Ecosystem Carbon Storage Research Articles

Aboveground Biomass Mapping and Analysis of Spatial Drivers in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau Permafrost Zone: A Case Study of the Beilu River Basin.

Aboveground biomass (AGB) serves as a crucial measure of ecosystem productivity and carbon storage in alpine grasslands, playing a pivotal role in understanding the dynamics of the carbon cycle and the impacts of climate change on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. This study utilized Google Earth Engine to amalgamate Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and applied the Random Forest algorithm to estimate the spatial distribution of AGB in the alpine grasslands of the Beiliu River Basin in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau permafrost zone during the 2022 growing season. Additionally, the geodetector technique was employed to identify the primary drivers of AGB distribution. The results indicated that the random forest model, which incorporated the normalized vegetation index (NDVI), the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), the soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and the normalized burn ratio index (NBR2), demonstrated robust performance in regards to AGB estimation, achieving an average coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.76 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 70 g/m2. The average AGB for alpine meadows was determined to be 285 g/m2, while for alpine steppes, it was 204 g/m2, both surpassing the regional averages in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. The spatial pattern of AGB was primarily driven by grassland type and soil moisture, with q-values of 0.63 and 0.52, and the active layer thickness (ALT) also played a important role in AGB change, with a q-value of 0.38, demonstrating that the influences of ALT should not be neglected in regards to grassland change.

The Carbon Storage of Reforestation Plantings on Degraded Lands of the Red Soil Region, Jiangxi Province, China

To assess the effects of reforestation on ecosystem carbon storage, a long-term Forest Restoration Experimental Project (FREP) was established in 1991 on southern degraded red soil in Taihe County, Jiangxi Province, China. In this study, we selected five types of plantations: Schima superba plantation (SS), Liquidambar formosana plantation (LF), Pinus massoniana plantation (PM), Pinus elliottii plantation (PE), and P. elliottii and broadleaf mixed plantation (MEB). The unforested land was used as an experimental control check (CK). We aimed to assess the changes in carbon storage in plantations and the factors affecting them. Thirty years after reforestation, the ecosystem carbon storage of the five types of plantations was significantly higher than that of the control site, and there were also significant differences in the ecosystem carbon storage between the different plantation types (p < 0.05). The ecosystem carbon storage of SS, MEB, LF, PM, and PE were 211.71 Mg ha−1, 199.02 Mg ha−1, 160.96 Mg ha−1, 155.01 Mg ha−1, and 142.88 Mg ha−1, respectively. Compared to the CK, these values were increased by 436.8%, 404.6%, 308.1%, 293.1%, and 262.3%, respectively. The ecosystem carbon storage was significantly positively correlated with soil porosity, total nitrogen (TN), and stand density, and was significantly negatively correlated with pH, Pielou’s evenness index (PEI), and the Shannon–Weiner diversity index (SWDI). The soil water content (SWC), bulk density (BD), SWDI, and stand density can be used as indicators of the impact of reforestation plantings on ecosystem carbon storage. The research results has shown that reforestation plantings significantly increase ecosystem carbon storage, and that afforestation should be encouraged on degraded land.

Assessment of Forest Biomass and Carbon Storage in Habitat 9340 Quercus ilex L. to Support Management Decisions for Climate Change Mitigation

The assessment of forest biomass has been a focus of research, aiming to understand matter–energy relationships in forest ecosystems and address forestry practice issues. In recent decades there has been increased societal interest in rational forest resource exploitation, necessitating accurate biomass estimation. In Greece there has been limited efforts in estimating forest biomass, and the current study focuses on habitat type 9340, “Quercus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia forests,” located in the protected areas “GR1420004–Karla–Mavrovouni–Kefalovryso Velestinou–Neochori” and “GR1430001–Oros Pilio and Paraktia Thalassia Zoni (Mount Pilion and Coastal Sea Zone)” in the Natura 2000 network. The habitat falls within the thermo-Mediterranean zone and the study aims to estimate the biomass and carbon storage to contribute to sustainable EU forest strategies. Due to resource limitations, a generalized allometric equation was proposed as an alternative to traditional biomass estimation methods. The above-ground biomass per hectare was estimated, ranging from 16.10 to 205.27 Mg ha−1 (mean 61.91 Mg ha−1). Furthermore, two approaches were used to estimate the total biomass in the habitat: regional averages based on spatial distribution and spatial interpolation using a geographic information system. The total estimated biomass for habitat 9340 is 183,505 Mg, with the carbon storage in standing dry biomass amounting to 83,725.25 Mg. Despite the absence of sampled biomass specimens, this study combines robust statistical techniques with published empirical values to provide a solid framework for estimating assimilated CO2. Sequestered CO2 in the study area is estimated at 306,992.58 Mg. Therefore, the significant role of Quercus ilex L. in carbon storage in Mediterranean forest ecosystems is highlighted by sequestering a substantial amount of CO2.

