Carbon Sequestration Benefits Research Articles

Comparison of Scenedesmus obliquus in CO2 Capture, Biolipid Production and Nutrient Removal

The cultivation of microalgae from municipal wastewater, while simultaneously removing nutrients from the water column, has the potential to aid biodiesel production and carbon dioxide fixation, thereby alleviating the pressure of energy shortages. In this research, different ratios of sodium bicarbonate and glucose were used to prepare simulated municipal wastewater. The results demonstrated that microalgae were most effectively treated under one-stage direct treatment conditions. During direct culture, the most effective treatment was observed for IAA-3, which exhibited a dry weight of 1.4363 g/L and a lipid content of 25.05% after stimulation with 0.0005 M NaHCO3. In contrast, NaHCO3-2 demonstrated optimal performance during the secondary culture, with a dry weight of 1.6844 g/L and a lipid content of 18.05%. Finally, the economic, social and environmental benefits of direct treatment (IAA-3) and secondary treatment NaHCO3-2 were analyzed. The benefits of direct treatment were found to be USD 0.50989/L, while those of secondary treatment were USD 0.43172/L. For each tonne of municipal wastewater treated, the carbon sequestration benefits of IAA-3 during direct treatment and NaHCO3-2 during secondary treatment were USD 0.45645 and USD 0.85725, respectively.

Beijing Forest Carbon Storage Potential Capacity

Forests serve as a crucial carbon reservoir. Therefore, optimizing forest carbon storage is a pathway towards achieving carbon neutrality. In this study, the Forest Simulation Optimization System (FSOS) was used to simulate the carbon storage in Beijing forests over 250 years (2018-2268). It was found that under the no management scenario, carbon storage fluctuates with the natural growth and death of trees, with peaks of more than 90 million tons. It proves that forests have a strong capacity of carbon storage. In the management scenario, harvest trees and make them into furniture, total carbon storage is high and maintains a stable level of 108 million tons. This is almost 1.6 times higher than in the no management scenario on average. In addition, the growth rate of carbon storage is fastest in the middle-aged forest and the near-mature forest. Therefore, in order to optimize the carbon sequestration benefits of forests, the forestry sector must pay attention to the age structure of forests in the future. Based on the results of this study, recommendations were made to optimize carbon storage in Beijing forests and to integrate forest managements of Beijing forests into regional economic and environmental planning.

Prolonged Carbon Storage and CO2 Reduction by Circular Design with Wood

The benefits of circularity and biogenic carbon storage are often overseen. This study links the circular design of buildings with prolonged biogenic carbon storage. Circularity in architectural design can involve extending the service life of a building frame, whilst forests grow back and store more carbon. Following this approach, Stora Enso has developed a mixed-use building concept with flexible and adaptable structures. Static and dynamic life cycle assessment (LCA) has been carried out to assess different scenarios, modelling and quantifying its potential benefits regarding whole life carbon. While whole life carbon is lower in all timber scenarios compared to conventional concrete buildings, dynamic LCA makes clear the benefits of carbon storage and carbon sequestration. Total emissions, considering a reference service life of 50 years, are 2,84 kg CO2-eq./m² floor area/year, considering biogenic carbon storage and carbon sequestration in regrowing forests. An increase of the building lifetime to 80 years aligns with a longer rotation time of forest trees, resulting in whole life carbon of -0,09 kg CO2-eq./m² floor area/year. This demonstrates that the effective implementation of built-in flexibility and adaptability can extend the service life of a building, unlocking environmental benefits of biogenic carbon storage of wood products in buildings.

Adsorption of Cadmium and Lead Capacity and Environmental Stability of Magnesium-Modified High-Sulfur Hydrochar: Greenly Utilizing Chicken Feather.

