scholarly journals Sacred Groves: A Pattern of Zagros Forests for Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change Reduction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aiuob moradi ◽  
Nagi Shabanian
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Carbon Content ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Carbon Pools ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves

Abstract Background Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to the global consequences of climate change. Biological carbon sequestration through vegetation and soils is one of the cost-effective ways to reduce this gas. Forests ecosystems are the most important carbon pools among terrestrial ecosystems and play a sustainable and long-term role in reducing climate change. Among forest ecosystems, sacred groves are less-disturbed and they can be a pattern of successful forest management for carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. In the present study, for the first time, the amount of carbon content in sacred grove and silvopastoral lands were investigated to determine the capacity of Zagros oak forests in carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of carbon reserves in mentioned land-uses in order to obtain a systematic attitude towards management of these different land-use types and attain a suitable solution to counter the climate change crisis and ultimately sustainable environmental development. Results The results showed that each of the studied variables in the two studied land use is significantly different from each other. The mean of each of these biomass or carbon pools in silvopastoral is significantly lower than sacred groves. The results indicate that the common utilizations in the forests of the study area cause a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.01) in the forest biomass value and respective carbon content. Sacred grove currently absorbs 826.96 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare more than silvopastoral lands and this is a sign of high degradation in the forests of the study area. Conclusions According to the results obtained in this study, forest ecosystems that are protected against human intervention play a significant role in long-term carbon storage. Any interference with the natural conditions of the ecosystem has a significant negative impact on carbon reserves. Therefore, by selecting appropriate measures, local communities should be empowered to reduce their dependence on low incomes obtained from deforestation and conversion.

scholarly journals Sacred Groves: A Pattern of Zagros Forests for Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change Reduction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aioub Moradi ◽  
Naghi Shabanian
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Carbon Content ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Carbon Pools ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves

Abstract Background Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide has led to the global consequences of climate change. Biological carbon sequestration through vegetation and soils is one of the cost-effective ways to reduce this gas. Forest's ecosystems are the most important carbon pools among terrestrial ecosystems and play a sustainable and long-term role in reducing climate change. Among forest ecosystems, sacred groves are less-disturbed and they can be a pattern of successful forest management for carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. In the present study, for the first time, the amount of carbon content in sacred grove and silvopastoral lands were investigated to determine the capacity of Zagros oak forests in carbon sequestration and climate change reduction. The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of carbon reserves in mentioned land-uses in order to obtain a systematic attitude towards management of these different land-use types and attain a suitable solution to counter the climate change crisis and ultimately sustainable environmental development. Results The results showed that each of the studied variables in the two studied land use is significantly different from each other. The mean of each of these biomass or carbon pools in silvopastoral is significantly lower than sacred groves. The results indicate that the common utilizations in the forests of the study area cause a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.01) in the forest biomass value and respective carbon content. Sacred grove currently absorbs 826.96 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare more than silvopastoral lands and this is a sign of high degradation in the forests of the study area. Conclusions According to the results obtained in this study, forest ecosystems that are protected against human intervention play a significant role in long-term carbon storage. Any interference with the natural conditions of the ecosystem has a significant negative impact on carbon reserves. Therefore, by selecting appropriate measures, local communities should be empowered to reduce their dependence on low incomes obtained from deforestation and conversion.

scholarly journals Plant diversity and carbon stock in sacred groves of semi-arid areas of Cameroon: case study of Mandara Mountains

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
VA Kemeuze ◽  
PM Mapongmetsem ◽  
DJ Sonwa ◽  
E Fongnzossie ◽  
BA Nkongmeneck
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Sacred Grove ◽  
Sacred Groves ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Acacia Senegal ◽  
Land Use Types

The Mandara Mountain eco-region is one of the most important mountain areas of Cameroon. It is often considered as a refuge for several plant and wildlife species. This area is fragile and vulnerable, and faces severe threats from land use change, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, desertification and climate change. Recent studies in sacred groves portrayed these land use types as indigenous strategies which can help to address these environmental problems. Understanding the plant diversity and carbon storage of these land use types in Mandara Mountain can be a good step towards their sustainable management for the delivery of diverse ecosystem services. In this perspective, we established a total of 10 nested circular plots of 1257 m2 each, in the sacred grove of the Mouhour village in Mandara Mountain, and all trees and shrubs with average diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 2.5 cm were counted. Tree biomass was estimated on the basis of DBH and understory biomass using destructive method. A total of 182 woody plants were measured, belonging to 21 species, 18 genera and 12 families. The richest family is Combretaceae with 5 species, followed by Caesalpiniaceae and Mimosaceae (3 species each). The analysis of species diversity indexes shows a relative important biodiversity and the vegetation structure showed a high occurrence of small-diameter of plant species. Mean aboveground carbon stock of 31.13 ± 10.8 tC/ha was obtained in the study area. Isoberlinia doka showed the greatest carbon stock (5.7 tC/ha) followed by Boswellia dalzielii (3.9 tC/ha), Acacia senegal (3.5 tC/ha), Anogeissus leiocarpus (3.3 tC/ha) and Terminalia laxiflora (3.1 tC/ha). These results suggest that the sacred groves of Cameroon dry lands need to be taken into account in national environment protection policies as an alternative to respond to international agreements related to biodiversity conservation, combatting desertification and climate change. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i2.12659 International Journal of Environment Vol.4(2) 2015: 308-318

