Carbon Storage Research Articles

Bridging gaps in ecological security: spatial conservation prioritization through balancing ecological features in a great Chinese city

Summary Megacities around the world are increasingly confronted with conservation and restoration bottlenecks due to the competing demands of urban expansion and environmental conservation. This study investigates conservation prioritization strategies for balancing biodiversity protection, ecosystem service (ES) supply and landscape connectivity in rapidly urbanizing Beijing. By employing spatially explicit modelling and prioritization scenario techniques, we identify spatially heterogeneous priority zones. We demonstrate that high-value areas for ES supply, particularly carbon storage and water regulation, concentrate primarily in Beijing’s north-western mountainous regions, covering c. 62% of the city’s area. Conversely, critical habitats for threatened species and key connectivity corridors are dispersed, with 22.89% of critical habitats located within urban built-up areas. Gap analysis reveals limited alignment between Beijing’s current ecological security patterns, with only 9.6% coverage of the identified top 10% conservation priority zones, especially within the metropolitan core. The study underscores significant trade-offs among different ecological objectives and multi-criteria conservation strategies. We propose an optimized conservation framework based on zonation analysis to guide targeted landscape planning decisions. This approach provides actionable insights for urban policymakers to achieve comprehensive sustainability, emphasizing the importance of protecting critical ecological areas in both urban and rural landscapes amid ongoing urban expansion.

How to design better incentives for carbon capture and storage in the United States

How to design better incentives for carbon capture and storage in the United States

Resilience of Mangrove Carbon Sequestration Under Typhoon Disturbance: Insights from Different Restoration Ages

Typhoons are major climate disturbances that significantly impact coastal ecosystems, particularly mangrove forests. This study examines the effects of typhoons on mangrove communities at different stages of recovery, focusing on how environmental factors influence carbon storage and net ecosystem exchange (NEE). Three mangrove sites were selected based on their recovery age: young, moderately restored, and mature. The results revealed that typhoons had the most pronounced effect on young mangroves, resulting in significant reductions in both above-ground and soil carbon storage. In contrast, mid-aged and mature mangroves demonstrated greater resilience, with mature mangroves recovering most rapidly in terms of community structure and carbon storage. Key factors such as wind speed, heavy rainfall, and changes in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) contributed to carbon storage losses, particularly in young mangrove forests. This study underscores the importance of recovery age in determining mangrove resilience to extreme weather events and offers insights for enhancing restoration and conservation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on coastal carbon sequestration.

Tree Weights of Avicennia germinans in Mangrove Ecosystems Along the Guyana Coastline

ABSTRACTMangroves are known as highly functional and productive ecosystems despite the numerous human and environmental disturbances they face continuously. These disturbances are known to affect their ecosystem states as well as their biomass allocation in their roots, trunks, stems, and leaves. We utilized a combination of plotless sampling methods and established common allometric equations to examine and compare the aboveground, trunk, and root weights of over 600 Avicennia germinans trees found along the Guyana coastline in natural, degraded, and restored ecosystems. Our results highlighted that while the restored ecosystems possessed taller trees with greater densities, the natural ecosystems possessed trees with greater aboveground (54396.24 kg/ha), trunk (19127.08 kg/ha), and root weights (20984.44 kg/ha) due to greater diameter at breast height values (> 30–40 cm). Furthermore, positive correlation coefficients (0.97 < rs < 1.00) and regression values (p < 0.05) yielded compelling evidence in favor of the relationship between biomass allocation through tree organ weights and ecosystem types. Our findings support the notion that the composition and magnitude of disturbances within an ecosystem may affect mangrove tree biomass, hence influencing the net primary productivity of mangrove forests over time. This may have implications for their ability to accumulate and allocate biomass, as well as store carbon in the future. As such, the proactive conservation of existing mangrove forests is crucial for sustaining their productivity and viability, as well as augmenting their significance in biogeochemical cycles and their role in mitigating climate change.