Chicken feathers represent a viable material for producing biochar adsorbents. Traditional slow pyrolysis methods often result in sulfur element losses from chicken feathers, whereas hydrothermal reactions generate substantial amounts of nutrient-rich hydrothermal liquor. Magnesium-modified high-sulfur hydrochar MWF was synthesized through magnesium modification, achieving a S content of 3.68%. The maximum equilibrium adsorption amounts of MWF for Cd2+ and Pb2+ were 25.12 mg·g-1 and 70.41 mg·g-1, respectively, representing 4.00 times and 2.75 times of WF. Magnesium modification elevated the sulfur content, pH, ash content, and electronegativity of MWF. The primary mechanisms behind MWF's adsorption of Cd2+ and Pb2+ involve magnesium ion exchange and complexation with C=O/O=C-O, quaternary N, and S functional groups. MWF maintains robust stability and antioxidative properties, even with low aromaticity levels. Given the lower energy consumption during hydrochar production, MWF offers notable carbon sequestration benefits. The hydrothermal solution derived from MWF is nutrient-rich. Following supplementation with inorganic fertilizer, the hydrothermal solution of MWF significantly enhanced bok choy growth compared to the control group. In general, adopting magnesium-modified hydrothermal reactions to produce hydrochar and converting the resultant hydrothermal solution into water-soluble fertilizer proves a viable strategy for the eco-friendly utilization of chicken feathers. This approach carries substantial value for heavy metal remediation and agricultural practices.

Effects of Biochar and Compost on Turfgrass Establishment Rates

Organic soil amendments are a sustainable option for modifying soil structure and improving plant performance in the face of abiotic stressors such as drought and soil salinity. Of these amendments, biochar and compost have the added benefits of carbon sequestration and waste recycling. Establishment studies were conducted on tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) (syn., Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort and Lolium arundinaceum (Scop.) Holub) to assess the potential inhibition of establishment by compost and biochar products. Both green waste and biosolid compost impaired establishment rates, while biochar did not. In the field study, the green waste treatments were slower to reach 50% coverage than the untreated control or when biochar was added to the soil, but all treatments reached 75% and final coverage at a similar rate. Field application of compost had a positive effect on final root length and volume but a negative effect on tall fescue roots in the greenhouse. The negative effect of higher salts and volatiles in the biosolids compost was reduced when biosolids and biochar were incorporated into the soil simultaneously. This work represents one of the only large-scale field studies on turfgrass establishment comparing the impact of biochar and compost products on turfgrass establishment.

Optimizing grazing exclusion duration for carbon sequestration in grasslands: Incorporating temporal heterogeneity of aboveground biomass and soil organic carbon

Grasslands account for approximately one-third of the global terrestrial carbon stocks. However, a limited understanding of the impact of grazing exclusion on carbon storage in grassland ecosystems hinders progress towards restoring overgrazed grasslands and promoting carbon sequestration. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to investigate the effects of grazing exclusion on aboveground biomass (AGB) and soil organic carbon (SOC) in four grasslands: alpine grasslands (AP), tropical savannas (TS), temperate subhumid grasslands (TG), and a semi-desert steppe (SD). Our meta-analysis indicated that grazing exclusion significantly enhanced carbon sequestration in grassland ecosystems, and the benefits of carbon sequestration were most pronounced in the AP, followed by the TG, SD, and TS. Grazing exclusion duration (DUR) was a significant factor associated with the response of aboveground biomass (AGB) and soil organic carbon (SOC) to grazing exclusion. Moreover, the relationships between AGB and DUR were nonlinear, with existence thresholds of 18, 21, 12, 19, and 23 years in global grasslands (ALL), AP, TS, TG, and SD, respectively. However, the relationship between SOC and DUR was linear, with SOC continuing to increase as DUR increased (up to 40 years). The multi-objective optimization indicated that the optimal duration of grazing exclusion for grassland carbon sequestration was 18–20, 21–23, 12–14, 19–21, and 23–25 years for ALL, AP, TS, TG, and SD, respectively. Our study contributes to the enhancement of grazing management and offers better options for increasing carbon sequestration in grasslands.

Advances in succinic acid production: the enhancement of CO2 fixation for the carbon sequestration benefits.

