Effects Of Carbon Sequestration Research Articles

Advancing the circular economy and environmental sustainability with timber hybrid construction in South Korean public building

Timber is attracting attention as an alternative to conventional materials owing to the carbon sequestration effect during the growth process and the low carbon impact of timber use. Recently, carbon reduction, environmental impact reduction, and circular economy (CE) have been considered for sustainable development. There is a need to evaluate effective buildings in terms of CE and environmental impact, and timber has advantages in terms of circularity and environmental impact. However, few studies have quantified both environmental impact and circularity of timber buildings. In this study, environmental impact was introduced into the Building Circularity Indicators (BCI; a method of evaluating the circularity of materials and buildings). Then, the material circularity and environmental impact were verified through a timber hybrid case study of an actual public building using LCA and BCI. Environmental impact reductions of −13.5 %, −11.5 %, and −5.0 % were achieved by the hybrid alternative that applied timber to the structure, the alternative that excluded the core, and the alternative that applied it only to the exterior wall, respectively. Furthermore, the BCI improved from 0.26 for the concrete structure to 0.31, 0.29, and 0.25, for the respective timber hybrid buildings mentioned above. The research results would aid designers and policymakers in their initial planning by verifying the realistically quantified environmental impact savings and circularity. In addition, as an example of introducing environmental impact into the BCI, it would contribute to the reduction of the disparity between the circularity indicators and environmental impact.

Effect of Vegetation Restoration on Soil Organic Carbon Storage in Coal Mining Areas Based on Meta-analysis

Coal mining is the world's primary means of coping with an increasing energy demand. However, with the mining of coal, the regional ecosystem has been damaged to varying degrees, resulting in a decrease in the "carbon sink" capacity. Vegetation restoration is the basis for the restoration of degraded ecosystems and carbon sequestration functions in mining areas. However, no systematic studies have been conducted on the effects of vegetation restoration on soil organic carbon in coal mining areas on a global scale. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately predict the response of the global SOC pool to vegetation restoration. In this study, soil physicochemical properties of vegetation restoration were collected from 112 peer-reviewed articles to assess the effects of vegetation restoration type, soil depth, restoration year, mean annual temperature, annual precipitation, and elevation on soil organic carbon in coal mining areas and to identify relevant key drivers. The results showed that the damaged coal mine area could significantly improve the physicochemical properties of the soil through vegetation restoration. The restored soils had 39.02% higher SOC reserves compared to that in unrestored or naturally restored soils. When environmental factors were not considered, the vegetation restoration types that were favorable for SOC stock accumulation were cropland > woodland > grassland > shrubland. All four types of vegetation restoration significantly increased the SOC storage in the surface layer (0-20 cm). Grassland and shrubs significantly increased SOC storage at depth (>40 cm), whereas SOC storage at depth under woodland and farmland types was not significantly different from SOC storage after unrestored or natural restoration. The increasing trend of SOC storage after vegetation restoration decreased with increasing soil depth. The specific vegetation restoration strategy should select the appropriate vegetation type according to the climatic conditions. The types of vegetation restoration with higher carbon sequestration effects in damaged coal mining areas with mean annual temperature <0℃ and mean annual precipitation <500 mm were grassland or shrubland. In contrast, woodland and cropland restoration types could better increase SOC storage in environments with mean annual temperature >15℃ and annual precipitation >800 mm. TN, BD, AN, and AK were the main factors influencing the ability to affect soil carbon sequestration. This study can provide a theoretical reference for quantifying the carbon sequestration effects of different vegetation restoration measures in damaged coal mining areas and the restoration and reconstruction of degraded ecosystems.

