Variation of carbon uptake from forest species in Mexico: a review

Abstract

Currently, assessing carbon content in forest species is considered essential for programs designed to mitigate global warming. Although in Mexico these studies are becoming more numerous, we still do not know the state of the art in this scientific field. To our knowledge there is a lack of a systematic synthesis of the current condition of carbon sequestration from forest species in Mexico. This would be a useful baseline for scientists interested in further developing carbon studies. The aim of the present study is to analyze the variations of carbon uptake in Mexican forest species. From a comprehensive literature review of indexed journals and specialized databases, this study records the efforts made to record carbon storage rates in Mexican forests based on species, tree components, regions and ecosystems. The results identify those areas that are frequently the subject of research, as well as where opportunities exist and where efforts should be targeted, particularly in rainforests that have been the subject of very few research studies. This study to generate the first Mexican data base that summarizes state of the art data on the topic under study and contributes to a better understanding of potential functional relationships between diversity and carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems in Mexico.