Succinic acid (SA), one of the 12 top platform chemicals produced from biomass, is a precursor of various high value-added derivatives. Specially, 1mol CO2 is assimilated in 1mol SA biosynthetic route under anaerobic conditions, which helps to achieve carbon reduction goals. In this review, methods for enhanced CO2 fixation in SA production and utilization of waste biomass for SA production are reviewed. Bioelectrochemical and bioreactor coupling systems constructed with off-gas reutilization to capture CO2 more efficiently were highlighted. In addition, the techno-economic analysis and carbon sequestration benefits for the synthesis of bio-based SA from CO2 and waste biomass are analyzed. Finally, a droplet microfluidics-based high-throughput screening technique applied to the future bioproduction of SA is proposed as a promising approach.

Having our kelp and eating it too: Minimizing trade-offs from seaweed farming

Seaweed farming is promoted as a facet of the Blue Economy that may provide food, support local livelihoods, bolster marine biodiversity, and sequester carbon. While the potential for each of these benefits is often studied in isolation, here we explore the potential for ‘holistic’ management, which realizes all four benefits simultaneously. Applying a stock and flow model to different environmental and socio-economic scenarios, we simulate ten years of operations on a one-hectare kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) farm. We explore trade-offs among the food, livelihoods, marine biodiversity, and carbon sequestration benefits of each scenario to identify the management conditions under which holistic seaweed farming can be achieved. Our results demonstrate that holistic seaweed farming is possible under many – but not all – scenarios, and that holistic management is distinct from management that prioritizes maximizing any single benefit, frequently requiring a reduction in financial benefits to maintain others. Proper farm placement and robust management in marine environments will be critical for seaweed industries to support multiple sustainable development objectives at once.

Assessing carbon storage and sequestration benefits of urban greening in Nador City, Morocco, utilizing GIS and the InVEST model

In the 21st century, tackling climate change is an important challenge, and the absorption of CO2 via urban greening employing photosynthesis offers a potential answer to the climate issue. Within this work, the city of Nador is chosen as a case study. The initiative in question proposes an enhanced technique focused on estimating the advantages of urban greening in terms of carbon storage and sequestration. This technique combines the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools and the InVEST model, enabling the study of land use and land cover (LULC) scenarios within the location. These scenarios contain numerous alternatives, ranging from the adoption of intense and extensive green roofs to the establishment of gardens and woodland areas. The carbon storage modeling technique depends on the exploitation of land use maps, reinforced by a bibliographic examination of the key carbon reservoirs. The analysis of results from biophysical modeling indicates a considerable increase of over 45.36 % compared to the existing condition when the option of extensive green roofs is chosen. In the setting of extensive green roofs, this rise reaches a rate of 64.20 %. Furthermore, the restoration of the Gourougou forest north of the city leads to an increase of 70.30 %. The adoption of diverse combinations, such as the integration of green roofs with urban vegetation, greatly helps to further enhancing carbon storage. From a financial perspective, the additional value can range from $2,012,825.16 to $3,601,025.53, depending on the chosen scenario. This financial assessment highlights the possible advantages that might be converted into carbon credits in return for emission reduction, partially offsetting the expenses associated with the adoption of each greening solution. Ultimately, these findings give a chance for urban planners and green architecture professionals to perform in-depth planning analyses.

Multilevel ecological compensation policy design based on ecosystem service flow: A case study of carbon sequestration services in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Ecological compensation is an effective means to reconcile the imbalance of eco-social development between regions and promote enthusiasm for ecological environmental protection. There is some conformity between the theory of ecosystem service flow and ecological compensation, which provides new technical support for the formulation of ecological compensation policy. This study took the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as the research area, adopted the breaking point model to obtain the spatial characteristics of carbon sequestration flow, and formulated a multilevel ecological compensation policy with Tibet as the design object. The results showed that most of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a carbon sequestration surplus; the central and eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, western Sichuan are successively carbon sequestration supply areas; the Chengdu Plain and Xinjiang were listed as carbon sequestration benefit areas; and the carbon sequestration tended to flow more closely between supply and benefit areas in proximity to each other. Nyingchi, Chamdo, Naqu and Shannan in Tibet need to receive a total ecological compensation of 393.21 million USD, of which 93.71 % is from the national level, 6.02 % is from carbon sequestration benefit areas in other provinces; furthermore, Lhasa and Shigatse in Tibet need to provide the remaining ecological compensation. This study offers innovations for the formulation of ecological compensation policies and provide a new theory for ecological environment management.