Composition, Dynamic Changes, and Carbon Sequestration Effects of Organic Carbon in the Water of a Penaeus vannamei Culture Pond

To investigate the composition, dynamic changes, and carbon sequestration effects of organic carbon in the water of Penaeus vannamei aquaculture ponds, changes in organic carbon were assessed in the water of the P. vannamei pond monoculture and integrated P. vannamei–Mercenaria mercenaria pond aquaculture systems during an aquaculture period. RDOC (refractory dissolved organic carbon) was determined using the DOC (dissolved organic carbon) degradation method, and the organic carbon composition in the water and its relationship with environmental factors were analyzed. The results showed the following: (1) The aquaculture activities significantly increased the DOC, POC (particulate organic carbon), and RDOC contents in the water and decreased the proportions of RDOC in the water. The DOC, POC, RDOC contents, and RDOC proportions in the monoculture systems were higher than those of the integrated aquaculture systems. (2) DOC, POC, RDOC contents, and RDOC proportions in the water were significantly positively correlated with chlorophyll-a contents in both aquaculture systems and significantly negatively correlated with water temperature and salinity. (3) Based on the average content and proportion of RDOC in the water of the two aquaculture systems, it was calculated that approximately an average of 108.64 kg of RDOC was present per hectare of P. vannamei aquaculture water during the aquaculture period.

Effects of depth of straw returning on maize yield potential and greenhouse gas emissions.

Appropriate straw incorporation has ample agronomic and environmental benefits, but most studies are limited to straw mulching or application on the soil surface. To determine the effect of depth of straw incorporation on the crop yield, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and greenhouse gas emission, a total of 4 treatments were set up in this study, which comprised no straw returning (CK), straw returning at 15cm (S15), straw returning at 25cm (S25) and straw returning at 40cm (S40). The results showed that straw incorporation significantly increased SOC, TN and C:N ratio. Compared with CK treatments, substantial increases in the grain yield (by 4.17~5.49% for S15 and 6.64~10.06% for S25) were observed under S15 and S25 treatments. S15 and S25 could significantly improve the carbon and nitrogen status of the 0-40cm soil layer, thereby increased maize yield. The results showed that the maize yield was closely related to the soil carbon and nitrogen index of the 0-40cm soil layer. In order to further evaluate the environmental benefits of straw returning, this study measured the global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI). Compared with CK treatments, the GWP of S15, S25 and S40 treatments was increased by 9.35~20.37%, 4.27~7.67% and 0.72~6.14%, respectively, among which the S15 treatment contributed the most to the GWP of farmland. GHGI is an evaluation index of low-carbon agriculture at this stage, which takes into account both crop yield and global warming potential. In this study, GHGI showed a different trend from GWP. Compared with CK treatments, the S25 treatments had no significant difference in 2020, and decreased significantly in 2021 and 2022. This is due to the combined effect of maize yield and cumulative greenhouse gas emissions, indicating that the appropriate straw returning method can not only reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions but also improve soil productivity and enhance the carbon sequestration effect of farmland soil, which is an ideal soil improvement and fertilization measure.

Evaluate the differences in carbon sink contribution of different ecological engineering projects

China has implemented a series of ecological engineering projects to help achieve the 2060 carbon neutrality target. However, the lack of quantitative research on ecological engineering and the contribution of climate change to terrestrial carbon sinks limits this goal. This study uses robust statistical models combined with multiple terrestrial biosphere models to quantify the impact of China's ecological engineering on terrestrial ecosystem carbon sink trends and their differences according to the difference between reality and nonpractice assumptions. The main conclusions include the following: (1) since 1901, 84% of terrestrial ecosystem carbon sinks in China have shown an increasing trend, and approximately 45% of regional carbon sinks have increased by more than 0.1 g C/m2 every 10 years. (2) Considering the impact of human activities and the implementation of ecological engineering in China, approximately 56% of carbon sinks have improved, and approximately 10% of the regions whose carbon sink growth exceeds 50 g C m−2 yr−1 are mainly in the southeast coastal of China. (3) The carbon sequestration potential and effect of the Sanjiangyuan ecological protection and construction project are better than others, at 1.26 g C m−2 yr−1 and 14.13%, respectively. The Beijing–Tianjin sandstorm source comprehensive control project helps alleviate the reduction in carbon sinks, while the southwest karst rocky desertification comprehensive control project may aggravate the reduction in carbon sinks. This study clarifies the potential of China's different ecological engineering to increase carbon sink potential, and distinguishes and quantifies the contribution of climate and human activity factors to it, which is of great significance to the system management optimization scheme of terrestrial ecosystems and can effectively serve the national carbon neutral strategy.Graphical