Economically viable geological CO2 storage from direct air capture has critical threshold of 70% CO2 concentration

Abstract Direct Air Capture (DAC), a key component of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), has been widely studied. However, its large-scale deployment is hindered by the high energy cost of purifying captured CO2. Using impure CO2 can reduce energy consumption and overall costs, but it also lowers storage efficiency. This work employs molecular dynamics simulations to examine storage efficiency by analyzing the impurity systems’ density across a wide temperature and pressure range. The results indicate a strong similarity between the density changes at the macroscopic level and the Van der Waals interaction changes at the molecular level. Additionally, the Normalized Storage Efficiency caused by Impurities (NSEI) is proposed, which can be used for storage potential and cost evaluation. A detailed NSEI analysis suggests that CO2 concentration should reach at least 70% to achieve economically viable storage. This finding provides practical guidance for DAC capture system design and impurity CCS project planning.

Precipitation and temperature drive woody vegetation dynamics in the grasslands of sub‐Saharan Africa

Abstract Identifying the drivers of ecosystem dynamics, and how responses vary spatially and temporally, is a critical challenge in the face of global change. Grasslands in sub‐Saharan Africa are vital ecosystems supporting biodiversity, carbon storage, and livelihoods through grazing. However, despite their importance, the processes driving change in these systems remain poorly understood, as cross‐scale interactions among drivers produce complex, context‐dependent dynamics that vary across space and time. This is particularly relevant for woody vegetation dynamics, which are often linked to degradation processes (e.g., woody encroachment), with consequences for biodiversity, forage availability, and fire regimes. Here, we used satellite data and structural equation models to investigate the effects of rainfall, temperature, fire, and population density on woody vegetation dynamics in four African grassland regions (the Sahel grasslands, Greater Karoo and Kalahari drylands, Southeast African subtropical grasslands, and Madagascar) during 1997–2016. Across all regions, rainfall was consistently positively correlated with increased woody vegetation, while higher temperatures were associated with decreased woody vegetation, suggesting that water availability promotes woody plant growth, whereas rising aridity limits it. Unexpectedly, fire had a negative effect on woody cover only in the Greater Karoo and Kalahari drylands, while in Madagascar, higher temperatures and greater population density reduced fire; yet these relationships did not translate into significant indirect effects on woody vegetation. These findings illustrate the complex ways by which environmental and anthropogenic drivers shape woody vegetation dynamics in grasslands across sub‐Saharan Africa. Compared to savannas, fire plays a weaker and more region‐specific role in grasslands, where its feedback with woody cover is less consistent. The opposing effects of rainfall and temperature may currently constrain woody expansion, but climate change could disrupt this balance and further weaken fire's limited regulatory role. These differences highlight the need for management strategies tailored to the distinct climate–vegetation dynamics of grassland systems.

Coastal carbon at risk: forecasting the impacts of sea-level rise on future land cover

IntroductionCoastal land cover (LC) is in constant flux and shaped by human activity and natural forces. These shifts have profound implications for climate resilience, as LC change can either enhance or diminish the landscape’s capacity to store and sequester carbon.MethodsThis study investigates the impact of sea-level rise (SLR) on carbon storage and sequestration within the coastal Superfund and industrially contaminated areas of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) and its adjacent environment, located in the northern Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Leveraging the MOLUSCE plugin in QGIS and the InVEST model, this study integrates historical LC data with predictive modeling techniques, including artificial neural networks, multi-layer perceptron, and Cellular Automata.ResultsProjections for 2061 reveal that, under a no-SLR scenario and non-submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) scenario, APG retains 4,059,312 Mg C in storage, losing -54,087 Mg C sequestration and -$42.06 million net present value (NPV). The NPV is changed to -$40.57 million for the Low SAV scenario and -$38.86 million for the High SAV scenario for 2061 under the no-SLR scenario. However, with SLR, storage declines to 3,894,892 Mg C, and sequestration losses escalate to -218,505.75 Mg C, representing -$169.93 million NPV for the non-SAV scenario. The amount of NPV is changed to -168.44 million and -$166.73 million for the Low and High SAV scenarios.DiscussionThese findings underscore the accelerating carbon debt imposed by SLR and the urgent need for adaptive strategies. Coastal preservation techniques, such as living shorelines and thin-layer placement, have emerged as critical strategies for mitigating carbon losses and enhancing resilience. By quantifying the ecological and economic consequences of SLR-driven LC change, this study advances the understanding of carbon dynamics in vulnerable coastal landscapes and reinforces the necessity of proactive management to sustain their climate-regulating functions.