Predicting the spatial variation in cost-efficiency for agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation programs in the U.S.

BackgroundTwo major factors that determine the efficiency of programs designed to mitigate greenhouse gases by encouraging voluntary changes in U.S. agricultural land management are the effect of land use changes on producers’ profitability and the net sequestration those changes create. In this work, we investigate how the interaction of these factors produces spatial heterogeneity in the cost-efficiency of voluntary programs incentivizing tillage reduction and cover-cropping practices. We map county-level predicted rates of adoption for each practice with the greenhouse gas mitigation or carbon sequestration benefits expected from their use. Then, we use these bivariate maps to describe how the cost efficiency of agricultural mitigation efforts is likely to vary spatially in the United States.ResultsOur results suggest the combination of high adoption rates and large reductions in net emissions make reduced tillage programs most cost efficient in the Chesapeake Bay watershed or the Upper Mississippi and Lower Missouri sub-basins of the Mississippi River. For programs aiming to reduce net emissions by incentivizing cover-cropping, we expect cost-efficiency to be greatest in the areas near the main stem of the Mississippi River within its Middle and Lower sections.ConclusionsMany voluntary agricultural conservation programs offer the same incentives across the United States. Yet spatial variation in profitability and efficacy of conservation practices suggest that these uniform approaches are not cost-effective. Spatial targeting of voluntary agricultural conservation programs has the potential to increase the cost-efficiency of these programs due to regional heterogeneity in the profitability and greenhouse gas mitigation benefits of agricultural land management practices across the continental United States. We illustrate how predicted rates of adoption and greenhouse gas sequestration might be used to target regions where efforts to incentivize cover-cropping and reductions in tillage are most likely to be cost -effective.

Research on the Construction and Application of Rural Digital Design Ecosystem under the “Dual Carbon” Goal—Take the Carbon Sequestration Benefits of Street Trees in Nanjing’s Bulao Village as an Example

By constructing a rural digital design ecosystem, this paper develops ecological villages through design empowerment, enhances the carbon sequestration benefits of plants in rural areas, and strengthens rural vitality. Combined with the carbon sequestration benefits of street trees in Bulao Village in Nanjing, the feasibility of the digital design ecosystem in rural planning was verified, and the ways and methods of rural environmental renewal were explored. Through the existing literature, the possibility of constructing a digital design ecosystem was deduced, the theoretical framework was derived, field research was carried out in the village of Bulao, the carbon sequestration benefit of street trees was quantified by the i-Tree model, and a structure chart of street trees, including breast diameter, tree height, type, etc., was formed. There were 35 species of street trees in Bulao Village, belonging to 33 genera in 22 families, including 19 species of trees, a total of 312 trees, and 16 species of shrubs. The street trees’ total carbon sink benefit was equivalent to RMB 30,327.47, a single street tree’s average carbon sequestration benefit was RMB 96.86, and the average CO2 absorption was 164.64 kg. The average CO2 absorption and single benefit of elm trees were the highest, reaching 465.48 kg·plant−1 and 186.81 RMB·plant−1, respectively. The CO2 absorption (185.13 kg) and the average benefit per plant (RMB 109.48) of the camphor tree were lower than those of the elm. However, because their number far exceeded that of elms, their total carbon sequestration benefit contribution was the highest, reaching RMB 25,837.28, accounting for 85.19% of the total benefit. In addition, the contribution rates of elm and willow’s total annual carbon sequestration benefits were also relatively high, reaching RMB 747.24 and RMB 710.04, respectively, accounting for 2.46% and 2.34% of the total benefits. This paper uses the digital design ecosystem’s theoretical framework to quantify street trees’ carbon sequestration benefits through field research. It optimizes and improves the plant allocation of parking lots in Bulao Village from the ecology and carbon sink perspectives. Practice shows that inheriting the connotation values of rural culture, improving the quality of the rural environment, and increasing residents’ and tourists’ sense of belonging and identity to the countryside are conducive to jointly promoting sustainable rural development against the background of “dual carbon”. Combining art design with quantitative scientific methods of ecological environment indicators provides a reference for future rural development.

