Levels Of Carbon Sequestration Research Articles

Soil Carbon Pool Allocation Dynamics During Soil Development in the Lower Yangtze River Alluvial Plain

The allocation dynamics of soil carbon pools during soil development and land use are the key to revealing the carbon cycle process. To clarify the distribution of the soil carbon pool and its change trend, a soil reclamation chronosequence (0 a, 60 a, 160 a, 280 a, 1 000 a, and 1 500 a reclamation) was established in a typical alluvial plain in the Lower Yangtze River, and the content and density of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil inorganic carbon (SIC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), along with carbon sequestration potential (CSP) indicators of topsoil under different land use types were measured and analyzed. The results showed that after approximately 1 500 a reclamation, the SOC content developed from the Yangtze River alluvial deposits generally increased by 4.9% after the initial decline, whereas the SIC content decreased to 0.2% from 25.8% of the total carbon content due to its rapid leaching. The MAOC content was normally higher than that of POC, and MAOC was contributing 48.0%-79.7% of the SOC accumulation. In this region, the soil organic carbon density (SOCD) accounted for 57.4%-100% of the total carbon density, the soil carbon sequestration levels (CSL) ranged from 18.6% to 56.1%, and CSP under paddy-dryland rotation increased by 20.8% compared to that under dryland. The C/N ratio and total nitrogen content are key factors in explaining soil carbon accumulation processes, and the reclamation year plays an important role in evaluating soil carbon sequestration levels. After long-term utilization, the cultivated soil in the Yangtze River floodplain must be carefully managed through balanced fertilization to maintain soil productivity, promote the accumulation of SOC, and avoid the decline in soil carbon sequestration capacity.

Using Carbon Sequestration as a Remote-Monitoring Approach for Reclamation’s Effectiveness in the Open Pit Coal Mine: A Case Study of Mae Moh, Thailand

Reclamation is regarded as one of the mining processes that can lessen the environmental impact of its production, particularly for large-scale coal mines that emit significant quantities of greenhouse gases. However, the assessment and evaluation of the reclamation process primarily rely on qualitative methods. Utilizing LANSAT8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) remote sensing in conjunction with GIS, this study aimed to develop a quantitative method for validating the efficacy of a reclamation procedure applicable to the emerging trend of carbon reduction. The empirical formula utilized to compute the annual carbon sequestrations of the reclamation area in the Mae Moh mine exhibited the appropriate spatial relative standard deviation (S-RSD) at 98.25%. The findings indicate that the reclamation area reached its highest level of carbon sequestration in 2022, at 331.28 ± 11.89 ktCO2e, surpassing the baseline of 126.53 ktCO2e. Furthermore, the approach demonstrates significant potential in improving the standard method for assessing reclamation through reforestation.

Assessment of the Effect of Garcinia kola (Clusiaceae) on the Carbon Sequestration Capacity and Productivity of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L) in Cocoa-Based Agroforestry Systems

Aims: Ivorian cocoa production reaching 2 million ton annually at the expense of the forest reserve, and an annual deforestation rate around 2.78%. The integration of agroforestry into cocoa plantations appears to be a suitable approach to combating deforestation of the remaining forest reserves and restoring the degraded cocoa landscape. The choice of species is the key to the success of this program. Our objective was to evaluate the interaction between Garcinia kola and cocoa in traditional agroforestry systems. Study Design: Around each Garcinia Kola tree identified in the orchard, two curves lines with radii of 10 and 20 m respectively were delimited in order to assess the interaction of Garcinia Kola on the cocoa tree according to their proximity to Garcinia Kola. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Gueyo and Buyo in cocoa-based agroforestry systems in western Côte d'Ivoire. from June 2020 to November 2021. Methodology: The influence of Garcinia Kola on cocoa trees was assessed by measuring the biomass and carbon sequestration rate of Garcinia kola and cocoa trees. The productivity of cocoa trees and Garcinia kola was also determined. Results: Our results showed that Garcinia kola trees have an influence on the density and yield of cocoa trees. Cocoa trees close to Garcinia Kola trees within a 10 m radius showed low density and low pod production compared to those within a 20 m radius. Meanwhile, cocoa biomass and carbon sequestration levels were higher in the 10 m radius than the 20 m radius. This study has shown that associated cocoa and Garcinia kola stands make different contributions depending on their proximity. Conclusion: This complementarity in terms of carbon sequestration capacity and productivity between Garcinia Kola and cocoa is an asset that can be exploited for Cocoa agroforestry system to improve the sustainable production system and restore the cocoa landscape.