scholarly journals Soil Carbon Modelling in Salix Biomass Plantations: Variety Determines Carbon Sequestration and Climate Impacts

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1529
Author(s):  
Saurav Kalita ◽  
Hanna Karlsson Potter ◽  
Martin Weih ◽  
Christel Baum ◽  
Åke Nordberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Biomass Yield ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Carbon Modelling ◽  
Sequestration Potential ◽  
Determining Factor ◽  
Change Mitigation

Short-rotation coppice (SRC) Salix plantations have the potential to provide fast-growing biomass feedstock with significant soil and climate mitigation benefits. Salix varieties exhibit significant variation in their physiological traits, growth patterns and soil ecology—but the effects of these variations have rarely been studied from a systems perspective. This study analyses the influence of variety on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and climate impacts from Salix cultivation for heat production for a Swedish site with specific conditions. Soil carbon modelling was combined with a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to quantify SOC sequestration and climate impacts over a 50-year period. The analysis used data from a Swedish field trial of six Salix varieties grown under fertilized and unfertilized treatments on Vertic Cambisols during 2001–2018. The Salix systems were compared with a reference case where heat is produced from natural gas and green fallow was the land use alternative. Climate impacts were determined using time-dependent LCA methodology—on a land-use (per hectare) and delivered energy unit (per MJheat) basis. All Salix varieties and treatments increased SOC, but the magnitude depended on the variety. Fertilization led to lower carbon sequestration than the equivalent unfertilized case. There was no clear relationship between biomass yield and SOC increase. In comparison with reference cases, all Salix varieties had significant potential for climate change mitigation. From a land-use perspective, high yield was the most important determining factor, followed by SOC sequestration, therefore high-yielding fertilized varieties such as ‘Tordis’, ‘Tora’ and ‘Björn’ performed best. On an energy-delivered basis, SOC sequestration potential was the determining factor for the climate change mitigation effect, with unfertilized ‘Jorr’ and ‘Loden’ outperforming the other varieties. These results show that Salix variety has a strong influence on SOC sequestration potential, biomass yield, growth pattern, response to fertilization and, ultimately, climate impact.

scholarly journals What can we learn from long-term groundwater data to improve climate change impact studies?

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 7621-7655 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Stoll ◽  
H. J. Hendricks Franssen ◽  
R. Barthel ◽  
W. Kinzelbach
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Climate Change Impact ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Groundwater Dynamics ◽  
Impact Studies ◽  
Change Impact

Abstract. Future risks for groundwater resources, due to global change are usually analyzed by driving hydrological models with the outputs of climate models. However, this model chain is subject to considerable uncertainties. Given the high uncertainties it is essential to identify the processes governing the groundwater dynamics, as these processes are likely to affect groundwater resources in the future, too. Information about the dominant mechanisms can be achieved by the analysis of long-term data, which are assumed to provide insight in the reaction of groundwater resources to changing conditions (weather, land use, water demand). Referring to this, a dataset of 30 long-term time series of precipitation dominated groundwater systems in northern Switzerland and southern Germany is collected. In order to receive additional information the analysis of the data is carried out together with hydrological model simulations. High spatio-temporal correlations, even over large distances could be detected and are assumed to be related to large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns. As a result it is suggested to prefer innovative weather-type-based downscaling methods to other stochastic downscaling approaches. In addition, with the help of a qualitative procedure to distinguish between meteorological and anthropogenic causes it was possible to identify processes which dominated the groundwater dynamics in the past. It could be shown that besides the meteorological conditions, land use changes, pumping activity and feedback mechanisms governed the groundwater dynamics. Based on these findings, recommendations to improve climate change impact studies are suggested.

scholarly journals Biological Parts for Plant Biodesign to Enhance Land-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Xiaohan Yang ◽  
Degao Liu ◽  
Haiwei Lu ◽  
David J. Weston ◽  
Jin-Gui Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Allocation ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Removal ◽  
Grand Challenge ◽  
Terrestrial Plants ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
Term Storage

