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A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2019) | Viewed by 36689

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Prof. Dr. Tek Maraseni

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Guest Editor

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Economics, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia
Interests: carbon management; forestry;carbon trading; natural resources management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forest covers about 30% of the total world’s land area, but it stores 45% of terrestrial carbon. However, deforestation and forest degradation are still a major source of greenhouse gases (GHG); but, if appropriate mechanisms are in place and properly implemented, the forestry sector could reduce up to 5.5 GtCO₂e emissions each year. Realizing this potential, 97 developing countries have included Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and 50 of these countries are aiming for emission reductions through forestry activities. However, there are concerns about the transparency, integrity and credibility of the GHG estimates. For the LULUCF sector, there is a massive difference in cumulative GHG emissions based on country reports and those estimated in scientific studies. This emphasizes the need of meeting IPCC and UNFCCC guidelines of principles of transparency, consistency, comparability, completeness and accuracy (TCCCA) in carbon inventories.

There are several forest management practices that could be instrumental in storing carbon and reducing GHG emissions from forests. We encourage studies from all forest management fields including, but not limited to, (1) five activities: reducing emissions from deforestation; reducing emissions from forest degradation; conservation of forest carbon stocks; sustainable management of forests; and enhancement of forest carbon stocks; (2) five carbon pools: above-ground biomass; below-ground biomass; dead wood; litter; and soil organic carbon; and (3) three GHGs: carbon dioxide (CO₂); methane (CH₄); and nitrous oxide (N₂O).

Prof. Dr. Tek Maraseni
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Modification of rotation length
Fire management
Pest and disease management
CDM
REDD+
Biochar and forests carbon
Biodiversity and carbon
Forests Reference Levels

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 2077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Necromass Carbon Stock in a Secondary Atlantic Forest Fragment in Brazil

by Paulo Henrique Villanova, Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto Torres, Laércio Antônio Gonçalves Jacovine, Carlos Pedro Boechat Soares, Liniker Fernandes da Silva, Bruno Leão Said Schettini, Samuel José Silva Soares da Rocha and José Cola Zanuncio

Forests 2019, 10(10), 833; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10100833 - 21 Sep 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3221

Abstract

Necromass has a relevant role to play in the carbon stock of forest ecosystems, especially with the increase of tree mortality due to climate change. Despite this importance, its quantification is often neglected in tropical forests. The objective of this study was to quantify the carbon storage in a secondary Atlantic Forest fragment in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Coarse Woody Debris (CWD), standing dead trees (snags), and litter were quantified in twenty 10 m x 50 m plots randomly positioned throughout the forest area (simple random sampling). Data were collected during 2015, from July to December. The CWD and snags volumes were determined by the Smalian method and by allometric equations, respectively. The necromass of these components was estimated by multiplying the volume by the apparent density at each decomposition classes. The litter necromass was estimated by the proportionality method and the average of the extrapolated estimates per hectare. The carbon stock of the three components was quantified by multiplying the necromass and the carbon wood content. The total volume of dead wood, including CWD and snag, was 23.6 ± 0.9 m³ ha⁻¹, being produced mainly by the competition for resources, senescence, and anthropic and climatic disturbances. The total necromass was 16.3 ± 0.4 Mg ha⁻¹. The total carbon stock in necromass was 7.3 ± 0.2 MgC ha⁻¹. The CWD, snag and litter stocked 3.0 ± 0.1, 1.8 ± 0.1, and 2.5 ± 0.1 MgC ha⁻¹, respectively. These results demonstrate that although necromass has a lower carbon stock compared to biomass, neglecting its quantification may lead to underestimation of the carbon balance of forest ecosystems and their potential to mitigate climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Carbon Inventories and Management)

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19 pages, 1276 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implications of Selective Harvesting of Natural Forests for Forest Product Recovery and Forest Carbon Emissions: Cases from Tarai Nepal and Queensland Australia

by Bishnu Hari Poudyal, Tek Narayan Maraseni and Geoff Cockfield

Forests 2019, 10(8), 693; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10080693 - 15 Aug 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5218

