scholarly journals Assessment of Trace Gas Emissions From Wild Fires in Different Vegetation Types in Northern Ghana: Implications for Global Warming

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nyadzi ◽  
Mathew I. S. Ezenwa ◽  
Benjamin K. Nyarko ◽  
A. A. Okhimamhe ◽  
Thomas T. Bagamsah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Monoxide ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Biomass Density ◽  
Savanna Woodland ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Wild Fires

Biomass burning in Northern Ghana is a major cause for concern because of its potential contribution to global warming, hence climate change. This study assessed the emission of trace gases from human activities in the Guinea savanna of Northern Ghana using the guidelines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Carbon content of biomass was determined from four different vegetation covers in the study area; namely, widely open savanna woodland, grass/herb with scattered trees, open savanna woodland and closed savanna woodland. Under each vegetation cover, five plots (1 m x 1 m) were demarcated for the estimation of above-ground biomass density. Using the combustion furnace method, emitted carbon, methane and carbon monoxide were estimated. Results showed that the emitted methane (CH4) and carbon monoxide (CO) differed significantly (p<0.05) under all the vegetation types. The gases were in perfect correlation (r=1.00) with the quantity of above-ground biomass density and carbon released, with more CO being emitted. Emission of CH4 and CO per hectare of burnt area in the open savanna woodland category was the highest with 0.001719 ton and 0.045119 ton respectively. Over time, emission of these gases may increase their atmospheric concentration, causing major health problems. The contribution to global warming, thus climate change, may also become quite significant. This underscores the fact that existing flaws in the wild fire management policy of Ghana must be effectively dealt with and appropriately implemented with regular reviews to reduce the annual wild fires that are very rampant in Northern Ghana, especially during the dry season.

Growth and yield response of winter wheat to soil warming and rainfall patterns

2010 ◽  
Vol 148 (5) ◽  
pp. 553-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. PATIL ◽  
M. LAEGDSMAND ◽  
J. E. OLESEN ◽  
J. R. PORTER
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Rainfall Amount ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Soil Warming ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Rainfall Frequency ◽  
Crop Development

SUMMARYIt is predicted that climate change will increase not only seasonal air and soil temperatures in northern Europe but also the variability of rainfall patterns. This may influence temporal soil moisture regimes and the growth and yield of winter wheat. A lysimeter experiment was carried out in 2008/09 with three factors: rainfall amount, rainfall frequency and soil warming (two levels in each factor), on sandy loam soil in Denmark. The soil warming treatment included non-heated as the control and an increase in soil temperature by 5°C at 100 mm depth as heated. The rainfall treatment included the site mean for 1961–90 as the control and the projected monthly mean change for 2071–2100 under the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A2 scenario for the climate change treatment. Projected monthly mean changes in rainfall compared to the reference period 1961–90 show, on average, 31% increase during winter (November–March) and 24% decrease during summer (July–September) with no changes during spring (April–June). The rainfall frequency treatment included mean monthly rainy days for 1961–90 as the control and a reduced frequency treatment with only half the number of rainy days of the control treatment, without altering the monthly mean rainfall amount. Mobile rain-out shelters, automated irrigation system and insulated heating cables were used to impose the treatments.Soil warming hastened crop development during early stages (until stem elongation) and shortened the total crop growing season by 12 days without reducing the period taken for later development stages. Soil warming increased green leaf area index (GLAI) and above-ground biomass during early growth, which was accompanied by an increased amount of nitrogen (N) in plants. However, the plant N concentration and its dilution pattern during later developmental stages followed the same pattern in both heated and control plots. Increased soil moisture deficit was observed only during the period when crop growth was significantly enhanced by soil warming. However, soil warming reduced N concentration in above-ground biomass during the entire growing period, except at harvest, by advancing crop development. Soil warming had no effect on the number of tillers, but reduced ear number and increased 1000 grain weight. This did not affect grain yield and total above-ground biomass compared with control. This suggests that genotypes with a longer vegetative period would probably be better adapted to future warmer conditions. The rainfall pattern treatments imposed in the present study did not influence either soil moisture regimes or performance of winter wheat, though the crop receiving future rainfall amount tended to retain more green leaf area. There was no significant interaction between the soil warming and rainfall treatments on crop growth.

scholarly journals Detection of large above-ground biomass variability in lowland forest ecosystems by airborne LiDAR