Carbon Capture and Storage for Small-to-Medium Biorefineries: Promising Carbon Removal Solution with Economic Challenges

Carbon Capture and Storage for Small-to-Medium Biorefineries: Promising Carbon Removal Solution with Economic Challenges

Peatland-Type Sediment Filling in Valley Bottoms at the Head of Basins in a Stream Capture Context: The Example of the Bar and Petit Morin Peatland (Grand-Est, France)

The Quaternary saw numerous reorganizations of the hydrographic network, greatly modifying the hydrological network of these rivers. Eastern France is well known for many stream captures, described as early as the late 19th century. The oldest of these have been dated to the Middle Pleistocene. It is interesting to note, however, that these sites, located in the heart of vast limestone plateaus, have systematically become peatland zones, and understanding their functioning is fundamental to wetland restoration and renaturation programs. In addition to serving as biodiversity reservoirs, these peatlands also represent substantial carbon storage potential in the context of global climate change. Using two examples—the Marais de Saint-Gond and the Bar peatland—we propose to provide the key to understanding the origin of their sedimentary filling and the consequences of their current hydrogeological functioning.

Carbon sequestration potential of eucalyptus-based agroforestry and cropping systems

Eucalyptus plantations and agroforestry systems have garnered significant interest due to their ability to capture carbon and mitigate climate change. This review assesses the carbon sequestration potential of eucalyptus-based systems, emphasizing their effectiveness in lowering atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels. In India, eucalyptus plantations exhibit carbon sequestration rates between 9.62 and 11.4 Mg ha-1 per year, with a total accumulation of up to 237.2 Mg C ha-1 over their lifespan. Various factors, including plantation age, soil quality and management strategies, influence this potential. Older plantations have greater carbon storage capacity, making them vital for long-term mitigation efforts. In addition to monoculture plantations, agroforestry systems integrating eucalyptus, such as silvi-pastoral, agri-silvicultural and boundary plantations, provide a comprehensive approach to carbon sequestration. These systems not only enhance carbon accumulation in both biomass and soil but also offer economic and environmental advantages, such as improved soil health, biodiversity conservation and livelihood support for farmers. Short-rotation eucalyptus plantations and agroforestry models can capture up to 10 Mg C ha-1 annually, contributing significantly to long-term carbon storage. Notably, eucalyptus species have also demonstrated potential for bio drainage in waterlogged areas due to their high transpiration capacity, though concerns regarding excessive water use have led to regulatory restrictions in certain Indian states. In regions facing land-use constraints, incorporating eucalyptus into agroforestry serves as a viable solution for sustainable carbon management. However, while eucalyptus plantations offer significant carbon sequestration benefits, their high water demand and potential groundwater depletion necessitate careful site selection, appropriate species choice and sustainable management to mitigate adverse effects. This review underscores the crucial role of eucalyptus plantations and agroforestry systems in global carbon sequestration initiatives. By increasing carbon storage in biomass and soil, these systems present an effective strategy for addressing climate change while delivering socio-economic and environmental benefits. Further research and the development of optimized management practices are needed to maximize their carbon sequestration potential while ensuring ecological sustainability.