Unlocking the Benefits of Carbon Sequestration for Enhancing Soil Health

This abstract investigates the profound interconnection between carbon sequestration methods and soil health enhancement, crucial for sustainable land management. Evaluating various strategies, including cover cropping, reduced tillage, agroforestry, and biochar application, this study elucidates their role in augmenting soil organic carbon levels and fostering microbial diversity, thereby improving soil structure, water retention, nutrient cycling, and overall fertility. It examines the reciprocal impacts of carbon sequestration and soil health on agricultural yields, ecosystem resilience, and climate change mitigation. Furthermore, the research outlines barriers to widespread adoption, such as economic constraints and policy frameworks, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary approaches and technological innovations. Overall, this study advocates integrating carbon sequestration practices into agricultural techniques as a pivotal step towards mitigating climate change and fortifying soil health for sustainable land use and resilient ecosystems.

Modified biochar reduces the greenhouse gas emission intensity and enhances the net ecosystem economic budget in black soil soybean fields

Long-term high intensity utilization leads to the degradation of black soil in Northeast China and the serious loss of organic carbon. Biochar has great potential for improving the carbon storage capacity of agroforestry ecosystems and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the effectiveness of biochar application depends on pedoclimatic factors, and few studies have explored the effects of biochar and its modified biochars on the net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB) of black soil farmland. To increase the environmental benefits of carbon sequestration and emission reduction and to improve farmer profits, this study modified biochars by physical, chemical and biological methods, and studied the effects of different types of modified biochars on soil properties, crop yield and GHG emissions in black soil farmland through field experiments. The NEEB of different treatments was evaluated by combining carbon cost, yield benefit and biochar cost. A total of 6 treatments were used in the experiment: normal fertilization (CK), fertilization + raw biochar (BC), fertilization + physically modified biochar (PBC), fertilization + acid-modified biochar (HBC), fertilization + magnetically modified biochar (MBC), and fertilization+ biologically modified biochar (BBC) treatments. Compared with the control (CK), the application of biochar increased the content of soil organic matter by 18.76–42.57% and improved the soil fertility. The raw biochar had no significant effect on soybean yield and increased the global warming potential by 41.18%. Soybean yields significantly increased with decreasing GHG emission intensity when modified biochars were applied. Due to the high cost of biochar and the current low carbon price, the effect of biochar on crop yield is crucial for increasing the NEEB. The NEEB in the HBC treatment was the highest, 57.86% higher than that in the CK treatment and was an effective strategy for increasing crop yield while reducing GHG emissions. The results of this study could provide a theoretical basis and technical support for soybean farmland carbon sequestration, emission reduction, soil improvement and yield improvement in the black soil region of Northeast China.

Spatial–Temporal Patterns of Carbon Sequestration Benefits and Identification of County-Level Compensation Orders in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Ecosystems

The role of ecosystems in sequestering carbon is becoming increasingly important as China’s “dual-carbon” strategy and the construction of an ecological civilisation continue to be promoted and implemented. The rapid economic development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region is accompanied by the problem of excessive carbon emissions. Focusing on enhancing the carbon sequestration benefits of ecosystems and coordinating regional development, this paper adopts the model construction method, spatial correlation analysis, and centre of gravity migration analysis to study the spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystems’ carbon sequestration benefits in the counties of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, spatial and spatial aggregation, the pattern of centre of gravity migration, and the sequence of county compensation differentials in the period from 2000 to 2020. The results show (1) the carbon account of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region before the revision shows an overall distribution pattern of “low in the north and high in the south”. However, it is important to take into account the differences in the regional area, regional population, and regional GDP and the fact that the analysis of the amount of ecological compensation does not mechanically take into account the absolute magnitude of each value but rather takes into account all the values and then makes a trade-off for the difference in the value of the difference in the background. The spatial distribution of corrected carbon accounts is more even. (2) The high–high aggregation area of ecological compensation from 2000 to 2020 is mainly distributed in a dozen counties, such as Lulong County and Luan County in the eastern part of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, while the low–low aggregation area is mainly concentrated in counties such as Weichang County and Longhua County in the western and northern parts of the country, and the scope has a tendency to expand. (3) The centre of gravity of the ecological compensation amount moves roughly within the range of 116°17′30″ E–116°30′30″ E, 38°40′ N–38°50′ N, and the overall change rule of northwest to southeast migration is observed, with reciprocal movement in some years. (4) The top 15 lists of eco-compensation pay areas and payment areas have basically remained stable, with only some internal sorting changes, and the overall amount of payment areas is larger than that of payee areas, with sufficient surplus funds to ensure the smooth implementation of eco-compensation work at the county level in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei. The findings of this paper are important for coordinating the integrated development of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei and, at the same time, contributing positively to the realisation of China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.