Estimation of Forest Stock Volume Using Sentinel-2 MSI, Landsat 8 OLI Imagery and Forest Inventory Data

Forest stock volume (FSV) is a key indicator for measuring forest quality, evaluating forest management capabilities, and the main factor for evaluating forest carbon sequestration levels. In this study, to achieve an accurate estimation of FSV, we used Ninth Beijing Forest Inventory data (FID), and Landsat 8 OLI and Sentinel-2 MSI imagery to establish FSV models. The performance of Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 imagery data in estimating forest volume in Huairou District, Beijing, China was compared. The combination of Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 satellite data was employed to create a new data source. Two variable selection methods, linear stepwise regression (LSR) and recursive feature elimination (RFE), were used to extract feature variables. The multiple linear regression(MLR) models, Back Propagation (BP) neural network models, and Random Forest (RF) models were employed to estimate forest volume in the study area based on the feature variables obtained from both data sources. The research results indicate (1) the Sentinel-2-based model achieved higher accuracy compared to the same model based on the Landsat 8 factor set. The correlation between the red-edge band of Sentinel-2 imagery and FSV is more significant than that of other characteristic variables used. Variables derived from the red-edge band have the potential to reduce model errors; (2) the estimation accuracy of the model can be significantly improved by using the RFE (Recursive Feature Elimination) method to select remote sensing feature variables. RFE is based on the importance ranking of all feature variables and selects the feature variables that contribute the most to the model. In the variable group selected by RFE, the texture features and the derived features from the red-edge band, such as SenB5, SenRVI, SenmNDVIre, and SenB5Mean, contribute the most to the improvement of model accuracy. Furthermore, in the optimal Landsat 8–Sentinel-2 RFE-RF model, where texture features are involved, the rRMSE is greatly reduced by 3.7% compared to the joint remote sensing RFE-RF model without texture features; (3) the MLR, BP, and RF models based on the modeling factor set established on Sentinel-2 have accuracy superior to the model accuracy established based on the modeling factor set of Landsat 8. Among them, the Random Forest (RF) method inverted by the recursive feature elimination (RFE) method using Sentinel-2A image has the best inversion accuracy effect (R2 = 0.831, RMSE = 12.604 m3 ha−1, rRMSE = 36.411%, MAE = 9.366 m3 ha−1). Comparing the performance of the models on the test set, the ranking is as follows, Random Forest (RF) model > Back Propagation (BP) neural network model > multiple linear regression (MLR) model. The feature variable screening based on the Random Forest’s recursive feature elimination (RFE) method is better than the linear stepwise regression (LSR). Therefore, the RFE-RF method based on the joint variables from Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 satellite data to establish a new remote sensing data source provides the possibility to improve the estimation accuracy of FSV and provides reference for forest dynamic monitoring.

A global satellite observation of phytoplankton taxonomic groups over the past two decades.

