34.6 Tg(1 Tg = 1×10~(12)g) in 1949 to 80.4 Tg in 2008,a net vegetation carbon increase of 45.8 Tg.By stand type,increases were 39.8 Tg in forest stands,5.5 Tg in economic forests,0.6 Tg in bamboo forests,and-0.1 Tg in open forests combine shrub forests.Carbon storageincreased at an average annual rate of 0.8 Tg carbon over the study period.Carbon was mainly stored in young and middle-aged forests,which together accounted for 70–88%of the total forest carbon storage in different inventory periods.Broad-leaved forest was the main contributor to forest carbon sequestration.From 1998 to 2008,during implementation of national afforestation and reforestation programs,the carbon storage of planted forest increased sharply from 3.9 to 37.9 Tg.Our results show that with the growth of young planted forest,Henan Province forests realized large gains in carbon sequestration over a 60-year period that was characterized in part by a nation-wide tree planting program.     

Temporal dynamics and spatial variations of forest vegetation carbon stock in Liaoning Province,China

There are many uncertainties in the estimation of forest car- bon sequestration in China, especially in Liaoning Province where vari- ous forest inventory data have not been fully utilized. By using forest inventory data, we estimated forest vegetation carbon stock of Liaoning Province between 1993 and 2005. Results showed that forest biomass carbon stock increased from 68.91 Tg C in 1993 to 97.51 Tg C in 2005, whereas mean carbon density increased from 18.48 Mg·ha -1 C to 22.33 Mg·ha -1 C. The carbon stora...     

Stand biomass and carbon storage of bamboo forest in Penglipuran traditional village,Bali (Indonesia)

Bamboo forest is an important land use in the traditional village of Penglipuran, Bali Indonesia. Bamboo growing in the rural areas can be a good choice for capturing CO₂. I harvested selected culms to determine biomass content, and 50 % of dry weight biomass was calculated as carbon content. The Penglipuran bamboo forest supported six bamboo species in a one hectare sampling plot, all of the genus Gigantochloa. The clump and culm densities were 339 and 7190 ha^-1, respectively.Total above- plus below-ground biomass was87.35 Mg ha^-1, and carbon storage was 43.67 Mg ha^-1.Carbon storage estimated in the bamboo forest at Penglipuran offers insight into the opportunity for PES（payment for ecosystem services） through emission trading mechanisms.     

湖南主要森林类型碳汇功能及其经济价值评价

利用湖南省森林资源主要数据汇编(1999—2003年),依据不同森林类型生物量与蓄积量之间的回归方程,对湖南省几种主要森林类型的生物量和碳贮量进行了推算,分析了不同林龄结构的碳密度以及天然林与人工林的碳贮量,并对整个湖南省的森林经济价值进行估算。结果表明:湖南省主要森林类型的总碳贮量为94.935 Tgc,碳汇总经济价值为70 723.26万元,固定CO2的经济效益达259 554.36万元。阔叶树的碳汇能力最强,其次是杉木和马尾松;湖南省的天然林和人工林的碳贮量相差不大,不同龄组碳密度高低排序的基本规律是:过熟林>成熟林>近熟林>中龄林>幼龄林;而中龄林的碳贮量最多,过熟林碳贮量最少。     

广州市森林生态系统碳储量格局分析

相对准确地计量地带性森林碳库大小是估算区域森林碳汇潜力的前提。根据全市不同森林类型设置样地900个,运用样地清查法估算广州市森林生态系统碳储量和碳密度。结果表明:广州市森林生态系统碳储量为52.16 Tg C。其中,植被层和土壤层碳储量分别为21.97 Tg C和27.16 Tg C。碳储量空间分布主要集中在从化区和增城区;总碳储量的组成中,土壤层碳库比例最大(58%),其次为乔木层碳库比例(40%),而灌木层、草本层、凋落物层和细根(≤ 2.0 mm)的生物量比例大多在1%~2%;天然林碳储量与人工林接近,但是碳密度显著大于人工林(p < 0.05);不同林龄从小到大排序为:幼龄林、中龄林、近熟林、过熟林、成熟林;天然林以阔叶混和它软阔的碳储量最高,阔叶混和黎蒴的碳密度最高。人工林不同林型从大到小排序为:南洋楹 > 黎蒴 > 木荷 > 木麻黄 > 它软阔 > 阔叶混 > 湿地松。森林生态系统碳密度为178.03 t C hm-2,其中,植被层和土壤层碳密度分别为79.61 t C hm-2和98.42 t C hm-2。本研究全面计量了广州市森林生态系统碳库现状,这对评估该地区森林固碳潜力和指导碳汇林经营管理具有重要参考价值。     

