The Neglected Carbon Sink: Above-Ground Carbon Stock Estimates of Urban Forests and Their Variations by Land Use Type in Zomba City, Malawi

This study was conducted to estimate carbon stock enhancement and climate change mitigation potential of restoration effort in Rebu Watershed, Woliso Woreda, Ethiopia. Two restored lands of thirteen years old were randomly selected from two kebeles. Biomass and soil data were collected systematically from nested plots. Mensuration of woody species, soil, and grass/litter samples was collected from the subplots of the nested plots. A total of 72 composite soil samples were collected. The results showed the positive impact of restoration activity on enhancing biomass and soil organic carbon stocks. The restored land ecosystem had shown higher carbon stock of (138.51 ± 27.34 t/ha) than the adjacent unrestored land ecosystem (101.43 ± 21.25 t/ha), which confirmed the potential of restoration in enhancing the carbon stock and mitigating climate change. Hence, the restored land use type has been stored about 8.37 t/ha of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in biomasses. The restored land use type has mitigated climate change (absorb CO2) by 7.7 times than the adjacent unrestored land use type in this study. The significant values in restored land use types were due to the enhanced vegetation and land cover, which contributed to the biomass and soil organic carbon accumulation. Moreover, the lower values in unrestored land use type were due to the continuous degradation and disturbance from livestock and human beings. Therefore, the result of this study showed that protecting the degraded lands from any disturbance could enhance the carbon stocks of the ecosystem and mitigate the carbon emission rate.

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Implementation of REDD+ in sub-Saharan Africa: state of knowledge, challenges and opportunities

Environment and Development Economics ◽

10.1017/s1355770x11000155 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 381-404 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

MATIEU HENRY ◽

DANAE MANIATIS ◽

VINCENT GITZ ◽

DAVID HUBERMAN ◽

RICCARDO VALENTINI

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Carbon Stock ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Carbon Sink ◽

Forest Degradation ◽

Forest Carbon ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Forest Cover Change ◽

Forest Carbon Stock ◽

Sub Saharan

ABSTRACTDeforestation and forest degradation represent an important part of global CO2 emissions. The identification of the multiple drivers of land-use change, past and present forest cover change and associated carbon budget, and the presence of locally adapted systems to allow for proper monitoring are particularly lacking in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Any incentive system to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) will have to overcome those limits. This paper reviews the main challenges to implementing effective REDD+ mitigation activities in SSA. We estimate that SSA is currently a net carbon sink of approximately 319 TgCO2 yr−1. Forest degradation and deforestation put the forest carbon stock at risk (mean forest carbon stock is 57,679 TgC). Our results highlight the importance of looking beyond the forest sector to ensure that REDD+ efforts are aligned with agricultural and land-use policies.

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Changes in soil water holding capacity and water availability following vegetation restoration on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-88914-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yong-wang Zhang ◽

Kai-bo Wang ◽

Jun Wang ◽

Changhai Liu ◽

Zhou-ping Shangguan

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Water ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Chinese Loess Plateau ◽

Land Use Type ◽

Chinese Loess ◽

Water Holding ◽

The Chinese Loess Plateau

AbstractChanges in land use type can lead to variations in soil water characteristics. The objective of this study was to identify the responses of soil water holding capacity (SWHC) and soil water availability (SWA) to land use type (grassland, shrubland and forestland). The soil water characteristic curve describes the relationship between gravimetric water content and soil suction. We measured the soil water characteristic parameters representing SWHC and SWA, which we derived from soil water characteristic curves, in the 0–50 cm soil layer at sites representing three land use types in the Ziwuling forest region, located in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. Our results showed that the SWHC was higher at the woodland site than the grassland and shrubland, and there was no significant difference between the latter two sites, the trend of SWA was similar to the SWHC. From grassland to woodland, the soil physical properties in the 0–50 cm soil layer partially improved, BD was significantly higher at the grassland site than at the shrubland and woodland sites, the clay and silt contents decreased significantly from grassland to shrubland to woodland and sand content showed the opposite pattern, the soil porosity was higher in the shrubland and woodland than that in the grassland, the soil physical properties across the 0–50 cm soil layer improved. Soil texture, porosity and bulk density were the key factors affecting SWHC and SWA. The results of this study provide insight into the effects of vegetation restoration on local hydrological resources and can inform soil water management and land use planning on the Chinese Loess Plateau.