Paleoenvironmental changes in a lower Rio Negro floodplain lake (Anavilhanas Archipelago, Brazil) during the past 4550 years

This study investigates Holocene climate variability and its influence on organic carbon accumulation patterns in the Anavilhanas Archipelago, Rio Negro, Brazilian Amazon. We analyzed a 404 cm sediment core from a floodplain lake to reconstruct paleoenvironmental changes and carbon storage dynamics over the last 4550 cal yr BP. The Middle to Late-Holocene transition (4550–4270 cal yr BP) was characterized by significant hydrological changes. Low chlorophyll derivative values during this period reflect elevated water levels and variable discharge regimes, consistent with a braided channel system exhibiting high hydrodynamic energy and unstable fluvial architecture. These conditions prevented the establishment of stable lentic environments, resulting in highly variable deposition of organic compounds. Between 4270 and 3865 cal yr BP, sedimentary and organic proxies showed pronounced variability, indicating shifts in precipitation patterns and fluvial geomorphology. Organic matter exhibited high C/N ratios and δ 13 C values, indicating a predominantly allochthonous origin, likely from vascular plant material with C4 signatures. Carbon accumulation rates peaked at 196 g m −2 yr −1 around 4050 cal yr BP. The period 3865–3200 cal yr BP marked the establishment of arboreal vegetation alongside increased lacustrine productivity with enhanced algal contributions, signaling a transition to more humid conditions. Maximum primary productivity occurred between 3200 and 2100 cal yr BP, coinciding with the development of the current levee-lake morphology, with carbon accumulation averaging 18 g m −2 yr −1 . From 2100 to 760 cal yr BP, sediment records indicate an intensified dryness compared to preceding and subsequent periods, with reduced carbon accumulation rate of only ~15 g m −2 yr −1 . The most recent 760 years, particularly the last two centuries, show significantly increased carbon fluxes (38.1 g m −2 yr −1 ) associated with wetter conditions. Our results demonstrate that Late-Holocene hydroclimatic variations, including increased humidity and seasonal variability, exerted fundamental control on sedimentary dynamics, lacustrine productivity, and carbon storage in the Rio Negro floodplain system.

Linking North Pacific eastern subtropical mode water to ENSO: precursor signatures and subtropical cell pathways

Mode waters play a crucial role in ocean heat and carbon storage, as well as in climate variability. Here we reveal a strong relationship between the North Pacific Eastern Subtropical Mode Water (NPESTMW) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. NPESTMW volume anomalies exhibit significant correlations with the Ocean Niño Index up to nine months in advance. Our analysis identifies two distinct pathways connecting NPESTMW and ENSO development. First, NPESTMW serves as a footprint of the Pacific Meridional Mode, a well-established ENSO precursor. Second, NPESTMW influences tropical Pacific sea surface temperature through the Subtropical Cell. Notably, our findings indicate that stronger NPESTMW volume anomalies are more closely tied to multi-year ENSO events than to single-year development, especially for the La Niña phase. These discoveries offer new insights into the roles of subtropical mode water in shaping ENSO development.

Spatial patterns of above-ground biomass in tropical alpine páramo ecosystems using allometric models and LiDAR data

ContextPáramos, high-elevation alpine ecosystems found in the northern Andes, are a biodiversity hotspot and play a crucial role in climate change mitigation due to their carbon storage capacity. Above-ground biomass (AGB) serves as a key indicator of ecosystem health and carbon sequestration potential. Accurate estimates of above-ground biomass are essential for understanding the variability of carbon storage across different páramo vegetation types, successional stages and degradation impacts supporting the design of effective conservation and management strategies.ObjectivesWe analyzed the main patterns of AGB across different vegetation types and plant growth forms combining methods of direct field measurements and UAV-LiDAR. This study was conducted into conserved area named El Cocuy National Natural Park, within Páramos ecosystems in the northeast of the Colombian Andes.MethodsWe measured the AGB of the different plant growth forms and related that to relevant allometric traits by using simple linear models. Using the allometric equations we estimated the AGB of 30 plots in areas dominated by different páramo vegetation types. Airborne LiDAR data was collected from these plots and canopy height and density metrics were processed to determine landscape-level above-ground biomass calibrated with the ground measurements.ResultsWe found that plant height, basal diameter, and leaf area explained AGB variation for the different plant growth forms. We selected models with canopy height model (CHM) as predictor, to explain above-ground biomass at the landscape level. Allometric and LiDAR derived models showed páramo values ranging from 3 to 11 Mg C ha−1.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated that it is possible to understand above ground carbon accumulation patterns at the landscape level by combining direct and indirect methods, such as allometric equations and LiDAR data, in areas representing the heterogeneity of páramo vegetation. This study is pioneering in providing information for non-forest carbon reservoirs and the impacts of human actions on the dynamics of the AGB, which are crucial to reach national greenhouse gases emission targets.