Characterization of controlling factors for soil organic carbon stocks in one Karst region of Southwest China.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) contributes the most significant portion of carbon storage in the terrestrial ecosystem. The potential for variability in carbon losses from soil can lead to severe consequences such as climate change. While extensive studies have been conducted to characterize how land cover type, soil texture, and topography impact the distribution of SOC stocks across different ecosystems, little is known about in Karst Region. Here, we characterized SOC stocks with intensive sampling at the local scale (495 representative samples) via Random Forest Regression (RF) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Our findings revealed significant differences in SOC stock among land cover types, with croplands exhibiting the lowest SOC stocks, indicating that management practices could play a crucial role in SOC stocks. Conversely, there was little correlation between SOC stock and clay percentage, suggesting that soil texture was not a primary factor influencing SOC at a local scale. Further, Annual Precipitation was identified as the key driving factor for the dynamics of SOC stocks with the help of RF and PCA. A substantial SOC deficit was observed in most soils in this study, as evaluated by a SOC/clay ratio, indicating a significant potential in SOC sequestration with practical measures in the karst region. As such, future research focused on simulating SOC dynamics in the context of climate change should consider the controlling factors at a local scale and summarize them carefully during the up-scaling process.

Simulation and attribution analysis of terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage of Hainan Island from 2015 to 2050

Terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage (TECS) could significantly affect the concentration of atmospheric CO2, which is critical for climate change prediction. Along these lines, the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs model was employed to determine the TECS of Hainan Island (HN) from 2015 to 2050 accurately. Besides, the Future Land-use Simulation model combined with natural and anthropogenic factors was used to forecast the land-use types from 2025 to 2050 in HN by considering different Shared-socioeconomic pathway-Rrepresentative concentration pathway (SSP-RCP) scenarios. Finally, the geographical detector explored the influence mechanism concerning the TECS. Under the SSP1-RCP1.9 scenario, the TECS of HN will be gradually increased to 388.10 million tons in 2050, mainly due to the increase in forest areas and the fact that the majority of grassland in the western part of HN is being converted into forest. Under different SSP-RCP scenarios except for SSP1-RCP1.9, HN's TECS is expected to gradually decrease from 2015 to 2050, mainly due to the loss of grassland and forest in coastal low-altitude areas. From the single/pair factor perspective influenced mechanism concerning the TECS, the elevation (DEM) and DEM∩Slope were found to be the dominant single/pair factor under the SSP1-RCP1.9, SSP1-RCP2.6 and SSP2-RCP4.5 scenarios. The least distance to residential area (LDP) and LDP∩LDR (i.e. LDP and least distance to roads or railways) were found to be the dominant factors under the SSP3-RCP7.0, SSP4-RCP3.4, SSP4-RCP6.0, SSP5-RCP3.4 and SSP5-RCP8.5 scenarios. Besides, the pair factors provided a higher determinant power for TECS than a single factor. Given the results of the TECS and the influence mechanism concerning the TECS under different SSP-RCP scenarios, we suggest reasonably planning the transportation network and limiting the disorderly expansion of construction land.

Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Prediction of Carbon Storage in Jiuquan City Ecosystem Based on PLUS-InVEST Model

Based on the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goal strategies, it is important to explore the impact of land use change on carbon storage and the drivers of spatial variation in carbon storage in the Northwest Arid Zone, which is vital to improve the carbon sink increment of the regional ecosystem and promote the regional carbon breakeven. The arid region of northwest China is an extremely fragile natural ecology, and with the rapid advancement of new urbanization, the rate of land use change has accelerated significantly, which has a certain impact on the carbon storage and fixation capacity of ecosystems. The PLUS-InVEST model was used to simulate the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of carbon storage under natural development, intensive development, water resource constraint, and ecological protection scenarios in Jiuquan City in 2035, and the parameter optimal geographic detector model was used to analyze the spatial divergence drivers of carbon storage. The results showed that:① the area of cultivated land, watershed, and construction land in Jiuquan City showed a significant increasing trend from 1990 to 2020, whereas the area of the remaining land use types showed a decreasing trend. ② The carbon storage in Jiuquan City increased from 7 722 808.1 t to 7 784 371 t from 1990 to 2020, and the conversion of grassland into unused land was the main cause of the loss of regional carbon storage, accounting for 85% of the total loss. ③ All four development scenarios in 2035 showed an increasing trend of carbon storage, among which the ecological protection scenario had the most significant increase, with an increment of 76 989.29 t. ④ The degree of land use, population density, GDP density, and NDVI were the main driving factors of the spatial variation in carbon storage in Jiuquan City, among which the degree of land use had the strongest explanatory power (q value of 0.849), and the interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors enhanced the explanatory power of each factor on the spatial variation in carbon storage. The results of the study can provide a scientific basis and decision basis for the integrated ecosystem management and territorial space optimization in Jiuquan City.

Microplastics alter soil carbon cycling: Effects on carbon storage, CO2 and CH4 emission and microbial community

Abstract Microplastics (MPs) are carbon-rich polymers that are ubiquitous in the environment. With the increase of plastic production, microplastic pollution may be exacerbated and result in significant changes in microbial communities and biogeochemical processes such as carbon cycling, eventually impacting greenhouse gas emission and carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems. However, current research on the effect of MPs on soil carbon cycling is still limited, and there is a lack of systematic review of the scattered information obtained from previous studies. Accordingly, this review provides a systematic overview of the current knowledge on the effects of MPs on soil carbon cycling and gives future research suggestions. Emerging evidence indicates that MPs could affect soil carbon stability and CO2 and CH4 emission by modifying soil physicochemical and microbiological properties; though biodegradable MPs often exhibit a greater effect than nonbiodegradable ones, the specific effects are highly dependent on plastic type, size and concentration. The specific mechanisms of MPs’ impact on soil carbon cycles remain elusive, which are discussed mainly from the perspective of microbial changes, including microbial biomass, microbial community composition, and key enzymes and functional genes associated with carbon metabolism. Further research is needed to elucidate whether MPs have a positive priming effect on soil carbon decomposition and the biotic and abiotic mechanisms involved. This review paper helps researchers gain a clearer picture of how and through which way MPs impact carbon cycling in soil ecosystems.

Dynamics of ecosystem carbon storage of potential natural vegetation in China under climate change

Dynamics of ecosystem carbon storage of potential natural vegetation in China under climate change

Response of ecosystem carbon storage to land use change from 1985 to 2050 in the Ningxia Section of Yellow River Basin, China

Response of ecosystem carbon storage to land use change from 1985 to 2050 in the Ningxia Section of Yellow River Basin, China

Influence of flooding variability on the development of an Amazonian peatland

ABSTRACTPeat in the Pastaza–Marañón Foreland Basin (PMFB), northern Peru, forms beneath open wetlands, palm swamps, pole forests and seasonally flooded forests. These vegetation communities may represent different successional stages of peatlands, but the spatiotemporal patterns of peatland development in Amazonia are still poorly understood. We present a new geochemical and palaeoecological record spanning the last c. 4330 years from an open peatland (San Roque, core SAR_T3_03_B). Our results suggest the persistence of predominantly herbaceous vegetation communities at the core site since the start of peat accumulation (c. 3180 cal a bp). Micro‐X‐ray fluorescence core scanning provides evidence for episodes of fluvially derived minerogenic input and simultaneous increases in flood‐tolerant taxa relating to intervals of increased frequency and depth of riverine flooding. The establishment of Mauritia flexuosa palms from around 440 cal a bp coincided with a shift to lower flooding depth and frequency which continues to the present day. This study reveals the role of flooding variability in shaping peatland development and influencing vegetation succession in the PMFB, underlining the need to understand natural environmental variability for the conservation of these ecosystems due to their vital contributions to ecosystem services and carbon storage.