Marine phytoplankton fuel the oceanic biotic chain, determine the carbon sequestration levels, and are crucial for the global carbon cycle and climate change. In the present study, we show a near-two-decadal (2002-2022) spatiotemporal distribution of global phytoplankton abundance, proxy as dominant phytoplankton taxonomic groups (PTGs), with a newly developed remote sensing model. Globally, six chief PTGs, namely chlorophytes (~26%), diatoms (~24%), haptophytes (~15%), cryptophytes (~10%), cyanobacteria (~8%), and dinoflagellates (~3%), explain most of the variation (~86%) in phytoplankton assemblages. Spatially, diatoms generally dominate high latitudes, marginal seas, and coastal upwelling zones, whereas chlorophytes and haptophytes control the open oceans. Satellite observations reveal a gentle multi-annual trend of the PTGs in the major oceans, indicative of roughly "unchanged" conditions on the total biomass or compositions of the phytoplankton community. Jointly, "changed" status applies to a short-term (seasonal) timescale: (1) Fluctuations of PTGs exhibit different amplitudes among different subregions, together with a general rule-more intense vibration in the Northern Hemisphere and polar oceans than other zones; (2) diatoms and haptophytes vary more dramatically than other PTGs in a global-scale scope. These findings provide a clear picture of the global phytoplankton community composition and can improve our understanding of their state and further analysis of marine biological processes.

Spatiotemporal distribution and attribution of carbon sequestration in karst rocky desertification land in southern China

<p>To mitigate the intensification of desertification and land degradation in karst areas of southern China, since the late 1990s, the Chinese government has implemented a series of ecological restoration projects. In the past couple of decades, the carbon sequestration potential of karst rocky desertification land increased significantly. However, few studies have explored the characteristics and driving mechanisms of carbon sequestration in karst areas. This study aimed to quantify the spatiotemporal patterns, trends, and drivers of carbon sequestration in the Huajiang River Basin, a typical karst basin, in southern China during 2000-2020 and its five geographic zones via the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. The five zones of the karst basin exhibited the following characteristics: (I) good natural background condition with positive feedback human intervention; (II) poor natural background condition with increased negative and decreased positive feedback human interventions; (III) poor natural background condition with increased positive and decreased negative feedback human interventions; (IV) non-karst land; and (V) poor natural background condition with no significant positive and negative feedback human interventions and with heavy reliance on natural ecosystem recovery. The results were four-fold. First, the Huajiang River Basin showed a significant increasing trend of carbon sequestration. The spatiotemporal variation of carbon sequestration significantly differed among the five zones (Ⅴ > Ⅲ > Ⅳ > Ⅱ > Ⅰ). The stability of carbon sequestration was lowest in zone III. Second, a 20-y<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ear</span> land-use/cover change directly affected the level of carbon sequestration. The conversion of cropland, grassland, and woodland to shrubland was the main reason for the increased carbon sequestration in zone I. Third, carbon sequestration was negatively correlated with the desertification level of karst rocky areas. The spatial distributions of moderate, serious, and extremely strong desertification levels in zone II showed an increasing trend. Zones I, III, and V exhibited no significant desertification. Finally, the integrated ecological management against desertification increased carbon sequestration. Negative feedback human interventions (e.g., quarrying) exerted a significant disturbing impact on carbon sequestration that needs to be addressed in the formulation of management practices.</p>

Assessment of deforestation impacts on carbon sequestration in Edo State south Southern Nigeria

The stocking and sequestering of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that result from improving the carbon sink are two important ways that forested land contributes to the fight against global warming. The purpose of the study is to estimate the rate of carbon sequestration (CS) in Edo State, Nigeria, as well as the volume of deforestation and its impact on CS. To gauge the changes in carbon stock, stock-difference and gain-loss methods were employed. The gain-loss method predicts gains and losses based on off-take and growth rates, while the stock-difference approach uses actual measurements of carbon stocks over a given period of time. These two methods presuppose that changes in carbon stock and CO2 flows to or from the atmosphere are equal. To quantify the decline of the forest, geographical studies and satellite imagery were used. Comparing the area covered by forest in the same region at two distinct eras allowed researchers to determine the annual rate of change. The outcome showed that tree cover loss (TCL, kg/ha) was decreased in 18 local government regions (LGAs). As a result, throughout the baseline consideration period of 2010 to 2022, Etasko East (EE) and Estako West (ES), Ovia South East (OSW), and Ovia North have had the least loss in tree cover. The increased demand on human survival brought on by the expanding population may provide an explanation for this observation and discovery. As a result of this development, forests underwent transformation and were used to produce food, build cities and homes, and generate energy. The region with the highest rates of tree cover loss and deforestation was associated with the highest CS, which was calculated at 2700 tC/ha at OSW, and the lowest CS value point at 22.2 tC/ha at Oredo Edo (OE). As a result, OSW showed that dense forests had higher biomass carbon storage than grazing land and open forests. In conclusion, the study showed that Edo State has a significant potential for raising the level of carbon sequestration in order for the state to generate a profit from the sale of carbon stock and enhance climate change mitigation efforts.

