Abstract
Spatial pattern information of forest biomass carbon (FBC) density in forest ecosystems plays an important role in evaluating carbon sequestration potentials and forest management. The spatial variation of FBC density in a subtropical region of southeastern China was studied using geostatistics combined with Moran’s I and geographical information systems (GIS). Forest biomass carbon density values were variable, ranging from 0.12 Mg ha−1 to 182.12 Mg ha−1, with an average of 27.33 Mg ha−1. The FBC density had the strongest positive correlation with forest age, followed by forest litter and elevation. The FBC density had significant positive spatial autocorrelation revealed by global Moran’s I. Clear spatial patterns were observed based on local Moran’s I. High FBC density values were mainly distributed in the northwestern and southwestern parts of Zhejiang province, which were related to adopting long-term policy of forest conservation in these areas, while low FBC density values located in the middle part and southeastern coastal area of the study area due to low forest coverage and intensive management of economic forests. The Moran’s I combined with geostatistical interpolation proved to be a useful tool for studying spatial variation of FBC density.
Highlights
Global warming caused by increasing greenhouses such as carbon dioxide (CO2) is becoming a persistent concern in China and worldwide
182.12 Mg ha−1, with an average of 27.33 Mg ha−1. This average value was much lower than its counterparts in other Provinces of China, such as Sichuan (38.04 Mg ha−1) [35], Fujian (32.85 Mg ha−1) [36], Hainan
The maximum and 95% percentile of the forest biomass carbon (FBC) density data were much larger than its upper quartile (75%), indicating positive skewed distribution of FBC density data, which was confirmed by the strongly positive skewness (1.72) and kurtosis (5.91) values
Summary
Global warming caused by increasing greenhouses such as carbon dioxide (CO2) is becoming a persistent concern in China and worldwide. Forest ecosystems store 289–363 Pg C in biomass [4,5,6], accounting for 77% of the global aboveground vegetation carbon [4]. Due to their enormous carbon pool and high productivity ability, forest ecosystems play an important part in the global C cycle [7]. The Kyoto Protocol report under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) requires the industrialized countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and suggests these countries increase afforestation to increase carbon (C) sequestration and to partially offset their CO2 emission [8]. The knowledge of size and distribution of forest biomass C stocks is of scientific and political importance [10]
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