Study on improving the carbon sequestration properties of sintered red mud by regulating pressure

Red mud was a by-product discharged from the alumina refining process, which caused serious environmental problems. Since there are relatively few studies on sintered red mud (SRM) at this stage, SRM was selected in this paper to explore its carbon sequestration capacity under different pressures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to analyze the composition of SRM, and microstructure and elemental compositions were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Meanwhile, pore structures were characterized using Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), and the production was quantitatively analyzed in combination with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that the carbon sequestration capacity of SRM was increased with pressure raised, but the growth rate gradually slowed down. During the carbonation process, the majority of Ca2SiO4 (C2S) reacted with water and CO2 to produce fine CaCO3, which could provide early strength. These CaCO3 were partly distributed on the surface of SRM, partly in the pores, and partly in the aqueous solution. The best carbon sequestration effect of SRM was achieved at a pressure of 2.2 MPa, and each kilogram of SRM could absorb 71.4 g CO2. The results also showed that the number of holes larger than 50 nm in carbonated sintered red mud (CSRM) decreased and the number of voids smaller than 50 nm increased. This was favorable to improve the mechanical properties of CSRM. The effects of wet carbonation had not been further revealed on the evolution, microstructure, and CO2 uptake capacity of the reaction products. This article was innovatively combined with the microscopic analysis to reveal the carbon sequestration mechanism of SRM in water, which was of great significance for the preparation of highly active mineral admixture. Meanwhile, it proved that SRM had a certain carbon sequestration capacity, which provided theoretical support for the utilization of SRM.

Solar radiation variation weakened the boost of gross primary production by vegetation restoration in China’s most forestry engineering areas during 2001–2020

Over the past decades, ecological restoration initiatives in China have made great progress in restoring degraded forests and increasing vegetation coverage, yet the carbon sequestration effects of these initiatives in the context of climate change are not clear. In this study, we assessed the effects of vegetation restoration on gross primary production (GPP) in China’s forestry engineering areas, where large-scale vegetation restoration programmes were launched, during 2001–2020 by disentangling the respective roles of land cover change (LCC), CO2 fertilization, and climate changes using a two-leaf light use efficiency model. We found that LCC attributed by the vegetation restoration dominantly accelerated the increase of GPP in seven out of the eight areas, and CO2 fertilization played a near-equivalent role in all areas. By contrast, the changes in different climate factors contributed to GPP variations diversely. The solar radiation variation greatly inhibited the vegetation GPP over time in seven out of these areas, and the changes in air temperature and vapor pressure deficit regulated GPP inter-annual variations without clear trends in all areas. This study advances our understanding of the contribution of China’s afforestation on its forest GPP in a changing climate, which may help to better manage forests to tackle the challenge of the climate crisis in the future.

The Preparation and Performance of Bamboo Waste Bio-Oil Phenolic Resin Adhesives for Bamboo Scrimber