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 3917-3930 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Jubanski ◽  
U. Ballhorn ◽  
K. Kronseder ◽  
F. Siegert ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Inventory Data ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Change Models ◽  
Ground Biomass

Abstract. Quantification of tropical forest above-ground biomass (AGB) over large areas as input for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) projects and climate change models is challenging. This is the first study which attempts to estimate AGB and its variability across large areas of tropical lowland forests in Central Kalimantan (Indonesia) through correlating airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to forest inventory data. Two LiDAR height metrics were analysed, and regression models could be improved through the use of LiDAR point densities as input (R2 = 0.88; n = 52). Surveying with a LiDAR point density per square metre of about 4 resulted in the best cost / benefit ratio. We estimated AGB for 600 km of LiDAR tracks and showed that there exists a considerable variability of up to 140% within the same forest type due to varying environmental conditions. Impact from logging operations and the associated AGB losses dating back more than 10 yr could be assessed by LiDAR but not by multispectral satellite imagery. Comparison with a Landsat classification for a 1 million ha study area where AGB values were based on site-specific field inventory data, regional literature estimates, and default values by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showed an overestimation of 43%, 102%, and 137%, respectively. The results show that AGB overestimation may lead to wrong greenhouse gas (GHG) emission estimates due to deforestation in climate models. For REDD+ projects this leads to inaccurate carbon stock estimates and consequently to significantly wrong REDD+ based compensation payments.

Controls of plant diversity attributes over above ground biomass in Sal forests of Eastern India

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Kumar ◽  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Purabi Saikia
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Eastern India ◽  
Shorea Robusta ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Indian Forests

Abstract Background Above ground biomass (AGB) is a useful measure for assessing changes in forest structure and functional, and play a significant role in studying carbon stocks, the effect of deforestation and carbon sequestration on the global carbon balance. The present study aimed to study the relationship between AGB and community parameters in Sal forests of Eastern India through stratified random sampling by lying 92 belt transects each of 0.5 ha size. Results It recorded a high AGB (410.70 Mg ha-1), and carbon stock (Cp) (193.06 Mg C ha-1), and forest wise AGB ranged from 0.19 to 24.75 Mg ha-1 (mean 4.45 ± 0.45 SE). The spatial pattern of AGB showed that maximum studied forests (65%) had very low AGB (<5.00 Mg ha-1), and only one forests (1%) located in the northwest corner of Ranchi had very high AGB (>20 Mg ha-1). Species wise AGB ranged from 0.001 to 7074.94 Mg ha-1 (mean 106 ± 71 SE) and Shorea robusta with maximum basal area (120.81 m2 ha−1) contributed maximum AGB (64.87% of the total AGB), however, no similar trends have been observed in any other tree species. A significant positive correlation was observed between AGB and Cp (r=1.00, p<0.01), H’ (r= .58, p<0.01), Dmg (r= .31, p<0.01), Dmn (r= .49, p<0.01), ENS (r= .57, p<0.01), E (r= .26, p<0.05), and basal area (r= 0.71, p<0.05). However, a negative correlation of AGB was evident with CD (r= -.57, p<0.01), and density (r= - 0.17). Conclusions The relationships differed greatly among plant diversity attributes, basal area, density, AGB, and Cp within and among various forests and the strongest relationships within each forests were always those having greater richness (Dmg, Dmn), diversity (H, ENS), basal area or evenness (E). Estimation of forest Cp enables us to assess the amount of carbon loss during deforestation or the amount of carbon stored during forest regeneration. The present study will directly help in studying the response of climate change on ecosystem productivity, energy and nutrient flow, and for assessing the patterns of carbon sequestration in Indian forests under global climate change.

scholarly journals Structural, physiognomic and above-ground biomass variation in savanna–forest transition zones on three continents – how different are co-occurring savanna and forest formations?