Comparing aboveground carbon sequestration between moso bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) and China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) forests based on the allometric model

The purpose of this study was to compare carbon sequestration between moso bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) and China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) forests. The study site was located in the lower mountain area of central Taiwan, where both moso bamboo and China fir were rich. In addition, moso bamboo and China fir forests were surveyed on 12 and 19 plantations, respectively. We predicted carbon sequestration based on the allometric model for moso bamboo and China fir forests and compared the relationships between characteristics of bamboo forests and elevation. The results showed that mean diameter at breast height (DBH), culms per hectare and aboveground biomass were not clearly affected by elevation, whereas a negative correlation (R = −0.600, p = 0.039) between mean DBH and stand density was found for moso bamboo forests. Moreover, the aboveground carbon storage was higher for China fir forests than for moso bamboo (99.5 vs. 40.6 Mg ha⁻¹). However, moso bamboo is an uneven-aged stand which is only composed of 1-5-year-old culms, while China fir is an even-aged stand and the age range is from 15 to 54 years, such that, per year, the mean aboveground carbon sequestration is 8.13 ± 2.15 and 3.35 ± 2.02 Mg ha⁻¹ for moso bamboo and China fir, respectively. On the other hand, the mean carbon sequestration of China fir decreases with increasing the age class. Furthermore, the ratio of moso bamboo to China fir is 2.39 and a T-test showed that the aboveground carbon levels were significantly different between these two species; thus, moso bamboo is a species with high potential for carbon sequestration.     

Changes in forest cover and carbon stocks of the coastal scarp forests of the Wild Coast,South Africa

Land-use intensification and declines in vegetative cover are considered pervasive threats to forests and biodiversity globally. The small extent and high biodiversity of indigenous forests in South Africa make them particularly important. Yet, relatively little is known about their rates of use and change. From analysis of past aerial photos we quantified rates of forest cover change in the Matiwane forests of the Wild Coast, South Africa, between 1942 and 2007, as well as quantified above and belowground (to 0.5?m depth) carbon stocks based on a composite allometric equation derived for the area. Rates of forest conversion were spatially variable, with some areas showing no change and others more noticeable changes. Overall, the net reduction was 5.2% (0.08% p.a.) over the 65-year period. However, the rate of reduction has accelerated with time. Some of the reduction was balanced by natural reforestation into formerly cleared areas, but basal area, biomass and carbon stocks are still low in the reforested areas. The total carbon stock was highest in intact forests (311.7 ± 23.7 Mg C ha^?1), followed by degraded forests (73.5 ± 12.3 Mg C ha^?1) and least in regrowth forests (51.2 ± 6.2 Mg C ha^?1). The greatest contribution to total carbon stocks was soil carbon, contributing 54% in intact forests, and 78% and 68% in degraded and regrowth forests, respectively. The Matiwane forests store 4.78 Tg C, with 4.7 Tg C in intact forests, 0.06 Tg C in degraded forests and 0.02 Tg C in regrowth forests. The decrease in carbon stocks within the forests as a result of the conversion of the forest area to agricultural fields was 0.19 Tg C and approximately 0.0003 Tg C was released through harvesting of firewood and building timber.     

Estimating net primary productivity of Chinese pine forests based on forest inventory data

Forest inventory data (FID) include forest resources informationat large spatial scale and long temporal scale. They are importantdata sources for estimating forest net primary productivity(NPP) and carbon budget at landscape and regional scales. Inthis study, more than 100 datasets of biomass, volume, NPP andstand age for Chinese pine forests (Pinus tabulaeformis) fromthe literature were synthesized to develop regression equationsbetween biomass and volume, and between NPP and biomass as wellas stand age. Using these regression equations and the fourthFID surveyed by the Forestry Ministry China from 1989 to 1993,NPP values of Chinese pine forests were estimated. The meanNPP of Chinese pine forests was 4.35 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1.NPP varied widely among provinces, ranging from 1.5 (Neimenggu)to 13.73 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 (Guizhou). Total NPP of Chinesepine was 10.87 Tg yr^–1 (1 Tg = 10¹² g). NPP values ofChinese pine forests were not distributed evenly across differentprovinces in China. This study may be useful not only for estimatingforest carbon of other forest types but also for evaluatingterrestrial carbon balance at regional and global levels.     