Effects of Tree Functional Traits on Soil Respiration in Tropical Forest Plantations

Fast-growing tree species, including Eucalyptus sp. and Acacia sp., are widely used to rehabilitate degraded tropical forestland quickly, while mitigating climate change. However, the extent of carbon losses through soil respiration (RS) often remains unknown. Moreover, the promotion of these non-native species has raised concerns over their impact on other ecosystem services, including N2-fixation-induced soil acidification and nutrient cycling. This study compared two non-native and native species, with one of each being N2-fixing, growing in 11-year-old monospecific plantations in NE Thailand. Hourly RS was measured monthly over one year and combined with stand characteristics, as well as soil microclimatic and chemical properties. Mixed-effects models were used to capture this hierarchical, diurnal, and seasonal dataset. RS rates were influenced by soil temperature and moisture following a parabolic relation, and negatively affected by acidity. Overall, RS varied significantly according to species-specific microclimates and productivity. Despite the high input of organic matter, non-native species failed to ameliorate extreme soil moisture or temperature; limiting microbial decomposition and reducing RS. Hopea odorata produced moderate levels of carbon sequestration, but maintained soil fertility. The choice of tree species can significantly affect carbon sequestration and storage, as well as nutrient cycling, and careful species selection could optimize these ecosystem services.

Environmental impacts of the Australian poultry industry. 2. Egg production

Context Eggs, a dietary staple, are a low environmental-impact animal protein, although no quantified analysis has been published for the Australian egg industry. Aims This study determined baseline greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, fossil energy use, freshwater consumption, water stress, and land-occupation impacts for the Australian egg for 2020 and identified hotspots. Methods To understand the environmental credentials of the industry, an attributional life-cycle assessment was conducted using primary data collected from all major Australian production regions. Impacts were reported per kilogram of table eggs and per kilogram of shell- and protein-corrected eggs for cage (C), cage-free (CF) and free-range (FR) production. Monte Carlo analysis was used to assess uncertainty, and results are presented using the means and standard deviations. Key results Statistically significant (P < 0.05) differences among all systems were found for GHG and land occupation, and between cage and non-cage systems for fossil energy use. Impacts were 1.2 ± 0.04 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e), 10.7 ± 0.2 MJ, 177.2 ± 19.0 L, 84.5 ± 9.6 L H2O-e and 16.0 ± 1.6 m3, and 7.6 ± 0.1 m2/kg C eggs, 1.4 ± 0.03 kg CO2-e, 12.0 ± 0.3 MJ, 190.6 ± 23.1 L, 88.9 ± 10.3 L H2O-e and 17.5 ± 1.9 m3, and 8.1 ± 0.1 m2/kg CF eggs and 1.5 ± 0.04 kg CO2-e, 12.2 ± 0.3 MJ, 204.6 ± 23.9 L, 100.8 ± 10.7 L H2O-e and 19.1 ± 1.8 m3 and 8.7 ± 0.1 m2/kg FR eggs. Land use and direct land use-change emissions associated with imported soymeal were significant, contributing a further 0.6 ± 0.1, 0.7 ± 0.1 and 0.7 ± 0.1 kg CO2-e/kg C, CF and FR eggs respectively. More efficient feed conversion ratios (FCRs) drove lower impacts in C production. Feed production was the major hotspot, followed by the layer farm and pullet rearing operations. Conclusions Reducing impacts will be most effective through changing diets to reduce reliance on high environmental-impact feed commodities, FCR improvements and energy efficiency measures to reduce housing energy demand. Improved land management is likely to have resulted in isolated small levels of carbon sequestration in Australian cropland over the analysis period, offsetting some GHG emissions. Further reduction in environmental impacts will rely on decarbonisation of feed supply chains and prioritisation of low environmental-impact feed commodities. Implications Being the first industry-wide environmental assessment of Australian egg production, this study has highlighted the need for ongoing assessment to isolate inter-annual variability, determine long-term trends, and investigate pathways to reduce impacts into the future.