Minimum-Regret Hydrogen and Carbon Supply Chains to Decarbonize European Industrial Hydrogen Demands.

Low-carbon hydrogen (H2) is envisioned to play a central role in decarbonizing European hard-to-abate industries, such as refineries, ammonia, methanol, steel, and cement. To facilitate its widespread use, low-carbon H2 supply chain (HSC) infrastructure is needed. However, uncertainties around future low-carbon H2 demands and biomass availability hamper their proliferation. This work investigates the impact of uncertainties in H2 demand and biomass availability on the optimal HSC design. A linear optimization model is used to determine the cost-optimal HSC design, considering a regional spatial resolution and a multiyear time horizon from 2022 to 2050. CO2 and biomass infrastructure is designed alongside the HSC. A scenario-based approach is used to derive minimum-regret strategies and support infrastructure development. Results show that investing in scalable H2 production capacity, targeting 10 Mt/a by 2030, enables flexible expansion to meet larger H2 demands of up to 35 Mt/a by 2050. Although biomass-based H2 production is most cost-effective, coupling conventional H2 production with carbon capture and storage or investments in electrolysis provide more flexibility. Moreover, investments in CO2 infrastructure are essential, often determining the ability to achieve 2050 climate targets.

Responses of riverine dissolved organic matter to damming in two distinct hydrological regimes in northern Spain

Abstract. Iberian rivers are characterized by flow regimes with high seasonal flow variation. They also host one-fifth of Europe's reservoirs for hydropower generation, irrigation, or water supply needs, and thus many rivers in this region have heavily altered flow regimes. Such flow conditions also alter the natural dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM), which likely has implications for carbon cycling due to changed conditions for the transformation, transportation, production, and storage of carbon. Here we looked into the effects of flow alteration on the DOM regime, i.e. the seasonal variation in DOM concentration and composition, in 20 rivers belonging to two different natural (reference) flow regimes (i.e. Mediterranean and Atlantic) in northern Spain. To further investigate which flow regime components influence DOM properties, we linked the observed seasonal shifts in DOM composition to a range of hydrological indices. We found that Atlantic rivers with a natural flow regime tended to have lower annual mean dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations than their altered equivalents; this flow alteration trend is weakly mirrored in Mediterranean rivers. We did not observe much difference in annual average DOM composition due to flow alteration in either Atlantic or Mediterranean rivers. However, the seasonal variation in DOM composition was lower in altered Atlantic rivers compared to natural ones. This flow alteration effect on the DOM regime was not as distinctive in Mediterranean rivers, which showed a higher diversity of DOM regimes across rivers. We linked the lack of seasonal variation in DOM composition in flow-altered rivers mainly to the prevention of transmission of upstream-sourced DOM from the reservoirs. It appears that in our study area, reservoirs mostly act as a temporally homogenizing buffer, averaging out naturally occurring shifts in DOM composition by transiently storing upstream-sourced carbon inputs and subjecting them to bio- and photo-degradation, thus sending relatively invariable amounts of DOM further downstream. This effect of dams on DOM regimes appears robust across both Atlantic and Mediterranean regimes despite some heterogeneity of dam types and purposes, with potentially important consequences for riverine carbon cycling.