山西省森林植被碳储量及其动态变化研究

以山西省1995年、2000年和2005年的3期森林资源清查数据为基础,采用生物量换算因子法,研究了山西省森林植被碳储量及其动态变化。结果表明:10年间山西森林的碳储量总体呈上升的趋势。全省森林的总碳储量由1995年的3514.22万Mg增加到2005年的4505.61万Mg。在14个(类)森林优势树种中,栎类、油松和杨树这三者的碳储量占主导地位,合计占山西省森林总碳储量的60%以上。在全部森林中,幼、中龄林及近熟林的碳储量合计约占总量的90%。2005年,人工林碳储量占森林总碳储量的百分比提高了5.28%,全省森林平均碳密度为23.8933~26.3717Mg/hm2。     

Forest carbon sequestration in China and its benefits

Carbon sequestration is important in studying global carbon cycle and budget. Here, we used the National Forest Resource Inventory data for China collected from 2004 to 2008 and forest biomass and soil carbon storage data obtained from direct field measurements to estimate carbon (C) sequestration rate and benefit keeping C out of the atmosphere in forest ecosystems and their spatial distributions. Between 2004 and 2008, forests sequestered on average 0.36 Pg C yr^?1 (1 Pg = 10¹⁵g), with 0.30 Pg C yr^?1 in vegetation and 0.06 Pg C yr^?1 in 0–1 meter soil. Under the different forest categories, total C sequestration rate ranged from 0.02 in bamboo forest to 0.11 Pg C yr^?1 in broadleaf forest. The southwest region had highest C sequestration rate, 30% of total C sequestration, followed by the northeast and south central regions. The C sequestration in the forest ecosystem could offset about 21% of the annual C emissions in China over the same period, especially in provinces of Tibet, Guangxi, and Yunnan, and the benefit was similar to most Annex I countries. These results show that forests play an important role in reducing the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide in China, and forest C sequestration are closely related to forest area, tree species composition, and site conditions.     

Carbon storage in evergreen broad-leaf forests in mid-subtropical region of China at four succession stages

To better understand the effect of forest succession on carbon sequestration, we investigated carbon stock and allocation of evergreen broadleaf forest, a major zonal forest in subtropical China. We so...     

Variation of stem density and vegetation carbon pool in subtropical forests of Northwestern Himalaya

The present study was conducted in five forest types of subtropical zone in the Northwestern Himalaya, India. Three forest stands of 0.1 ha were laid down in each forest type to study the variation in vegetation carbon pool, stem density, and ecosystem carbon density. The stem density in the present study ranged from (483 to 417 trees ha^?1) and stem biomass from (262.40 to 39.97 tha^?1). Highest carbon storage (209.95 t ha^?1) was recorded in dry Shiwalik sal forest followed by Himalayan chir forest > chir pine plantation > lower Shiwalik pine forest > northern mixed dry deciduous forest. Maximum tree above ground biomass is observed in dry Shiwalik sal forests (301.78 t ha^?1), followed by upper Himalayan chir pine forests (194 t ha^?1) and lower in Shiwalik pine forests (138.73 t ha^?1). The relationship with stem volume showed the maximum adjusted r² (0.873), followed by total density (0.55) and average DBH (0.528). The regression equation of different parameters with shrub biomass showed highest r² (0.812) and relationship between ecosystem carbon with other parameters of different forest types, where cubic function with stem volume showed highest r² value of 0.873 through cubic functions. Our results suggest that biomass and carbon stocks in these subtropical forests vary greatly with forest type and species density. This variation among forests can be used as a tool for carbon credit claims under ongoing international conventions and protocols.     

Selective harvesting at rational intervals promotes carbon sequestration in temperate coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests in China

Evidence-based selective cutting at prescribed intervals as part of good forest management can enhance the carbon sequestration capacity of the forest. The effect of forest management on carbon sequestration has, however,not been quantified. Thus, carbon content of various organs was measured for 323 tree species, 247 shrub species, and233 herb species in seven temperate coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests that were subjected to selective cutting with restoration durations of 100, 55, 45, 36, 25, 14, and6 years to explore dynamic changes in carbon storage. The results showed that biomass carbon allocation in different organs followed a pattern: trunk root branch leaf for all forests. With longer restoration durations, more carbon accumulated in different organs and in soils. Interestingly,when the restoration duration exceeded 50 years, carbon storage in ecosystem was larger than that in primary forests with 100-year cutting intervals, suggesting that a reasonable selective cutting interval can increase forest carbon sequestration. Mean diameter at breast height(DBH) and forest carbon storage were significantly positively correlated, and carbon storage of selectively cut forests exceeded that of primary forests when the stand mean DBH exceeded 15.66 cm. Therefore, mean DBH of forests can be an indicator for combining sustainable forest management and forest carbon sequestration. Additionally, the classic coefficients of 0.45 and 0.50 used to estimate carbon sequestration underestimated values by 2.65% and overestimated by 8.16%, respectively, in comparison with the measured carbon content from different plant organs.     