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Effects of Urban Forest Types and Traits on Soil Organic Carbon Stock in Beijing

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12040394 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 394

Author(s):

Xinhui Xu ◽

Zhenkai Sun ◽

Zezhou Hao ◽

Qi Bian ◽

Kaiyue Wei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Carbon Stock ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Coniferous Forest ◽

Predictor Variable ◽

Urban Forests ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Forest Types ◽

Organic Carbon Stock

Forests can affect soil organic carbon (SOC) quality and distribution through forest types and traits. However, much less is known about the influence of urban forests on SOC, especially in the effects of different forest types, such as coniferous and broadleaved forests. Our objectives were to assess the effects of urban forest types on the variability of SOC content (SOC concentration (SOCC) and SOC density (SOCD)) and determine the key forest traits influencing SOC. Data from 168 urban forest plots of coniferous or broadleaved forests located in the Beijing urban area were used to predict the effects of forest types and traits on SOC in three different soil layers, 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm. The analysis of variance and multiple comparisons were used to test the differences in SOC between forest types or layers. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to explain the influence of forest traits on SOC and select the significant predictors. Our results showed that in urban forests, the SOCC and SOCD values of the coniferous forest group were both significantly higher than those of the broadleaved group. The SOCC of the surface soil was significantly higher than those of the following two deep layers. In PLSR models, 42.07% of the SOCC variance and 35.83% of the SOCD variance were explained by forest traits. Diameter at breast height was selected as the best predictor variable by comparing variable importance in projection (VIP) scores in the models. The results suggest that forest types and traits could be used as an optional approach to assess the organic carbon stock in urban forest soils. This study found substantial effects of urban forest types and traits on soil organic carbon sequestration, which provides important data support for urban forest planning and management.

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Reexamine China’s terrestrial ecosystem carbon balance under land use-type and climate change

Land Use Policy ◽

10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.105275 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 102 ◽

pp. 105275

Author(s):

Jiasheng Li ◽

Xiaomin Guo ◽

Xiaowei Chuai ◽

Fangjian Xie ◽

Feng Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Land Use ◽

Carbon Balance ◽

Terrestrial Ecosystem ◽

Land Use Type ◽

Ecosystem Carbon ◽

Ecosystem Carbon Balance

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Effects of air pollution, land-use type, and maternal mental health on child development in the first two years of life in the Greater Taipei area

Environmental Research ◽

10.1016/j.envres.2021.111168 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 197 ◽

pp. 111168

Author(s):

Ming-Lun Zou ◽

Chuen-Bin Jiang ◽

Yi-Hua Chen ◽

Chih-Da Wu ◽

Shih-Chun Candice Lung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Land Use ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Child Development ◽

Maternal Mental Health ◽

Land Use Type

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Urban plant assemblages by land use type in Milan: Floristic, ecological and functional diversities and refugium role of railway areas

Urban Forestry & Urban Greening ◽

10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127175 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 62 ◽

pp. 127175

Author(s):

Chiara Toffolo ◽

Rodolfo Gentili ◽

Enrico Banfi ◽

Chiara Montagnani ◽

Sarah Caronni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Land Use Type ◽

Plant Assemblages

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Denitrification potential of organic, forest and grassland soils in the Ribble-Wyre and Conwy River catchments, UK

Environmental Science Processes & Impacts ◽

10.1039/c3em00693j ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. 1551-1562 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Fotis Sgouridis ◽

Sami Ullah

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Land Use Type ◽

Grassland Soils ◽

Denitrification Potential ◽

River Catchments

Denitrification potential was significantly influenced by land use type where it was lower in organic and forest than in semi-improved and improved grassland soils.

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