Evaluating the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Agricultural Eco-Efficiency Alongside China's Carbon Neutrality Targets.

Agriculture has the dual effect of contributing to both carbon emissions and sequestration, and thus plays a critical role in mitigating global climate change and achieving carbon neutrality. Agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) is an important measurement through which we can assess the efforts toward reduced emissions and increased sequestration. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between China's target of carbon neutrality and AEE through an evaluative model, so as to improve AEE and ultimately achieve sustainable agricultural development. The Super-SBM model scientifically measures the AEE based on provincial panel data collected between 2000 and 2020. We selected kernel density function and spatial distribution to explore the spatial and temporal evolutionary trends, and used a Tobit model to identify the drivers of AEE. The research shows that (1) China's agricultural system functions as a net carbon sink, with all provinces' agricultural carbon sequestration levels recorded as higher than their carbon emissions from 2000 to 2020. (2) Despite sequestration levels, the level of AEE in China is not high enough, and the average efficiency level from 2000 to 2020 is 0.7726, showing an overall trend where AEE decreased at first and then increased. (3) The AEE of each province is clearly polarized; there are obvious core-periphery characteristics and spatial distribution of clustered contiguous areas. Central provinces generally have lower efficiency, eastern and northeastern provinces have higher efficiency, and northeastern provinces always remain in the high-efficiency group. (4) Influencing factors show that urbanization, upgrading of industrial structure, financial support for agriculture, and mechanization have a significant positive impact on AEE. These findings have important implications for the promotion of the low-carbon green development of Chinese agriculture.

Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration in organic dehesa livestock farms. Does technical-economic management matters?

Livestock farming has been traditionally assessed by its economic figures, whereas the impact caused by their production models on the environment and on society have been largely disregarded. This paper analyses various organic cattle farming systems from the point of view of their technical-economic management, but also on the environmental impact caused by their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Within this context, 34 organic meat cattle dehesa farms located in the southwest of Spain were studied. On the one hand, a principal component analysis devised four factors that explained the technical-economic management model of these farms in terms of their level of dependence on subsidies, production intensification, feeding practices and productivity. The farms were then divided into three clusters whose main differences came from the size of the farms, the intensification level and the joint rearing of cattle with other livestock species. On the other hand, GHG emissions and carbon sequestration levels for each of these clusters were calculated using the life cycle assessment methodology. The average GHG net emissions from the farms were 461.98 kg of CO2 eq per ha (or 8.86 kg of CO2 eq per kg of live weight of sold animal), with the largest and more extensive farms reporting 262.05 kg of CO2 eq per ha (or 6.02 kg of CO2 eq per kg of live weight of sold animal) and the smallest and more intensive farms resulting in as much as 697.49 kg of CO2 eq per ha (or 11.18 kg of CO2 eq per kg of live weight of sold animal). One of the most significant aspects of the study was the carbon sequestration capacity of dehesa extensive farms, which allowed these livestock systems to be in line with the preservation of the natural resources, animal welfare and the provision of ecosystem services.