Long-term response of living forest biomass to extensive logging in subtropical China

Forest disturbance and recovery are critical ecosystem processes,but the temporal patterns of disturbance have not been studied in subtropical China.Using a tree-ring analysis approach,we studied post-logging above-ground(ABG)biomass recovery dynamics over a 26-year period in four plots with different degrees of logging disturbance.Before logging,the ABG biomass ranged from 291 to 309 t ha-1.Soon after logging,the plots in primary forest,secondary forest,mixed forest and singlespecies forest had lost 33,91,90 and 100%of their initial ABG biomass,respectively.Twenty-six years after logging,the plots had regained 147,62,80 and 92%of their original ABG biomass,respectively.Over the 26 years following logging,the mean CAI(Current annual increment)were 10.1,5.5,6.4 and 10.8 t ha^-1 a^-1 and the average MAI(Mean annual increment)8.7,2.5,5.6 and 7.8 t ha^-1 a^-1 for the four forest types,respectively.The results indicate that subtropical forests subjected to moderate logging or disturbances do not require intensive management and single-species plantings can rapidly restore the above-ground biomass to levels prior to heavy logging.     

Estimation of biomass,net primary production and net ecosystem production of China's forests based on the 1999–2003 National Forest Inventory

Abstract

The National Forest Inventory (NFI) is an important resource for estimating the national carbon (C) balance. Based on the volume, biomass, annual biomass increment and litterfall of different forest types and the 6th NFI in China, the hyperbolic relationships between them were established and net primary production (NPP) and net ecosystem production (NEP) were estimated accordingly. The results showed that the total biomass, NPP and NEP of China's forests were 5.06 Pg C, 0.68 Pg C year^?1 and 0.21 Pg C year^?1, respectively. The area-weighted mean biomass, NPP and NEP were 35.43 Mg C ha^?1, 4.76 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1 and 1.47 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1 and varied from 13.36 to 79.89 Mg C ha^?1, from 2.13 to 9.15 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1 and from ?0.16 to 5.80 Mg C ha^?1 year^?1, respectively. The carbon sequestration was composed mainly of Betula and Populus forest, subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest and subtropical mixed evergreen–deciduous broadleaved forest, whereas Pinus massoniana forest and P. tabulaeformis forest were carbon sources. This study provides a method to calculate the biomass, NPP and NEP of forest ecosystems using the NFI, and may be useful for evaluating terrestrial carbon balance at regional and global levels.     

Improving the estimate of forest biomass carbon storage by combining two forest inventory systems

Quantifying forest carbon storage and its spatial distribution at regional scales is critical for the creation of greenhouse gases inventories, the evaluation of forest services and carbon-oriented forest management. The plot-based forest inventory (PBFI) and stand-based forest inventory (SBFI) collect extensive information on trees and stands respectively, and together, provide an opportunity to improve the regional estimates of forest carbon. In this study, we applied the SBFI to overcome the spatial extent limits of the PBFI in neighboring plots and improve the regional carbon estimation. We found that the forests in Sichuan Province reserved a total of 624.2?Tg?C in biomass and featured a large spatial heterogeneity, with high values in natural forests and low values in plantations. We found that the solo use of PBFI derived a slightly higher (46.63?Mg?C/ha) estimation on average compared with the integrated method (43.6?Mg?C/ha). However, when considering the spatial distribution, the PBFI generated an overestimation of young forests located between 3000and 4000?m in elevation, and an underestimation in mature forests. The spatially explicit biomass carbon estimation could be helpful in guiding regional forest management and biodiversity conservation.     