A grand challenge facing society is climate change caused mainly by rising CO2 concentration in Earth’s atmosphere. Terrestrial plants are linchpins in global carbon cycling, with a unique capability of capturing CO2 via photosynthesis and translocating captured carbon to stems, roots, and soils for long-term storage. However, many researchers postulate that existing land plants cannot meet the ambitious requirement for CO2 removal to mitigate climate change in the future due to low photosynthetic efficiency, limited carbon allocation for long-term storage, and low suitability for the bioeconomy. To address these limitations, there is an urgent need for genetic improvement of existing plants or construction of novel plant systems through biosystems design (or biodesign). Here, we summarize validated biological parts (e.g., protein-encoding genes and noncoding RNAs) for biological engineering of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) traits in terrestrial plants to accelerate land-based decarbonization in bioenergy plantations and agricultural settings and promote a vibrant bioeconomy. Specifically, we first summarize the framework of plant-based CDR (e.g., CO2 capture, translocation, storage, and conversion to value-added products). Then, we highlight some representative biological parts, with experimental evidence, in this framework. Finally, we discuss challenges and strategies for the identification and curation of biological parts for CDR engineering in plants.

scholarly journals Forestry of Serbia - achievement of Millenium Goals in the era of climate change and globalization

2014 ◽  
pp. 89-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasa Orlovic ◽  
Milan Drekic ◽  
Bratislav Matovic ◽  
Leopold Poljakovic-Pajnik ◽  
Mirjana Stevanov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Novi Sad ◽  
Experimental Trials ◽  
Level 2 ◽  
Term Monitoring ◽  
Forest Institutions

This paper is a review presenting research results on the forest ecosystems of Serbia that are carried out at the Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment (University of Novi Sad, Serbia) in the context of climate change and globalisation. The review displays results of the long-term monitoring of the forest ecosystems, where the data were obtained at the permanent experimental trials of IPC-Forests (level 2) and the iLTER's network. All findings are systematically divided according to the research disciplines and the most important tree species (poplar, willow, oak, wild cherry and European beech). Also the aspects of social sciences are included (meaning evaluating forest institutions in the first place). This review is meant to contribute inputs to the ongoing discussion about the achievement of the Millenium Goals of Sustainable Development in the context of Serbian forestry.

Effect of forest management on the formation and stability of phytolith and PhytOC in forest ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Xu ◽  
Yongjun Shi ◽  
Wanjie Lv ◽  
Zhengwen Niu ◽  
Ning Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Moso Bamboo ◽  
Soil System ◽  
Silicon Fertilization ◽  
Global Carbon

<p>Forest ecosystem has a high carbon sequestration capacity and plays a crucial role in maintaining global carbon balance and climate change. Phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC), a promising long-term biogeochemical carbon sequestration mechanism, has attracted more attentions in the global carbon cycle and the regulation of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub>. Therefore, it is of practical significance to investigate the PhytOC accumulation in forest ecosystems. Previous studies have mostly focused on the estimation of the content and storage of PhytOC, while there were still few studies on how the management practices affect the PhytOC content. Here, this study focused on the effects of four management practices (compound fertilization, silicon fertilization, cut and control) on the increase of phytolith and PhytOC in Moso bamboo forests. We found that silicon fertilization had a greater potential to significantly promote the capacity of carbon sequestration in Moso bamboo forests. this finding positively corresponds recent studies that the application of silicon fertilizers (e.g., biochar) increase the Si uptake<strong><sup>1</sup></strong> to promote phytolith accumulation and its PhytOC sequestration in the plant-soil system<strong><sup>2</sup></strong>. Of course, the above-mentioned document<strong><sup>2</sup></strong> also had their own shortcomings, i.e., the experimental research time was not long, lacking long-term follow-up trial and the bamboo forest parts were also limited, so that the test results lack certain reliability. We have set up a long-term experiment plot to study the effects of silicon fertilizer on the formation and stability of phytolith and PhytOC in Moso bamboo forests. But anyway, different forest management practices, especially the application of high-efficiency silicon-rich fertilizers<strong><sup>1</sup></strong>, may be an effective way to increase the phytolith and PhytOC storage in forest ecosystems, and thereby improve the long-term CO<sub>2 </sub>sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems. Research in this study provides a good "forest plan" to achieve their national voluntary emission reduction commitments and achieves carbon neutrality goals for all over the world.</p><p>Refences:</p><p><sup>1</sup>Li et al., 2019. Plant and soil, 438(1-2), pp.187-203.</p><p><sup>2</sup>Huang et al., 2020, Science of The Total Environment, 715, p.136846.</p>