Bamboo is a fast-growing plant with properties such as low cost, abundant resources, and good carbon sequestration effect. However, the swift growth of bamboo resources generates an immense quantity of processing waste, which is necessary to effectively utilize bamboo processing waste. The leftovers from bamboo processing can be reutilized by fast pyrolysis to prepare renewable bio-oil. In this study, bamboo bio-oil was partially substituted for phenol to synthesize phenolic resin with different substitution rates under the action of an alkaline catalyst, and then to serve as the adhesive to produce bamboo scrimber. Bamboo bundles were impregnated with synthetic bio-oil phenolic resin to create bamboo scrimber, which was subsequently hot-pressed. The research shows that modified phenolic resins with a bio-oil substitution rate of under 30% have good physical and chemical properties, while the free aldehyde content of phenolic resin with 40% bio-oil substitution exceeds the limit value (0.3%) specified in the Chinese National Standard. The thermal stability of phenolic resins was also increased after bio-oil modification, indicated by the movement of the TG curve to higher temperature ranges. It was found that the bamboo scrimber prepared with 20% BPF resin adhesive had the best comprehensive properties of a good mechanical strength, hydrophobicity, and mildew resistance, particularly with an elastic modulus of 9269 MPa and a static bending strength of 143 MPa. The microscopic morphology showed that the BPF resin was well impregnated into the interior of the bamboo bundle and had a compact bonding structure within the bamboo scrimber. The anti-mold performance experiment found that the bio-oil-modified resin increased the anti-mold level of the bamboo scrimber from slightly corrosion-resistant to strong corrosion-resistant. The conclusions obtained from this study have a good reference value for achieving the comprehensive utilization of bamboo, helping to promote the use of all components, reduce the production cost of bamboo scrimber, and improve its mildew resistance performance. This provides new ideas for the development of low-cost mildew resistant bamboo scrimber novel materials.

Trade-offs between forest carbon sinks and multidimensional forest values: from assessment to management strategies

Forests are one of the subjects that can effectively mitigate climate change and are important for achieving carbon sequestration. In order to determine the maximum carbon sequestration of forests and the optimal management mode, this paper selected several indicators related to forest carbon sequestration and determined the main influencing indicators and mechanisms through regression significance analysis, and concluded that the selection of forest age and harvesting intensity have an important influence on the carbon sequestration effect and sustainability of forests. Based on the above analysis, we constructed a model of logging intensity and forest carbon sequestration, and brought in the forest data of each province to arrive at the optimal logging intensity of 23%-30%. Second, in order to determine the optimal comprehensive benefits of forests, this paper extends the model to consider forest values in more dimensions and determine the corresponding indicators, and uses the entropy weight method to determine their contribution rates to construct a comprehensive forest evaluation model. Using this model, this study measures and analyzes the Changbai Mountain forest area and Hainan forest area, and then derives the corresponding forest management strategies to maximize their comprehensive benefits.

Optimizing organic substitution: Balancing carbon sequestration and priming effects of a six-year field experiment for sustainable vegetable production

Organic substitution has been recognized to markedly influence soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and carbon sequestration. However, the priming effect can alter SOC mineralization, contingent upon the varying proportions and intensities of mineralization introduced by fresh organic substrates. A comprehensive assessment to pinpoint the organic substitution level in intensive vegetable cultivation remains elusive. Thus, we carried out a 6-year field experiment, following four fertilization treatments at consistent nitrogen levels: solely mineral fertilizer; and organic fertilizers replacing 20 %, 50 %, and 100 % of mineral nitrogen fertilizer. We assessed carbon dioxide emissions derived from various sources, soil properties, nutrient availability, enzyme activity, 13C-phospholipid fatty acid, SOC stability, and nutrient stoichiometries via a 63-day incubation with 13C glucose. Our results showed that different levels of organic substitution significantly affected soil mineralization and priming effect. The microbial community was the primary determinant of priming effect, accounting for 59.4 % of the variation, with gram-positive bacteria (i.e., a15: 0) being instrumental. Moreover, organic fertilizers provided a large amount of labile substrate, diminishing the microbial requirement for enzyme production in SOC decomposition. Notably, 50 % organic substitution consistently outperformed others, consistently yielding 1.17 to 1.29 times more than alternative treatments. Furthermore, this approach exhibited the lowest cumulative priming effect, which declined by 26.9 % to 44.8 %, attributed to enhanced SOC stability. Therefore, a 50 % organic substitution effectively balances carbon sequestration and the priming effect, contributing to sustainable vegetable production. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of appropriate organic substitution rates in promoting carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions for producing higher vegetable yield. Further work should emphasize long-term field evaluations to validate our priming effect determinants and explore the comprehensive impacts on soil health and sustainable agriculture.