Cooling has stimulated soil carbon storage in forest ecosystems

The interactive effect of soil cooling and nitrogen (N) addition can accurately simulate climatic and anthropogenic effects on terrestrial and other land-based ecosystems, but direct empirical measurements on the effects of cooling and N addition on soil carbon (C) and N are lacking. Hence, transplanting soils into colder regions was used to evaluate the effects of cooling and N addition on soil C and N. We used PVCs of 30 cm in height and 8 cm in diameter to extract soil samples. Soil C and N were significantly (P < 0.05) increased by transplanting soils into colder regions. In contrast, cooling has insignificantly (P > 0.05) increased the soil dissolved organic C (DOC) and dissolved organic (DON), but the effect was negatively significant on soil pH compared to the C/N ratio. Similarly, N addition significantly increased the measured soil N stock. However, the effect was negatively significant on soil pH (P < 0.05) compared to the C/N ratio (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, the interaction of cooling and N addition did not affect the soil C and N storage. A similar effect was observed on the soil DOC and DON. The results presented here illustrate that transplanting soils into colder regions and N deposition has perfectly simulated the effects of climate-forcing factors on soil C and N storage in terrestrial and other land-based ecosystems. Accordingly, this study suggests that low temperatures have stimulated the accumulation of the measured soil organic and dissolved properties, but the effect is less consequential when low temperature interacts with N addition in high-elevation areas where ecosystem structures and functions are limited by temperature and may serve as a baseline for future research on land feedbacks to the climate system.

Stand spatial structure is more important than species diversity in enhancing the carbon sink of fragile natural secondary forest

Increasing attention for adjusting forest structural and species diversity has been paid to enhance carbon storage. However, the relative importance of stand spatial structural diversity and species diversity to restored stand carbon stocks remains unclear. To address this issue, we conducted a sample plot setup in the Loess Plateau with the aim of exploring the effects of stand spatial structural diversity and species diversity on forest carbon stocks. Therefore, we determined index parameters for species diversity (Simpson, Shannon-Wiener, and Pielou) and spatial structural diversity (Angular scale, Mingling, Aggregation, and Competition) within the oak forest ecosystem. We examined carbon storage in all vegetation organs and different soil layers. Additionally, we employed a structural equation model to develop a model that illustrates the effects of stand spatial structure and species diversity on ecosystem carbon storage. The results reveal that stand spatial structure and species diversity influence the ecosystem carbon storage through biomass (trees and litter) and soil carbon (0–100 cm). Stand spatial structure exhibits positive direct effects (path coefficients: 0.764 and 0.890), while species diversity shows negative direct effects (−0.320 and −0.206) on biomass and soil carbon, respectively. Finally, the total effect of spatial structure diversity on forest carbon storage surpasses that of species diversity. Therefore, stand spatial structure should be adjusted preferentially during forest management in fragile ecological environment. Our results provide important insights into the climate change mitigation potential associated with the structure-based management of forests.

Analysis and prediction of the spatiotemporal characteristics of land-use ecological risk and carbon storage in Wuhan metropolitan area

In the context of global warming, understanding the spatiotemporal dynamic of carbon storage, land-use related ecological risks, and how ecological risks are correlated with carbon storage, is vitally significant for enhancing regional carbon-sequestration capacity, promoting the rational exploitation of land and green and low-carbon development. Using land-use data, this study employed the InVEST and PLUS models to analyze and forecast spatiotemporal variation in land-use, land-use ecological risks, and terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage in the Wuhan metropolitan area under multiple-scenarios. Spearman’s correlation and spatial autocorrelation analyses were used to explore spatial correlations between carbon storage and land-use ecological risk. The following was found: (1) From 2000 to2020, the area of arable land, grassland, water body, and unused land reduced. In contrast, the area of forestland and built-up land increased. Similar land-use changes were observed in 2030 under the natural development scenario. The area of forestland, grassland, and water body increased, and the expansion of built-up land is effectively controlled under the ecological protection scenario. (2) Land-use ecological risks in the study area first declined and then increased over the research period, with an overall increase. (3) From 2000 to 2030, the carbon storage within the Wuhan metropolitan area declined. In the 2030 ecological protection scenario, the reduction in carbon storage is lower than under the natural development scenario. Through the lens of land-use categories, the entire carbon storage was, in descending order, arable land, forestland, built-up land, grassland, unused land, and water body. (4) Land-use ecological risk and carbon storage were negatively correlated and dominated by Low-High and High-Low aggregation zones. This study can serve as a reference for the future optimal layout of land-use and sustainable development of ecosystems in metropolitan areas.