Introduction

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Berner
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Cycle ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Quaternary Period ◽  
Geological Time Scale ◽  
The Earth

The cycle of carbon is essential to the maintenance of life, to climate, and to the composition of the atmosphere and oceans. What is normally thought of as the “carbon cycle” is the transfer of carbon between the atmosphere, the oceans, and life. This is not the subject of interest of this book. To understand this apparently confusing statement, it is necessary to separate the carbon cycle into two cycles: the short-term cycle and the long-term cycle. The “carbon cycle,” as most people understand it, is represented in figure 1.1. Carbon dioxide is taken up via photosynthesis by green plants on the continents or phytoplankton in the ocean. On land carbon is transferred to soils by the dropping of leaves, root growth, and respiration, the death of plants, and the development of soil biota. Land herbivores eat the plants, and carnivores eat the herbivores. In the oceans the phytoplankton are eaten by zooplankton that are in turn eaten by larger and larger organisms. The plants, plankton, and animals respire CO2. Upon death the plants and animals are decomposed by microorganisms with the ultimate production of CO2. Carbon dioxide is exchanged between the oceans and atmosphere, and dissolved organic matter is carried in solution by rivers from soils to the sea. This all constitutes the shortterm carbon cycle. The word “short-term” is used because the characteristic times for transferring carbon between reservoirs range from days to tens of thousands of years. Because the earth is more than four billion years old, this is short on a geological time scale. As the short-term cycle proceeds, concentrations of the two principal atmospheric gases, CO2 and CH4, can change as a result of perturbations of the cycle. Because these two are both greenhouse gases—in other words, they adsorb outgoing infrared radiation from the earth surface—changes in their concentrations can involve global warming and cooling over centuries and many millennia. Such changes have accompanied global climate change over the Quaternary period (past 2 million years), although other factors, such as variations in the receipt of solar radiation due to changes in characteristics of the earth’s orbit, have also contributed to climate change.

Balancing the competing needs of climate change, biodiversity and rural communities

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 249-249
Author(s):  
H Prosser
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
New Technology ◽  
The Uk

The work of the UK Climate Change Commission (UKCCC) in recommending targets and options for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases is focusing attention on what agriculture and land use can contribute to deliver these targets. Although overall the major issue is the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, agriculture and land use are significant emitters of methane and nitrous oxide. UKCCC has identified three main routes by which emissions can be reduced• Lifestyle change with less reliance on carbon intensive produce -eg switching from sheep, and beef to pig, poultry and vegetables.• Changing farm practices – eg to improve use of fertilisers and manures• Using new technology on farms – eg modifying rumen processes, anaerobic digestion.

scholarly journals The Scenario Model Intercomparison Project (ScenarioMIP) for CMIP6

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 3461-3482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian C. O'Neill ◽  
Claudia Tebaldi ◽  
Detlef P. van Vuuren ◽  
Veronika Eyring ◽  
Pierre Friedlingstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Integrated Assessment ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Model Intercomparison ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Scenario Model ◽  
Intercomparison Project

Abstract. Projections of future climate change play a fundamental role in improving understanding of the climate system as well as characterizing societal risks and response options. The Scenario Model Intercomparison Project (ScenarioMIP) is the primary activity within Phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) that will provide multi-model climate projections based on alternative scenarios of future emissions and land use changes produced with integrated assessment models. In this paper, we describe ScenarioMIP's objectives, experimental design, and its relation to other activities within CMIP6. The ScenarioMIP design is one component of a larger scenario process that aims to facilitate a wide range of integrated studies across the climate science, integrated assessment modeling, and impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability communities, and will form an important part of the evidence base in the forthcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments. At the same time, it will provide the basis for investigating a number of targeted science and policy questions that are especially relevant to scenario-based analysis, including the role of specific forcings such as land use and aerosols, the effect of a peak and decline in forcing, the consequences of scenarios that limit warming to below 2 °C, the relative contributions to uncertainty from scenarios, climate models, and internal variability, and long-term climate system outcomes beyond the 21st century. To serve this wide range of scientific communities and address these questions, a design has been identified consisting of eight alternative 21st century scenarios plus one large initial condition ensemble and a set of long-term extensions, divided into two tiers defined by relative priority. Some of these scenarios will also provide a basis for variants planned to be run in other CMIP6-Endorsed MIPs to investigate questions related to specific forcings. Harmonized, spatially explicit emissions and land use scenarios generated with integrated assessment models will be provided to participating climate modeling groups by late 2016, with the climate model simulations run within the 2017–2018 time frame, and output from the climate model projections made available and analyses performed over the 2018–2020 period.

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