Abstract

Selective logging is one of the main natural forest harvesting approaches worldwide and contributes nearly 15% of global timber needs. However, there are increasing concerns that ongoing selective logging practices have led to decreased forest product supply, increased forest degradation, and contributed to forest based carbon emissions. Taking cases of natural forest harvesting practices from the Tarai region of Nepal and Queensland Australia, this study assesses forest product recovery and associated carbon emissions along the timber production chain. Field measurements and product flow analysis of 127 commercially harvested trees up to the exit gate of sawmills and interaction with sawmill owners and forest managers reveal that: (1) Queensland selective logging has less volume recovery (52.8%) compared to Nepal (94.5%) leaving significant utilizable volume in the forest, (2) Stump volume represents 5.5% of total timber volume in Nepal and 3.9% in Queensland with an average stump height of 43.3 cm and 40.1 cm in Nepal and Queensland respectively, (3) Average sawn timber output from the harvested logs is 36.3% in Queensland against 61% in Nepal, (4) Nepal and Queensland leave 0.186 Mg C m⁻³ and 0.718 Mg C m⁻³ on the forest floor respectively, (5) Each harvested tree damages an average of five plant species in Nepal and four in Queensland predominantly seedlings in both sites, and (6) Overall logging related total emissions in Queensland are more than double (1.099 Mg C m⁻³) those in Nepal (0.488 Mg C m⁻³). We compared these results with past studies and speculated on possible reasons for and potential implications of these results for sustainable forest management and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Carbon Inventories and Management)

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24 pages, 3724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimation of Forest Biomass and Carbon Storage in China Based on Forest Resources Inventory Data

by Jing Lu, Zhongke Feng and Yan Zhu

Forests 2019, 10(8), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10080650 - 1 Aug 2019

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5391

Abstract

Forests are important in the global carbon cycle and it is necessary to quickly and accurately measure forest volume to estimate forest aboveground biomass (AGB) and aboveground carbon storage (AGC). In this paper, we used data from the eighth forest resources inventory of China to establish two stand volume models based on stand density and forest basal area for 37 arbor forest types (dominant species); and performed a comparative analysis to obtain the best model. Then the AGB, AGB density, AGC, and AGC density of the different forest types and regions were estimated by conversion function methods. The results showed that: (1) The volume model of tree height and forest basal area could better fit the natural growth process of forests, and 36 of the 37 forest types had R² greater than 0.8; (2) The average AGB density of arbor forest in China was 95.03 Mg ha⁻¹ and the average AGC density was 48.15 Mg ha⁻¹ (3) Among forest types, Picea asperata Mast., Quercus spp., and Populus spp. had the highest AGB and AGC, while Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl, Pinus taiwanensis Hayata, and Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. had the lowest. The AGB density and AGC density of Phoebe zhennan S. Lee et F. N. Wei and Pinus densata Mast. were the highest, while those of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc., Pinus elliottii Engelmann, and Eucalyptus robusta Smith were the lowest. (4) Among regions, AGB and AGC ranging from high to low, were as follows: northwest, southwest, northeast, central south, east, and north. The northwest and southwest regions accounted for more than 70% of the country’s AGB and AGC. The average AGB density and AGC density among the regions were 91.34 Mg ha⁻¹ and 46.4 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively. Ranging from high to low as follows: southwest, northwest, northeast, east, central south, and north. The methods used in this paper provide a basis for fast and accurate estimation of stand volume, and the estimates of AGB and AGC have important reference value for explaining the role of ecosystems in coping with global climate change in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Carbon Inventories and Management)

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12 pages, 1524 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Complete Assessment of Carbon Stocks in Above and Belowground Biomass Components of a Hybrid Eucalyptus Plantation in Southern Brazil

by Márcio Viera and Roque Rodríguez-Soalleiro

Forests 2019, 10(7), 536; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10070536 - 27 Jun 2019

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 6336

Abstract

Hybrid eucalypt clones are grown for fiber production worldwide and to provide an ecosystem service that can store atmospheric carbon at a very fast rate. This study assessed the carbon stocks in the soil and various tree fractions in a 10-year-old plantation of Eucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake × Eucalyptus globulus Labill. in Southern Brazil. Four experimental plots were established, and an inventory of Eucalyptus trees was conducted by considering five diametric classes. Three trees in each diametric class were harvested for biomass and carbon quantification. The understory biomass of native trees was quantified in five subplots and the litter was quantified in 16 subplots. Organic C was quantified in the soil (SOC) and roots (diameter ≤ 0.5 cm) to a depth of 100 cm. The C concentration in the different biomass fractions of the eucalyptus trees were 55.7% (±0.6), 50.4% (±0.4), 49.5% (±0.6) and 45.4 % (±0.9) for leaves, branches, wood and bark, respectively. The C concentrations in the understory fractions were 51.4% (±1.0) for the canopy and 50.0% (±0.9) for the stem. The carbon concentration in the fine root biomass was 45.7% (±1.4). Soil C concentrations were 1.23% (±0.32), 0.97% (±0.10), 0.45% (±0.14), and 0.24% (±0.10) for depths of 0–25, 25–50, 50–75, and 75–100 cm. C was allocated in: (a) the trees (aboveground fraction = 118.45 Mg ha⁻¹ and belowground fraction = 30.06 Mg ha⁻¹), (b) the understory = 1.44 Mg ha⁻¹, (c) the litter = 8.34 Mg ha⁻¹, and (d) the soil (without roots) = 99.7 Mg ha⁻¹. The share of total C stock (a + b + c + d = 258.0 Mg ha⁻¹) was similar in the aboveground (49.7%) and belowground (50.3%) fractions, thus indicating a very high rate of C sequestration in the biomass. Eucalyptus plantations in Brazil are fast growing (for this study = 36.7 m³ ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and contribute to intense carbon sequestration in above and belowground biomass (14.8 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Carbon Inventories and Management)