ВСЕГДА ЛИ ИСКУССТВЕННОЕ ЛЕСОВОССТАНОВЛЕНИЕ МОЖЕТ БЫТЬ ЛЕСОКЛИМАТИЧЕСКИМ ПРОЕКТОМ?

Currently, forest climatic projects aimed at enhancing the carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems are becoming very popular. The main requirements for such projects include additionality, permanence and the absence of leakage. Compliance with these requirements ensures that the project fulfils the tasks at which it is aimed. Predictive modelling can be one of the tools for checking the compliance of forest climate projects with the above principles. The purpose of the study was to assess the prospects for carbon accumulation during the implementation of reforestation projects in the Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions. An assessment of the carbon balance in the territory of artificial reforestation projects was carried out at the baseline (natural regeneration of Betula spp. and Populus tremula L.) and during the implementation of the forest climatic project (planting of Pinus sylvestris L.) with a forecast for 100 years. The results show that during the implementation of the project, the achieved level of emissions is higher and the level of carbon sequestration is lower compared to the baseline, which contradicts the principle of additionality, and, therefore, artificial reforestation cannot be considered as a forest climatic project. The highest efficiency in carbon sequestration for mixed plantations is predicted for mixtures of Pinus sylvestris with 20–30 percent of small-leaved species (Betula spp. and Populus tremula). However, the implementation of artificial reforestation projects can be essential for the reproduction of valuable forest resources, but in this case it is necessary to take into account the way the obtained phytomass of trees is used, since the length of the carbon conservation period will depend on this.

Carbon sequestration of city agriculture: between farming and non-farming land

Urban agriculture is multifunctional. The environmental function is one of the agricultural functions. This research focuses on the level of carbon sequestration in food crops and vegetables. Furthermore, we estimate carbon sequestration differences in farming and non-farming land. This study calculates carbon sequestration using destructive methods. Furthermore, food crops carbon sequestration better than vegetable crops. In the same crop, there is more carbon sequestration in farming land when compared to non-farming land. Economically, this carbon sequestration can provide substantial economic value if it is better managed by considering urban spatial planning.

Professional financial statement users’ perceived value of carbon accounting disclosures and decision context

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how professional financial statement users use carbon accounting information in their decisions and whether this use is sensitive to changing the decision context from an investment to a donation.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 173 US professional financial statement users, the authors conduct an experiment that manipulates an investment or donation choice to evaluate how differing levels of carbon sequestration affect decision-making across contexts.FindingsCarbon sequestration information affects users’ donation decisions but does not affect investment decisions. Variation in the reliability of the information and whether the information is linked to strategy do not affect users’ decision-making.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is performed by an experiment and informs our understanding of the relevance to users of carbon sequestration disclosure. Results indicate that carbon sequestration disclosure has value for donation but not investment decisions. The authors interpret this as evidence of some value of this type of disclosure in professional financial statement users’ decision-making but not for a financially focused evaluation.Originality/valueThis paper provides unique insights into the effect of reporting carbon sequestration on decision-making. There has been significant research on the broader topic of corporate sustainability, and capital markets research indicates that the market values increased sustainability disclosure. This study extends the research by examining a specific component of carbon disclosure that is not currently widely reported and by the use of information for different types of evaluations. The results find evidence that the value of this type of carbon disclosure does not stem from a purely financial perspective but instead, from other nonpecuniary factors.

Seagrass meadows mixed with calcareous algae have higher plant productivity and sedimentary blue carbon storage.