Analysis of spatio-temporal changes in forest biomass in China

Forests play a central role in the global carbon cycle.China's forests have a high carbon sequestration potential owing to their wide distribution,young age and relatively low carbon density.Forest biomass is an essential variable for assessing carbon sequestration capacity,thus determining the spatio-temporal changes of forest biomass is critical to the national carbon budget and to contribute to sustainable forest management.Based on Chinese for-est inventory data (1999-2013),this study explored spatial patterns of forest biomass at a grid resolution of 1 km by applying a downscaling method and further analyzed spatio-temporal changes of biomass at different spatial scales.The main findings are:(1) the regression relationship between forest biomass and the associated influencing factors at a provincial scale can be applied to estimate biomass at a pixel scale by employing a downscaling method;(2) for-est biomass had a distinct spatial pattern with the greatest biomass occurring in the major mountain ranges;(3) forest biomass changes had a notable spatial distribution pattern;increase (i.e.,carbon sinks) occurred in east and southeast China,decreases (i.e.,carbon sources) were observed in the northeast to southwest,with the largest biomass losses in the Hengduan Mountains,Southern Hainan and Northern Da Hinggan Mountains;and,(4) forest vegetation functioned as a carbon sink during 1999-2013 with a net increase in biomass of 3.71 Pg.     

江西金盆山林区天然常绿阔叶林生态系统碳储量研究

【目的】探讨亚热带典型天然常绿阔叶林碳储量及其碳分布格局,以期为常绿阔叶林生态系统碳汇功能评价提供基础数据和理论依据。【方法】以江西省金盆山林区优势树种生态系统生物量研究为基础,结合主要优势树种碳含量实测数据,对金盆山典型常绿阔叶林丝栗栲林、南岭栲林、米槠林的碳储量及碳空间分布格局进行研究,并以这3种林分的碳密度均值计算整个金盆山林区天然常绿阔叶林总碳储量。【结果】金盆山林区丝栗栲林、南岭栲林、米槠林生态系统碳密度分别为294.82、307.63、318.97 t/hm^2,林区生态系统总碳密度为307.14 t/hm^2,林区现存碳总量为2.25×10^6 t;生态系统碳密度分布规律为植被层>土壤层>凋落物层,植被层碳密度分布规律为乔木层>灌木层>草本层,其中乔木层主干的碳密度占56.54%;土壤层碳密度随着土壤层的加深呈下降趋势,40 cm以下土层间的碳密度变化不明显。【结论】金盆山林区常绿阔叶林不同林分间生态系统碳密度差异不显著,生态系统内碳密度有较强的空间分布规律,生态系统碳密度高于我国森林生态系统平均碳密度和多种典型森林类型碳密度,具有较强的碳汇功能。     

河南省森林碳储量及动态变化研究

利用河南省1949—2003年间8次森林资源清查资料,建立不同优势树种生物量与蓄积量之间的回归方程,对河南省54a来森林的碳储量进行了推算。结果表明:河南省54a间森林的总碳储量虽然存在一定的波动现象,但总体呈上升的趋势。全省森林的总碳储量由1949年的2 863.91万t C增加到2003年的4 673.43万t C,共增加1 809.52万t C,年均增加33.51万t C。阔叶林占全省各时期森林总碳储量的80%以上,栎类和杨树两个树种占主导地位。河南森林幼、中龄林占的比重较大。全省森林平均碳密度为22.86~23.64t C/hm2,远低于全国、世界的平均水平。     

Scenario analysis of the impacts of forest management and climate change on the European forest sector carbon budget

Analysis of the impacts of forest management and climate change on the European forest sector carbon budget between 1990 and 2050 are presented in this article. Forest inventory based carbon budgeting with large scale scenario modelling was used. Altogether 27 countries and 128.5 million hectare of forests are included in the analysis. Two forest management and climate scenarios were applied. In Business as Usual (BaU) scenario national fellings remained at the 1990 level while in Multifunctional (MultiF) scenario fellings increased 0.5–1% per year until 2020, 4 million hectare afforestation program took place between 1990 and 2020 and forest management paid more attention to current trends towards more nature oriented management. Mean annual temperature increased 2.5 °C and annual precipitation 5–15% between 1990 and 2050 in changing climate scenario. Total amount of carbon in 1990 was 12 869 Tg, of which 94% in tree biomass and forest soil, and 6% in wood products in use. In 1995–2000, when BaU scenario was applied under current climatic conditions, net primary production was 409 Tg C year⁻¹, net ecosystem production 164 Tg C year⁻¹, net biome production 84.5 Tg C year⁻¹, and net sequestration of the whole system 87.4 Tg C year⁻¹ which was equal to 7–8% of carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion in 1990. Carbon stocks in tree biomass, soil and wood products increased in all applied management and climate scenarios, but slower after 2010–2020 than that before. This was due to ageing of forests and higher carbon densities per unit of forest land. Differences in carbon sequestration were very small between applied management scenarios, implying that forest management should be changed more than in this study if aim is to influence carbon sequestration. Applied climate scenarios increased carbon stocks and net carbon sequestration compared to current climatic conditions.