315 Implementation of Large-Scale Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices and Research on Beef and Bison Grazing Lands

Abstract Today’s livestock producers face increasing public scrutiny because animal agriculture is often cited as a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, this negative perception does not take into account the carbon (C) sequestration benefits of grazing livestock nor that grazing lands account for 25% of the global soil sequestration potential of soil C storage. Grazing beef cattle and bison are key to healthy grassland ecosystems and provide the most nutrient dense source of protein available for human consumption. Beef and bison producers who graze their livestock are widely recognized as environmental stewards because they use sustainable grazing practices that maintain grassland health. These practices are considered climate-smart agriculture (CSA) because they promote soil C sequestration and resilience to increased climate variability. Yet, these same producers are generally overlooked in GHG reduction and C sequestration incentives because of a relative lack of cost-effective methods to measure C and GHG sinks and sources. Emerging technologies are beginning to bridge that gap by paving the way to develop, implement, and monitor CSA practices. Furthermore, rangelands in the U.S. dedicated to supporting forage-based livestock production amount to nearly 940 million acres. This is more than double the acres dedicated to row crops and represents enormous potential to contribute to U.S. climate change commitments. Successful implementation and monitoring of CSA land management practices creates potential to develop climate-smart livestock commodities that sustainably provide economic incentives to producers operating resilient livestock grazing systems. Recently, South Dakota State University, along with ten external partners, was awarded a CSA commodity development grant by the USDA and NRCS focused on CSA-raised grazing beef cattle and bison in the Northern Great Plains. Specific objectives include: 1) developing and implementing existing and novel CSA practices alongside custom grazing plans; 2) measuring, monitoring, reporting, and verifying CSA practice impacts on GHG emissions, C sequestration, and ecosystem biodiversity of plants, arthropods, and wildlife; and 3) creating sustainable, value-added market opportunities for producers using CSA practices. To achieve these objectives, the project team is partnering with producers throughout the Northern Great Plains and beyond and will provide incentives for CSA practice implementation. Additionally, emerging and novel technologies will be used to collect large-scale data across producer operations and test sites to determine and refine GHG and C sequestration estimates associated with range beef cattle and bison systems. The long-term goal of this project is to provide CSA beef and bison producers with sustainable, value-added market opportunities that align with consumer preferences and demand.

Do we need a saw? Carbon-based analysis of facade BIPV performance under partial shading from nearby trees

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) are becoming more common in urban spaces. The impact of shading from nearby trees on BIPV performance and the potential conflict between the carbon sequestration benefits of trees and the carbon mitigation benefits of BIPV is not well documented in research. Therefore, this paper investigates the cost-benefit relationship of the carbon storage potential of trees vs. their shading effects on a nearby BIPV facade from the perspective of a life cycle assessment (LCA) using a high-resolution BIPV model and temporally sensitive tree growth model. The study is based on a typical Swiss residential building with adjacent vegetation and includes various BIPV facade permutations with different cell types, module orientations, inverter types, facade azimuths, grid emissions profiles, and tree planting scenarios. The results indicate that the removal of trees does not necessarily influence the overall carbon balance when considering LCA to the same degree as other features of the model space such as the grid carbon intensity or the configuration of the BIPV array. Furthermore the parametric-based analysis enables reporting on which BIPV configurations operate with the highest system efficiency under partial shading.