The potential of carbon storage in bio-based solutions to mitigate the climate impact of social housing development in Brazil

The increasing demand of housing in the Global South requires effective solutions to cover the corresponding deficit in the next decades. In Latin America, Brazil is the most populated Nation, which accounts for one-third of the total population and is the main contributor to carbon emissions. This study estimates how bio-based construction solutions, implemented in the Brazilian housing stock as alternative to conventional systems, can contribute to limiting the carbon emissions. Five different construction archetypes were considered, and a Material Flow Analysis model developed to estimate the demand of construction materials by 2050 under multiple scenarios. A carbon footprint assessment, which considers the dynamic effect of biogenic carbon sequestration and uptake, was finally performed to estimate the net Global Warming Potential. The results indicate that, if fast implemented, bio-concrete solutions with short-rotation vegetal species as bamboo, coupled with the lowest material intensity scenario, can reduce the cumulative carbon emissions by 65%, equal to 118 Mt of cumulative CO2-eq savings. Considering bamboo's widespread availability in Brazil's different climate zones, and in the Global South in general, such material presents a significant impact to mitigate the climate impact of social housing. However, the carbon saving intensity is largely affected by uncertainties on population growth and the type of biomass used in the concrete mixture. Therefore, further development of standards for the safe use of bio-concrete in construction is urgently needed, as well as the implementation of environmental policies to facilitate the market penetration of bio-based solutions in emerging economies.

Options to improve the carbon balance of the harvested wood products sector in four EU countries

AbstractHarvested wood products (HWP) may contribute to climate change mitigation by storing carbon and by replacing energy‐intensive materials and fossil energy, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, when assessing improved HWP utilisations, interactions between wood use pathways, the carbon stock dynamics, and the resulting effect on the GHG balance are still not well‐understood. This research aims to assess the carbon sequestration effects of alternative wood product utilisations in four European Union (EU) countries. We conducted a material flow analysis of wood uses in France, Finland, Germany, and Spain for 2017 taking into account national production, imports, and exports. Then, we quantified the future dynamics of carbon stock in the HWP through time, assuming the same as in 2017 input and ignoring the forest sink. We then ran six alternative scenarios: two energy‐focused (Energy, Energy+), two material‐focused (Cascading, Material), one with extended half‐life of the wood products (HL) and one as business as usual. For the simulation period (2020–2050), the material scenario leads to the highest mitigation benefits with a cumulative HWP net CO2 removals of −502 Mt CO2 for Germany, −290 Mt CO2 for France, −118 Mt CO2 for Spain, and −116 Mt CO2 for Finland over the 30 years. The Energy+ scenario with an increase in wood usage for bioenergy generates a loss of the HWP pool of 351, 80, 77, and 6 Mt CO2 for the same countries, not accounting for energy substitution effects. Overall, our results suggest that the HWP carbon stock can be increased in the short‐medium term by prioritizing the use of wood for material purposes, while maintaining constant harvest. The HWP mitigation potential differed greatly according to national wood industry characteristics. Hence, tailoring the HWP mitigation strategies to the specific characteristics of the national wood chain would enhance the HWP climate benefits.

Research Progress on Soil Carbon Sequestration in Dry Farmland

Dry farming is a kind of agricultural production mode widely existed in the world, and its soil carbon sequestration potential has attracted much attention. The paper discussed the influencing factors, carbon sequestration process and effect of soil carbon sequestration in dryland farmland. It was concluded that protective tillage measures such as application of organic fertilizer, no-tillage, deep tillage and straw returning could increase the carbon sequestration in surface dryland soil, biodegradable film mulching could promote soil organic carbon fixation, and rational arrangement of crops could improve soil carbon sequestration capacity.

Particulate Organic Carbon Released during Macroalgal Growth Has Significant Carbon Sequestration Potential in the Ocean.