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.

“Forest carbon sequestration mapping and economic quantification infusing MLPnn-Markov chain and InVEST carbon model in Askot Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalaya”

Due to the expeditious rise in anthropogenic activities and rapid extractive pressure, protected areas in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) are experiencing significant losses in ecological diversity and a substantial decline in the potential for carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. The quantification of carbon sequestration and the understanding of its corresponding economic gain/loss are crucial for raising strict preservative concerns in protected areas with rich ecological and economic values. Transitions in land use land cover (LULC) trajectories from historical to future scenarios impact the dynamics of carbon storage and sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems. The present study extends a comprehensive 40-year (1995–2035) assessment of carbon mapping (gain/loss) as well as an economic approximation of carbon sequestration in the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary (AWLS), Western Himalaya, using satellite data. This investigation presents a novel hybrid approach by infusing machine learning algorithms and a spatial-temporal technique-based MLPnn-Markov chain model for future LULC simulation with the InVEST model that incorporates carbon mapping and economic valuation. The results show that among all the land use classes, dense forest has the highest carbon density; however, it exhibits a decreasing trend from 1995 (5,695,878.41 Mg/ha) to 2035 (4,378,439.81 Mg/ha). The economic quantification of carbon sequestration was performed by applying sensitivity analysis combined with different carbon prices and discount rates from 2020 to 2035. The observed outcomes reveal significant economic losses due to rapid forest cover decline, as indicated by a negative net present value (NPV) ranging from a minimum of ∼US$ -8 million to a maximum of ∼US$ -53 million. This study develops a valuable database by providing evidence-based decision-making and guidance for the sustainable preservation of ecosystems in the Western Himalayas and similar regions worldwide, where forest carbon sequestration is of paramount importance. The findings of the study suggest sound provisions for the conservation of forested landscapes and the development of efficient voluntary and regulatory carbon trading markets to achieve stability in forest carbon stocks. In doing so, this interdisciplinary approach addresses the growing imperative of integrating ecological and economic aspects in the context of biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.

Integrating national integrated assessment model and land-use intensity for estimating China's terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage

Carbon emission reduction in China matters to global climate change mitigation. China has been experiencing extensive land changes, which profoundly influence terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage (TECS) and carbon emissions. Scholars have predicted influences of land changes on TECS in China with scenarios obtained from global integrated assessment models (IAMs), which lack national details. Moreover, universally existing variations in land-use intensity have not been considered when estimating influences on TECS. This study simulated changes of land-use intensity of China from 2000 to 2050 using CLUMondo under China-specified policies for sustainable development modeled by a national IAM named Threshold21-China. We proposed a more precise TECS estimation method by distinguishing land-vegetation and land-soil types. Results demonstrated that under scenario with preceding policies, the total TECS can increase by 865.5 Tg C from 2000 to 2050. Through implementing preceding policies, TECS loss by conversions from cultivated land to artificial surfaces can decline by 82 Tg C, and new TECS accumulated by increased and densified forests can increase by 73 Tg C. Mountainous and rapidly urbanizing regions are sensitively influenced and need more restrict land change management policies. This study demonstrates the significance of sustainable development policies for TECS conservation and indicates specific critical regions.

A new assessment framework to forecast land use and carbon storage under different SSP-RCP scenarios in China

The vision of achieving “carbon neutrality” has created new requirements for the projection of land use and land cover (LULC), as well as the carbon storage (CS) of terrestrial ecosystem. Global-scale LULC scenario assessments with coarser resolution introduces uncertainties to national and regional-scale studies, which in turn has a negative impact on CS analysis based on land use perspective. Therefore, we proposed a new framework for scenario-based assessment that integrates the global-scale Land Use Harmonization (LUH2) dataset, Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model, and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model, which we called LUH2-PLUS-InVEST (LPI) model. Our aim is to investigate the potential impacts of the combinations of Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) on China's future LULC and CS. By calibrating the demands, we generated structural predictions that were consistent with the actual land use. Furthermore, we explored the spatial heterogeneity of potential land use changes using 500 m × 500 m downscale simulations. Additionally, we developed a quantitative evaluation of CS from a spatiotemporal perspective and made recommendations on potential ecological threats. Our findings indicate that the basic characteristics of LULC and CS are determined by the natural context and that the prospects of land use distribution and carbon sequestration capacity are influenced by global emission pressure, regional competition, and China's unique development pattern. The results demonstrate that the LUH2-PLUS-INVEST model can provide an effective method for modeling the feedbacks of LULC and CS to the climate-society system.

