Influence of Climate Change, Fire, Insect and Harvest on Carbon Dynamics for Jack Pine in Central Canada: Simulation Approach with the EFIMOD Model

Abstract. Woodlands represent highly significant carbon sinks globally, though could lose this function under future climatic change. Effective large-scale monitoring of these woodlands has a critical role to play in mitigating for, and adapting to, climate change. Mediterranean woodlands have low carbon densities, but represent important global carbon stocks due to their extensiveness and are particularly vulnerable because the region is predicted to become much hotter and drier over the coming century. Airborne lidar is already recognized as an excellent approach for high-fidelity carbon mapping, but few studies have used multi-temporal lidar surveys to measure carbon fluxes in forests and none have worked with Mediterranean woodlands. We use a multi-temporal (5-year interval) airborne lidar data set for a region of central Spain to estimate above-ground biomass (AGB) and carbon dynamics in typical mixed broadleaved and/or coniferous Mediterranean woodlands. Field calibration of the lidar data enabled the generation of grid-based maps of AGB for 2006 and 2011, and the resulting AGB change was estimated. There was a close agreement between the lidar-based AGB growth estimate (1.22 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and those derived from two independent sources: the Spanish National Forest Inventory, and a tree-ring based analysis (1.19 and 1.13 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively). We parameterised a simple simulator of forest dynamics using the lidar carbon flux measurements, and used it to explore four scenarios of fire occurrence. Under undisturbed conditions (no fire) an accelerating accumulation of biomass and carbon is evident over the next 100 years with an average carbon sequestration rate of 1.95 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. This rate reduces by almost a third when fire probability is increased to 0.01 (fire return rate of 100 years), as has been predicted under climate change. Our work shows the power of multi-temporal lidar surveying to map woodland carbon fluxes and provide parameters for carbon dynamics models. Space deployment of lidar instruments in the near future could open the way for rolling out wide-scale forest carbon stock monitoring to inform management and governance responses to future environmental change.

Download Full-text

Assessment of Carbon Dynamics of Forest Ecosystems in the Poyang Lake Basin Responding to Afforestation and Future Climate Change

Journal of Resources and Ecology ◽

10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2013.01.002 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 11-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhou Lei ◽

Wang Shaoqiang ◽

Ju Weimin ◽

Xiong Zhe ◽

Georg Kindermann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Poyang Lake ◽

Carbon Dynamics ◽

Future Climate ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Lake Basin ◽

Poyang Lake Basin

Download Full-text

Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board/Bureau Canadien d’agré en foresterie / UBC Student Awarded FPAC’s Green Dream Internship / Central Canada SFI Implementation Committee Recognized / The State of Canada’s Forests – 2016 / L’état des forêts au Canada – 2016 / Interactive Wetlands Map to Contribute to Action on Climate Change / Swiss Needle Cast Intensifies in the Oregon Coast Range / SFI Conservation Award to Washington DNR and Partners / NRC’s My Tree App

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc2016-073 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 92 (04) ◽

pp. 401-408

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

The State ◽

Coast Range ◽

Oregon Coast Range ◽

Oregon Coast ◽

Needle Cast ◽

Central Canada ◽

Swiss Needle Cast

Download Full-text

ASSESSING GROWTH, YIELD, AND CARBON DYNAMICS IN UPPER GREAT LAKES JACK PINE AND HYBRID POPLAR MANAGED FOR BIOMASS PRODUCTION

10.37099/mtu.dc.etdr/317 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Ashlee Baker Lehner

Keyword(s):

Great Lakes ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Hybrid Poplar ◽

Growth Yield ◽

Carbon Dynamics ◽

Jack Pine ◽

Upper Great Lakes

Download Full-text

Climate-driven enrichment of pollutants in peatlands

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-4-905-2007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 905-911 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

A. Martínez Cortizas ◽

H. Biester ◽

T. Mighall ◽

R. Bindler

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Critical Role ◽

Carbon Dynamics ◽

Aquatic Systems ◽

Element Concentrations ◽

Present Trend ◽

Carbon Release ◽

Northern Peatlands ◽

Global Carbon ◽

Multiproxy Approach

Abstract. Peatlands play an important role for global carbon dynamics, acting as a sink or source depending on climate. Such changes imply a series of additional effects because peatlands are also an important reservoir of atmospherically derived pollutants. Using a multiproxy approach (non-pollen-palynomorphs, δ15N, C/N, Se, Br, I, Hg, Ti), we show a relationship between climate (wetter–drier) and peat decomposition, which affected element concentrations in a Spanish bog during the last 5500 years. Changes in superficial wetness played a critical role in the cycling of elements coupled to carbon dynamics. Dry phases caused increased peat mineralisation, resulting in a 2–3 times increase in concentrations of the analysed elements independent from atmospheric fluxes. Under the present trend of climate change large areas of northern peatlands are expected to be severely affected; in this context our findings indicate that the increase in carbon release, which leads to an enrichment of elements, may enhance the export of stored contaminants (Hg, organohalogens) to the aquatic systems or to the atmosphere.

Download Full-text