Spatial distribution of soil organic carbon in an Irish salt marsh (Rogerstown Estuary)

Salt marshes are globally widespread, found on low-lying coastal shores, and are highly effective at long-term carbon storage; thus, they are vital for climate change impact mitigation. Accurate carbon stock estimation requires an understanding of local-scale spatial variability of carbon storage and the facilitating processes. Few studies investigate the cumulative impact of controlling factors on within-site carbon distribution. This study utilises 60 cores from a salt marsh in Turvey Nature Reserve (Rogerstown Estuary), on the Irish east coast, to investigate spatial variability in soil organic carbon (SOC) content, alongside bio-sedimentary, and environmental factors. Mean carbon density (CD) was 11.1 ± 4.2 kg m−3 at 10-cm depth, ranging from 5.2 to 22 kg m−3 (423% increase) across the marsh. We recommend that to obtain measurements across the full range of the site, for small sample sizes (n < 20), random sampling should be used (mean difference between the site-wide CD and ‘subsample CD’ ranged from 0.04 (n = 10) to 0.29 (n = 5) kg m−3) and marsh edge clustering should be avoided. These results provide the first ever systematic record of local-scale (within ~ 800 m2) SOC and CD variability within an Irish east coast salt marsh and the variation of known influencing factors (including sedimentary and environmental). We also present the first study to systematically provide guidance on capturing marsh-wide SOC and CD most effectively based on limited sampling. The outputs help constrain uncertainties around scaled-up carbon accumulation estimates for regional, national and international inventories.

Evaluation and trade-offs/synergies of ecosystem services in Jilin Province

The study of spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem services and trade-offs/synergies relationships clarifies the distribution of ecological functional areas, which is a top priority for the coordinated development of regional economy-society-ecology. Using the InVEST model to assess the four ecosystem services of water yield, soil retention, carbon storage and biodiversity maintenance in Jilin Province from 2000 to 2020, analyzing their spatial and temporal patterns, analyzing trade-offs/synergies between ecosystem services and their drivers through the coupled coordination degree model and geodetector, and identifying ecological functional zones by using the SOM clustering approach. The results showed that: (1) the four ecosystem services showed significant variability over time from 2000 to 2020. Water yield increased in the western part of Jilin Province and decreased in the eastern part; total soil retention increased by 8 × 1011kg, and the growth of soil retention in the eastern part was larger than that in the western part; carbon storage showed a continuous downward trend, decreasing by a total of 1.3 × 1011 kg, with the strongest sequestration capacity of woodlands and grasslands; biodiversity maintenance higher in the southeast than in the northwest. (2) The two-two ecosystem service trade-offs are mainly located in the western part of Jilin Province, with quality synergies and good synergies distributed in the southern and eastern parts of Jilin Province. Precipitation was the dominant factor in the water production and biodiversity maintenance trade-offs/synergies, q = 0.8570, and slope had the greatest effect on the other five ecosystem service trade-offs/synergies. (3) Using the SOM algorithm to classify ecosystem service bundles, ecological functional zones are classified according to the characteristics of the ecosystem service clusters into ecological reserve, precautionary management zone, priority restoration zone, integrated supply zone, key management zone, and ecological conservation zone. Quantitative visualization studies of ecosystem services, trade-offs/synergies relationships among ecosystems and identification of ecological functional areas in Jilin Province can provide a theoretical basis for regional sustainable development and ecological environment optimization.