Substantial amounts of particulate organic carbon (POC) are released during macroalgal growth; however, the fate of these POCs and their carbon sequestration effects remain unclear. Here, field investigations found that Ulva prolifera caused a significant increase of POC in seawater below the surface during a macroalgal bloom. However, laboratory simulations revealed that 77.6% of these POC was easily degraded by microorganisms in a short period of time, concurrently resulting in the production of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from POC transformation. Over a period of 3 months, the bioavailable components of macroalgae-released POC and POC-transformed DOC were degraded, leaving 39.6% of the antibiodegradable substances composed of biorecalcitrant POC and biorecalcitrant DOC. However, although the biorecalcitrant POC was rich in humic-like components resisting biodegradation, the biorecalcitrant POC exhibited greater sensitivity to photodegradation than biorecalcitrant DOC. The photodegradation removal rate of biorecalcitrant POC (14.1%) was more than 10 times that of biorecalcitrant DOC (1.2%). Ultimately, a substantial portion (36.3%) of the POC released by growing macroalgae could potentially perform long-term carbon sequestration after conversion to recalcitrant POC and recalcitrant DOC, and these inert carbons derived from macroalgal POC have been previously ignored and should also be included in macroalgal carbon sequestration accounting.

Analysis of Carbon Sequestration Effects in Green Mining Construction

This article underscores the significance of the mining industry while acknowledging the detrimental environmental and social repercussions typically associated with conventional mining practices. This paper introduces the transformative concept of green mining construction, which seeks to seamlessly merge the mining sector with environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability. The article highlights that the adoption of sustainable strategies within green mining construction can amplify carbon sequestration effects, concurrently curbing carbon emissions and bolstering carbon absorption and storage within ecosystems. This holistic approach serves as a potent weapon against climate change, safeguarding the environment, and propelling progress towards sustainable development goals.

Carbon emission reduction effects in Yangtze River Delta from the dual perspectives of forest resource endowment and low-carbon pilot policy in the digital age

Although Chinese society has transformed into the digital age, carbon peaking and neutrality are still important starting points for implementing the national strategy of green and low-carbon integrated growth in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of China. With data from 41 cities in YRD from 2005 to 2019, this paper empirically analyzes the carbon emission reduction effects from dual perspectives of forest resource endowment and low-carbon pilot policy in the digital age. The findings include: (1) Forest resources are indeed conducive to reducing carbon emissions. However, when considering the carbon sequestration effect of forests, a nonlinear U-shaped relationship exists between forest resource abundance and net carbon emissions per GDP. (2) Low-carbon city pilot policies are effective in reducing carbon emissions. (3) Low-carbon pilot policies perform better in smart cities, resource-based cities, and cities with abundant forest resources, showing significant heterogeneity. Forests can be relied on to assist in carbon emission reduction in the short term, but in the long term, a forest ecosystem with biodiversity is needed to achieve low-carbon sustainable development. This article provides some experience and references for building green and carbon-neutral cities for YRD in the digital age.

Influencing factors and spatiotemporal heterogeneity of net carbon sink of conservation tillage: evidence from China.

Conservation tillage is an important reform of traditional tillage, which has significant carbon sequestration and emission reduction effects. It is important to investigate the influencing factors and spatiotemporal heterogeneity of net carbon sink of conservation tillage for realizing the "dual carbon" target, and facilitating agricultural sustainable development. This study used the coefficient accounting method to calculate the carbon sink and carbon emission of conservation tillage in China from 2000 to 2019, respectively. Based on this, the net carbon sink of conservation tillage was measured. Then, the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of influencing factors on net carbon sink of conservation tillage was analyzed by using the geographically and temporally weighted regression model. The results showed that (1) the net carbon sink of conservation tillage in China was significant and had potential to have a constant rise; (2) spatially, the net carbon sink of conservation tillage changed more variably in longitudinal direction. Specifically, the promotion effect of conservation tillage machinery gradually decreased from west to east. The planting structure and conservation tillage promotion intensity played key roles in improving net carbon sink of conservation tillage. (3) Temporally, the effect of conservation tillage machinery showed positive effect of decreasing yearly, while the positive effect of promotion intensity increased year by year. Planting structure and economic development negatively affected improvement on the net carbon sink of conservation tillage and the negative effect increased year by year. Additionally, the effect of education on the net carbon sink shifted from positive to negative over time. The study aims to provide a reference for the government to promote conservation tillage according to local conditions and to achieve the "dual carbon" target.