Seagrass meadows capture and store large amounts of carbon in the sediment beneath, thereby serving as efficient sinks of atmospheric CO2. Carbon sequestration levels may however differ greatly among meadows depending on, among other factors, the plant community composition. Tropical seagrass meadows are often intermixed with macroalgae, many of which are calcareous, which may compete with seagrass for nutrients, light, and space. While the photosynthetic CO2 uptake by both seagrasses and calcareous algae may increase the overall calcification in the system (by increasing the calcium carbonate saturation state, Ω), the calcification process of calcareous algae may lead to a release of CO2, thereby affecting both productivity and calcification, and eventually also the meadows’ carbon storage. This study estimated how plant productivity, CaCO3 production, and sediment carbon levels were affected by plant community composition (seagrass and calcareous algae) in a tropical seagrass‐dominated embayment (Zanzibar, Tanzania). Overall, the patterns of variability in productivity differed between the plant types, with net areal biomass productivity being highest in meadows containing both seagrass and calcareous algae. Low and moderate densities of calcareous algae enhanced seagrass biomass growth, while the presence of seagrass reduced the productivity of calcareous algae but increased their CaCO3 content. Sedimentary carbon levels were highest when seagrasses were mixed with low or moderate cover of calcareous algae. The findings show that plant community composition can be an important driver for ecosystem productivity and blue carbon sequestration.

Assessing ecosystem services of abandoned agricultural lands: a case study in the forested zone of European Russia

The massive abandonment of arable land in Russia in the 1990s had a heavy impact on the country’s land-use structure. The cessation of cultivation leads to a decrease of provisioning ecosystem services within the landscape, while creating an opportunity to enhance the supply of diverse regulation services. Consideration of this opportunity is increasingly important for environmental management and landscape planning. In this article, we present an approach for assessing the environmental benefits of ecosystems developing on abandoned arable lands in the forested zone of European Russia. The proposed methodology is established on a land-cover based framework – ecosystem services assessment matrix. For assessment purposes, abandoned arable lands at different stages of vegetation recovery succession (ruderal, grassland and small-leaved forest) are considered as different land-cover types. Four classes of regulating ecosystem services are subject to qualitative analysis: regulation of the chemical composition of the atmosphere, control of erosion rates, regulation of soil quality and pollination. An exemplary application of the proposed methodology for the case study area located in the Moscow Region of Russia is presented in the article. The results of the qualitative assessment revealed an association between the stage of vegetation recovery succession which corresponds with the time since land abandonment and the supply of regulating ecosystem services. The recovery of natural vegetation leads to higher levels of carbon sequestration, more effective erosion mitigation, soil recovery and increased pollinator abundance. Cropland was proven to be a recipient of the services provided by natural ecosystems. Thus, the return of all uncultivated fields to agricultural use will cause a substantial decrease in the ecological value of the study area.

The role of agroforestry based cocoa on climate change mitigation: A review

The agroforestry approach is considered the best option for the development of cocoa cultivation in the future. It combined the forest trees as shade plants and cocoa as the main crop on the same land. The farmers are widely adopting agroforestry due to some benefits such as conserving soil water, nutrient, microorganism, and providing a suitable microclimate for cocoa. Here, we reviewed the current research reports on the role of agroforestry based on the perspective of climate change mitigation. It included the point (1) agroforestry based on cocoa could improve total biomass (above and below ground), CO2 absorption, and carbon deposit CO2, (2) carbon sequestration levels of cocoa depending on the forest trees species as shade and location.

Self-organization of salt marsh patches on mudflats: Field evidence using the UAV technique

The salt marsh system on the tidal flat is one of the most productively ecological wetlands with high biological productivity and blue carbon sequestration levels. The evolution of salt marshes-bare flats boundaries and the shapes of salt marsh margins are of scientific and engineering prospects due to the capability on indicating the morphodynamic patterns of tidal flats. Previous studies are almost qualitative, so far, quantitative analysis on this issue is scarce. To improve our understandings on the spatio-temporal characteristics of salt marsh margins and the mechanism underpinning, we extracted datasets on Spartina alterniflora using orthoimages derived from the quarterly-surveyed UAV photographs and satellite imagery. Results show that the patch-size distribution corresponded to the power law, indicating the marsh patches are in the state of self-organized criticality and the system is scale-independent. It was observed that the external dynamic conditions (i.e., the sediment erosion and accretion on the tidal flat) imposed negative impacts on the self-organization process. In particular, when the short-term morphological changes were negligible, R2 of the power-law relationship notably increased to nearly 1, indicating the salt marsh patches tended to adhere to a high-order self-organization structure in this process.