Carbon Capture in Coal-Fired Power Plant for Cleaner Energy Management in Indonesia

Indonesia faces a significant challenge in transforming its power sector to meet the national target of achieving Net Zero Emissions (NZE) by 2060. The country’s heavy reliance on coal for base-load electricity generation primarily due to its low cost and domestic availability represents a significant barrier to achieving decarbonization goals. Although global energy trends are shifting toward renewable and low-carbon sources, coal remains a dominant part of Indonesia’s energy mix. In this context, the adoption of transitional energy management such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), particularly Post-Combustion Carbon Capture (PCC), is essential for reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions while ensuring energy reliability and economic stability throughout the transition period. This study examines the technical and economic feasibility of applying PCC technology at a subcritical coal-fired power plant (CFPP) by integrating the flue gas streams from two 315 MW units in Banten, Indonesia. Each unit emits flue gas containing approximately 14.3% CO₂, with a target capture efficiency of 90%. The research methodology includes literature review, case study analysis, and process simulation using Aspen HYSYS V12. Technical and economic data are drawn from relevant literature and previous PCC implementation cases in CFPPs. The simulation evaluates the integration of a single PCC unit for two combined flue gas sources and calculates both operational and capital costs. The simulation results indicate that the integrated PCC configuration reduces total capital expenditure (CAPEX) from USD 365 million to USD 334 million when compared to the combined cost of individual CCS installations. It also achieves a significantly lower Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), at approximately USD 88.6/MWh, compared to USD 103.6–105.2/MWh in individual unit configurations. In order to attain an IRR target 11%, the integrated system requires a carbon tax of USD 57/tCO₂, which is lower than the USD 73/tCO₂ needed for the single-unit CCS scenario. These outcomes indicate the economic benefits of integrated CCS implementation in advancing Indonesia’s transition toward a low-carbon power generation sector.

Life Cycle Assessment of Wood Frame Houses: A Sistematic Review

Objective: This study investigates the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to wood frame houses, aiming to map the current state of research, identify methodological trends, and support more sustainable construction practices. Theoretical Framework: The research is based on the methodological structure of LCA, as defined by ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, which guide the evaluation of environmental impacts throughout the entire life cycle of construction systems. In addition, the study draws on principles of systematic literature review to ensure transparency and rigor in the identification and analysis of relevant scientific publications. Method: A systematic literature review was conducted in the Scopus database. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 13 peer-reviewed articles published between 2018 and 2023 were selected. The studies were analyzed based on the four phases of LCA: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. Results and Discussion: The reviewed studies show significant methodological variation regarding system boundaries, functional units, lifespan assumptions, and databases. Most results highlight the environmental advantages of wood frame construction, particularly in reducing global warming potential due to carbon storage and prefabrication techniques. Research Implications: The findings contribute to informed decision-making in sustainable construction and support public policies focused on low-carbon housing, especially in regions with forest resource availability. Originality/Value: This study consolidates recent research on LCA applied to wood frame houses, offering a structured overview that enhances understanding of sustainable construction alternatives and supports climate mitigation strategies.

Shrubland carbon storage in Northern China: a synergistic analysis of climate, plant community, and soil traits

Abstract Shrubland functions as an important carbon sink. However, uncertainties have still persisted regarding shrubland C storage and its underlying drivers. In this study, we conducted a field survey encompassing 45 sites to investigate all sectors of C stocks in shrublands distributed in northern China, in order to accurately estimate the regional C storage and to explore the potential drivers. Our results showed that the total C density of shrubland was 78.78 Mg C ha-1, with soil C density, vegetation C density, and litter C density contributing 75.16 Mg C ha-1, 2.99 Mg C ha-1, and 0.64 Mg C ha-1, respectively. Distinct C density sectors were driven by different factors: vegetation C density was primarily driven by plant community richness, litter C density by shrub diversity, and soil C density by total annual sunshine and soil total phosphorus in our study. Climate factors, plant community traits, and soil properties independently explained 5.15%, 6.79%, and 23.73% variation of the shrubland ecosystem C density, respectively. Furthermore, the interactions between community structural traits and climate factors, as well as between community structural traits and soil properties, can explain 10.44% and 18.50% of the variation, respectively. Our findings, based on direct field measurements, refined estimates of C storage in shrubland ecosystems in northern China, and these findings provided crucial data for the validation and parameterization of C models both within China and globally.