Spatiotemporal Changes of Terrestrial Carbon Storage in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas and Their Influencing Factors: A Case Study of Wuhan, China

Terrestrial carbon storage plays a vital role in limiting global climate change and achieving regional carbon neutrality. However, intensive human activities and rapid urbanization have led to a rapid decline in carbon storage. Understanding what causes carbon storage to decline and how this happens is important for the scientific regulation of urbanization and safeguarding of urban ecological security. This study takes Wuhan as an example and analyzes the quantity, structure, and spatial patterns of urban land-use changes in the context of human activities and natural conditions, and applies correlation methods to identify general relationships between influencing factors and carbon storage. The results of the study are as follows: over the 30-year period studied, the area devoted to construction land increased by 757 km2 and the carbon storage decreased by 7.68 × 106 t. Outside Wuhan’s Third Ring Road, there was a significant increase in the carbon storage, but in the areas where construction increased, there was a reduction in carbon storage. Carbon storage in the remote suburbs was significantly higher than in the city center, and the distribution pattern was characterized by significant spatial heterogeneity. Our analysis revealed that human economic and social activities have affected Wuhan’s ecosystem carbon storage to a significant extent. Policymakers should focus on industrial optimization, strictly control the red line of ecological protection, and ultimately achieve high-quality urban development.

Carbon Storage Potential of Soil in Diverse Terrestrial Ecosystems

Soil is one of the largest carbon reservoirs sequestering more carbon than vegetation and atmosphere. Due to the enormous potential of soil to sequester atmospheric CO2, it becomes a feasible option to alleviate the current and impending effects of changing climate. Soil is a vulnerable resource globally because it is highly susceptible to global environmental problems such as land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Therefore, protecting and monitoring worldwide soil carbon pools is a complicated challenge. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a vital factor affecting soil health since it is a major component of SOM and contributes to food production. This review attempts to summarize the information on carbon sequestration, storage, and carbon pools in the major terrestrial ecosystems and underpin soil carbon responses under climate change and mitigation strategies. Topography, pedogenic, and climatic factors mainly affect carbon input and stabilization. Humid conditions and low temperature favor high soil organic carbon content. Whereas warmer and drier regions have low SOC stocks. Tropical peatlands and mangrove ecosystems have the highest SOC stock. The soil of drylands stores 95% of the global Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC) stock. Grasslands include rangelands, shrublands, pasturelands, and croplands. They hold about 1/5th of the world’s total soil carbon stocks.

Quantifying carbon stocks and functional diversity of roadside ecosystems – A case study in Quebec, Canada

The present study aimed to evaluate the capacity for carbon storage of ecosystems located on areas bordering paved or travelled roads, using the southern part of Quebec (Canada) as a case study. About 59 roadsides covering a variety of visually contrasting vegetation assemblages (from herbaceous covers to forest stands) and soil conditions were inventoried to quantify the carbon stocks of above- and belowground pools, including living and dead biomass and soils. The functional diversity and identity of overstory and understory vegetation were analyzed to explore their links with carbon storage. The highest total ecosystem carbon content was observed in sites dominated by trees and shrubs, with an average of 282.16 Mg ha¯¹ . Functional diversity mediated by functional dispersion (FDIS) of both overstory and understory vegetation was a significant predictor of aboveground carbon stocks on roadsides. FDIS of overstory vegetation (trees and shrubs) and functional richness (FRIC) of understory vegetation were also significant predictors of the total carbon storage of ecosystems. In contrast, we found a negative relationship between overstory functional identity mediated by community-weighted means of leaf nitrogen content (CWM-N) and total ecosystem carbon storage (including aboveground and soil). Our results suggest that roadside ecosystems can be important carbon sinks, and species with varied functional traits could promote carbon storage in these sites.