Carbon life cycle assessment of shelterbelts in Saskatchewan, Canada

Shelterbelts are rows of trees planted around farmyards and field for protection against soil erosion, promotion of biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Additionally, to carbon sequestration through growth in tree biomass and carbon sinks in agricultural soil. In recent years, removal of shelterbelts has become more common, as crop land is preferred under higher crop prices, resulting in increased GHG emissions and decreases in carbon sinks. It is likely that landowners are making decisions without the knowledge of carbon sequestered by these trees. In this study, the level of carbon sequestration for the six common shelterbelt tree species found in Saskatchewan (hybrid poplar, green ash, Manitoba maple, Scots pine, white spruce, and caragana) was estimated using a carbon - life cycle analysis method. Net amount of carbon sequestered was estimated for five sequestration/emission stages – 1) seedling production, 2) transportation of seedlings to farm, 3) planting, 4) maintenance, and 5) growth of shelterbelts on farm. Since some landowners are removing shelterbelts, a removal stage was also included. During removal of shelterbelts, CO2 emissions were produced through: (i) physical process of removing the trees and subsequent burning of the wood; and (ii) loss of soil carbon after the removal over a long period of time. The functional unit for the analysis was one linear kilometer of shelterbelt, the normal structure of shelterbelts on agricultural land. All emissions/sequestration levels were measured as carbon dioxide (CO2) by multiplying the molecular weight of carbon dioxide to that of carbon (44/12). Other than the growth stage of shelterbelts, all other stages contributed net greenhouse gas emissions, which offset by carbon sequestration during tree growth. Hybrid poplar is a rapidly growing tree and sequesters the most carbon of the six species in all soil zones. A one km long hybrid poplar shelterbelt sequestered upwards of 1923 t CO2 by age 60 years in the Brown soil zone, compared to 2086 t CO2 over the same period in the Black soil zone. In comparison, in the Brown soil zone, Manitoba maple and white spruce sequestered 756 and 732 t CO2, respectively over the same period. If a landowner decides to remove a 60-year-old shelterbelt, 1205 t CO2 is lost within a short period after removal, whereas 718 t of remaining CO2 is retained as dead organic matter, which is slowly released over a period. Although field shelterbelts may emit greenhouse gases in the earlier stages of development, overall, they are net sinks of carbon and can therefore play a significant role in Canada's plan to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture.

An assessment of high carbon stock and high conservation value approaches in mining area

The impact of forest degradation due to open-pit mining activities causes sustainable ecological damage. Mining activities that are not organized due to the mineral exploration process have resulted in many forest areas experiencing degradation. This degradation certainly reduces the level of carbon sequestration in the area, impacting the sustainability of environmental functions around the mining area. The high carbon stock (HCS) approach is a way to help companies implement their ‘no deforestation’ commitments. The high carbon stock approach will identify forests that must be protected and land that can be developed. Forests with high carbon stocks are maintained because they function as carbon stores, habitats for biodiversity, and provide the necessities of life for local communities. Therefore, this study aims to obtain data on the potential for carbon stocks and create a spatial model for distributing carbon content in the concession area of PT. Vale Indonesia can later be determined as high conservation value (HCV) areas using the high carbon stock approach. Measurement of carbon content in the study used an allometric equation that has been developed, then the distribution of carbon was made using the spatial vegetation index model obtained from Sentinel 2 imagery. The results showed an area of 30,526.49 (42.97%), which had high carbon stock with an average carbon stock of 106.09 ton/ha, which needed to be maintained as an area of high conservation value in the mining area of PT. Vale Indonesia.