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15 pages, 1952 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Storage Dynamics of Secondary Forest Succession in the Central Loess Plateau of China

by Bin Yang, Wenhui Zhang, Yanlei Lu, Weiwei Zhang and Yanan Wang

Forests 2019, 10(4), 342; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10040342 - 17 Apr 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5467

Abstract

Research Highlights: This study comprehensively revealed the carbon sequestration characteristics of secondary forests in the central Loess Plateau during vegetation succession. Background and Objectives: The secondary succession of Loess Plateau forests is of great significance in global climate change, but their carbon storage dynamics are poorly understood. The study objectives were to clarify the pattern of changes and contribution level of carbon stocks in various components of ecosystem during succession. Materials and Methods: We selected 18 plots for Pinus tabuliformis Carr. forest at the early stage of succession, 19 for pine-broadleaved mixed forest at the middle stage, and 12 for Quercus-broadleaved mixed forest at the climax stage to determine the tree, shrub, herb, fine root, litter, coarse wood debris (CWD), and soil carbon stocks. Results: Ecosystem carbon stocks increased from 160.73 to 231.14 Mg·ha⁻¹ with the succession stages. Vegetation (including tree, shrub and herb) and soil were the two largest carbon pools, and carbon was mainly sequestrated in tree biomass and shallow soil (0–50 cm). In the early stage, soil contributed more carbon stocks to the ecosystem than vegetation, but with succession, the soil contribution decreased while vegetation contribution increased, finally reaching a balance (46.78% each) at the climax stage. Fine root, litter, and CWD contributed little (average 6.59%) to ecosystem carbon stocks and were mainly involved in the turnover of vegetation biomass to soil carbon. Conclusions: Our results provide direct evidence for carbon sequestration of secondary forests on the Loess Plateau. The dynamic results of carbon storage provide an important basis for forest restoration management under climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Carbon Inventories and Management)

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14 pages, 1158 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Footprint Analysis of Bamboo Scrimber Flooring—Implications for Carbon Sequestration of Bamboo Forests and Its Products

by Lei Gu, Yufeng Zhou, Tingting Mei, Guomo Zhou and Lin Xu

Forests 2019, 10(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10010051 - 11 Jan 2019

Cited by 49 | Viewed by 10002

Abstract

Bamboo forest is characterized by large carbon sequestration capability and it plays an important role in mitigating climate change and global carbon cycling. Previous studies have mostly focused on carbon cycling and carbon stocks in bamboo forest ecosystems, whereas the carbon footprints of bamboo products have not received attention. China is the largest exporting country of bamboo flooring in the world. Estimating the carbon footprint of bamboo flooring is of essential importance for the involved enterprises and consumers to evaluate their own carbon footprints. In this study, we investigated the production processes of bamboo scrimber flooring for outdoor use, a typical bamboo flooring in China. Based on business-to-business (B2B) evaluation method, we assessed CO₂ emission and carbon transfer ratio in each step of the production process, including transporting bamboo culms and producing and packing the products. We found that to produce 1 m³ of bamboo scrimber flooring, direct carbon emissions from fossil fuels during transporting raw materials/semi-finished products, from power consumptions during production, and indirect emissions from applying additives were 30.94 kg CO₂ eq, 143.37 kg CO₂ eq, and 78.34 kg CO₂ eq, respectively. After subtracting the 267.54 kg CO₂ eq carbon stocks in the product from the 252.65 kg CO₂ eq carbon emissions derived within the defined boundary, we found that the carbon footprint of 1 m³ bamboo scrimber flooring was −14.89 kg CO₂ eq. Our results indicated that the bamboo scrimber flooring is a negative carbon-emission product. Finally, we discussed factors that influence the carbon footprint of the bamboo flooring and gave suggestions on carbon emission reduction during production processes. This study provided a scientific basis for estimating carbon stocks and carbon footprints of bamboo products and further expanded knowledge on carbon cycling and lifespan of carbon in the bamboo forest ecosystem. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Carbon Inventories and Management)

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