A dataset of carbon and water fluxes observed in Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rain forest from 2011 to 2015

The proposal for China's dual-carbon target is based on the foundation of addressing climate change. It is imperative to enhance carbon sinks and reduce carbon sources to implement climate governance. The terrestrial ecosystem is an important atmospheric carbon sink, while the tropical seasonal rain forest, as a component of the terrestrial ecosystem in China characterized by rich biomass, and strong productivity, plays an essential role in carbon sequestration. As one of the basic observation and research stations of China Flux Research Network (ChinaFLUX), the Xishuangbanna Tropical Seasonal Rainforest Ecological Station built in 2002 has accumulated 20 years of carbon and water flux observation data. Based on the ChinaFLUX data processing system, this dataset processes and collates the tropical seasonal rain forest flux and conventional meteorological data of Xishuangbanna from January 2011 to December 2015. The result is a collection of data products at half-hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly intervals. This dataset can be applied to research fields such as the analysis of the carbon cycle response mechanism of ecosystems and the assessment of carbon sequestration benefits under climate change, and it can also serve as a valuable reference for the optimization of ecosystem model parameters and the verification of results. Through multi-platform architecture, multi-scale integration, and multi-method coupling, the dataset is expected to further provide basic support for analyzing the mechanisms of regional and even global carbon-water-heat cycles in ecosystems, spatiotemporal dynamics and predicting future carbon sink potential, thus providing the scientific basis for achieving China's carbon neutrality goal.

Estimating the contribution of community landscape construction to urban carbon neutrality: methodology and database construction

Green ecological communities have garnered significant interest due to their role in providing urban ecosystem services, and community greening plays a pivotal role in urban environmental enhancement. In the context of carbon neutrality-oriented goals, it is imperative to acknowledge the significance of various landscape designs in carbon sequestration within community greening initiatives. However, there is currently a lack of consideration for landscape designs that promote high carbon sequestration in community greening projects. Our research with literature research and experimental measurement data as data sources, established a database of carbon sequestration of 138 common vegetation species in Shanghai. Based on the vertical vegetation structure within landscape design, we propose seven modular planting structures that reflect the carbon sequestration potential of high-capacity plants within different community green spaces. Our findings reveal substantial variations in carbon sequestration among different tree species within arbor and shrub categories, whereas the differences in carbon sequestration among various herbaceous plants per unit area are comparatively smaller. Among the different combination patterns, the highest carbon sequestration is achieved by the vegetation configuration of the three-layer structure pattern, and the combination of arbors, shrubs and grasses can maximize the effective use of space. This study holds significant importance in optimizing the utilization of limited green spaces within communities and enhancing the carbon sequestration benefits of community landscapes. Ultimately, these efforts contribute significantly to Shanghai’s journey toward carbon neutrality.

Effect of ecological restoration projects on carbon footprint in a grassland ecosystem on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

AbstractInvestigating the cost‐effective and low‐carbon pathways for grassland ecological restoration projects is vital to achieving carbon neutrality and Sustainable Development Goals. To fill the gap of incorporating ecological and socioeconomic systems of ecological restoration projects, this study established a cost‐benefit evaluation framework that integrated the carbon footprint based on life cycle assessment and a carbon price measurement model based on the Slack‐Based Measure‐Data Envelopment Analysis model. Taking a ‘Returning Grazing Land to Grassland Project’ on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau as a case, this study quantified the carbon footprint of three different ecological measurements, including fences construction (released 107 kgCO2‐eq·hm−2 and absorbed 322 kgCO2‐eq·hm−2), degenerated grassland improvement (released 1080 kgCO2‐eq·hm−2 and absorbed 580 kgCO2‐eq·hm−2) and artificial grassland planting (released 2540 kgCO2‐eq·hm−2 and absorbed 6540 kgCO2‐eq·hm−2). Raw material production was the largest emitter. In addition, we calculated the carbon price in the grassland ecosystem by the carbon price measurement model, at 1.06 yuan·kgCO2‐eq−1 on average during 2011–2018. In the cost‐benefit analysis, the total carbon sequestration benefits (8.90 × 106 yuan) outweighed the total carbon emission costs (4.26 × 106 yuan). Optimizing the usage and transportation of building materials and the application of fertilizer can benefit carbon emission mitigation and enhancement of carbon sequestration capacity in grassland. This study provided a theoretical basis for ecological restoration projects and grassland carbon pricing mechanisms aiming for sustainable management.