Can forest carbon sequestration offset industrial CO2 emissions? A case study of Hubei Province, China

Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals are proposed by the Chinese government, which aims to reach the highest level of CO2 emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. It is of great significance to accelerate green production and lead high-quality development. Energy carbon emissions account for 88% of total CO2 emissions, while forest carbon sequestration account for 80% of China's terrestrial ecosystems. In this paper, we analyzed the spatial and temporal evolutions of industrial energy consumption carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration of Hubei Province, then demonstrated the offsetting effect of forest carbon sequestration on the industrial CO2 emissions. Our results documented energy carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration in Hubei Province both increased from 2000 to 2020, with the growth rates of 4.9423 Mt/yr and 0.28015 Mt/yr. Forest carbon sequestration could offset energy carbon emissions before 2005, while the offsetting effect was weak due to the continuous increase in industrial energy consumption after 2005. Significant spatial heterogeneity was observed in both energy carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration. Wuhan had the biggest carbon emission with annual average carbon emission of about 20.046 Mt, while Enshi had the biggest carbon sequestration with annual average forest carbon sequestration of about 14.411 Mt. Spatial autocorrelation between energy carbon emissions and forest carbon sequestration was significant in Hubei Province in the past two decades. Our findings provided evidence that local-scale forest carbon sequestration could offset carbon emissions caused by industrial energy consumption at a certain extent, helping to draw up the scientific energy-saving and emissions-reducing measures.

Simulation calculation and analysis of building energy consumption of multi-story glued laminated timber structures

As the only renewable building material, wood has a strong carbon sequestration effect. Thus, timber structures have the natural advantages of saving energy and reducing emissions. Currently, the research objects of building energy consumption are rarely timber structures. To further control the operational energy consumption of timber structures, this paper takes six-story glued laminated timber beam-column frame and light wood-frame shear wall structures as the research objects. Building energy consumption research is conducted through testing the heat transfer coefficient of the envelope structure, air circulation ratio, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology on-site. The results show that the energy consumption of the building is consistent with the current energy consumption of small- and medium-sized office buildings, and the heat gain and loss of the building are mainly due to solar radiation and heat conduction of the envelope, respectively. The airtightness of the building has the greatest influence on the energy consumption of the building, and the type of building structure and window-to-wall ratio have little influence on the energy consumption of the building.

Vegetation restoration in dryland with shrub serves as a carbon sink: Evidence from a 13‐year observation at the Tengger Desert of Northern China

AbstractDryland area accounts for approximately 40% of worldwide land area, which plays a significant role in regulating the carbon sequestration capacity of land. Vegetation restoration in drylands adopted to prevent land degradation, and may also serve as a carbon sink in the earlier stage. However, the persistence of the carbon sink for the revegetated ecosystem in drylands is still unknown. Can the well‐established restoration vegetation in dryland areas serve as a carbon sink in long‐run? To address this question, we investigated the carbon sequestration capacity of planted vegetation in dryland areas with 13 years of observation (2009–2021) for established vegetation restoration, which began in 1989. We found that the revegetation area serves as a carbon sink in all years. The mean annual net ecosystem productivity (NEP) is 91.61 ± 36.17 gC m−2 yr−1 (mean ± standard deviation). Annual NEP showed a significant increasing trend over the study period with a rate of 5.65 gC m−2 yr−1 yr−1 (p &lt; 0.05). The increase in spring temperature, the earlier start of net carbon uptake and the longer duration of net carbon uptake contribute to the gradual trend of NEP. The amount of annual NEP is predominantly determined by summer precipitation. Meanwhile, our results revealed that the increase in net carbon uptake by revegetation did not lead to excessive consumption of water resources. Our results have suggested that appropriate vegetation restoration in arid areas can increase ecosystem carbon sequestration over longer timescales and mitigate climate change, with relatively low environmental consequences and risks. Considering the vast area of degraded land in the global drylands, the carbon sequestration effect of this model should be given more attention.