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2927-2951 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Veenendaal ◽  
M. Torello-Raventos ◽  
T. R. Feldpausch ◽  
T. F. Domingues ◽  
F. Gerard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Woody Plant ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Forest Transition ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Stable States ◽  
Transition Zones ◽  
Ground Biomass

Abstract. Through interpretations of remote-sensing data and/or theoretical propositions, the idea that forest and savanna represent "alternative stable states" is gaining increasing acceptance. Filling an observational gap, we present detailed stratified floristic and structural analyses for forest and savanna stands located mostly within zones of transition (where both vegetation types occur in close proximity) in Africa, South America and Australia. Woody plant leaf area index variation was related to tree canopy cover in a similar way for both savanna and forest with substantial overlap between the two vegetation types. As total woody plant canopy cover increased, so did the relative contribution of middle and lower strata of woody vegetation. Herbaceous layer cover declined as woody cover increased. This pattern of understorey grasses and herbs progressively replaced by shrubs as the canopy closes over was found for both savanna and forests and on all continents. Thus, once subordinate woody canopy layers are taken into account, a less marked transition in woody plant cover across the savanna–forest-species discontinuum is observed compared to that inferred when trees of a basal diameter > 0.1 m are considered in isolation. This is especially the case for shrub-dominated savannas and in taller savannas approaching canopy closure. An increased contribution of forest species to the total subordinate cover is also observed as savanna stand canopy closure occurs. Despite similarities in canopy-cover characteristics, woody vegetation in Africa and Australia attained greater heights and stored a greater amount of above-ground biomass than in South America. Up to three times as much above-ground biomass is stored in forests compared to savannas under equivalent climatic conditions. Savanna–forest transition zones were also found to typically occur at higher precipitation regimes for South America than for Africa. Nevertheless, consistent across all three continents coexistence was found to be confined to a well-defined edaphic–climate envelope with soil and climate the key determinants of the relative location of forest and savanna stands. Moreover, when considered in conjunction with the appropriate water availability metrics, it emerges that soil exchangeable cations exert considerable control on woody canopy-cover extent as measured in our pan-continental (forest + savanna) data set. Taken together these observations do not lend support to the notion of alternate stable states mediated through fire feedbacks as the prime force shaping the distribution of the two dominant vegetation types of the tropical lands.

scholarly journals Detection of large above ground biomass variability in lowland forest ecosystems by airborne LiDAR

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 11815-11842 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Jubanski ◽  
U. Ballhorn ◽  
K. Kronseder ◽  
J. Franke ◽  
F. Siegert
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Inventory Data ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Change Models ◽  
Ground Biomass

Abstract. Quantification of tropical forest Above Ground Biomass (AGB) over large areas as input for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) projects and climate change models is challenging. This is the first study which attempts to estimate AGB and its variability across large areas of tropical lowland forests in Central Kalimantan (Indonesia) through correlating airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to forest inventory data. Two LiDAR height metrics were analysed and regression models could be improved through the use of LiDAR point densities as input (R2 = 0.88; n = 52). Surveying with a LiDAR point density per square meter of 2–4 resulted in the best cost-benefit ratio. We estimated AGB for 600 km of LiDAR tracks and showed that there exists a considerable variability of up to 140% within the same forest type due to varying environmental conditions. Impact from logging operations and the associated AGB losses dating back more than 10 yr could be assessed by LiDAR but not by multispectral satellite imagery. Comparison with a Landsat classification for a 1 million ha study area where AGB values were based on site specific field inventory data, regional literature estimates, and default values by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showed an overestimation of 46%, 102%, and 137%, respectively. The results show that AGB overestimation may lead to wrong GHG emission estimates due to deforestation in climate models. For REDD+ projects this leads to inaccurate carbon stock estimates and consequently to significantly wrong REDD+ based compensation payments.

scholarly journals Above-ground and Below-ground Biomass situation of Milke-Jaljale Rangeland at Different Altitudinal Gradient

Our Nature ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-111
Author(s):  
D.K. Limbu ◽  
M. Koirala
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Carbon Reduction ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Harvesting Method ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Low Altitude

Rangeland conservation has been increasingly interested for carbon reduction and mitigation of climate change, because of carbon storage. Thus, biomass of the rangeland remains pivotal regarding carbon sequestration on rangeland. Present study was conducted in high altitude rangeland at Jaljale (4000 m), Gorujure (3500 m) and Milke (3000 m) on September, 2010 with an objective to estimate rangeland biomass following the total harvesting method. Result revealed that biomass of high altitude rangeland has relatively high value (1.50 t/ha for both above ground biomass and 43.48 t/ha for below ground biomass) compared to low altitude rangeland (0.35 t/ha for above ground biomass and 16.93 t/ha for below ground biomass). Similarly, monocot plant density play crucial role for biomass contribution of rangeland.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/on.v9i1.5740

scholarly journals Modeling impacts of climate change and grazing effects on plant biomass and soil organic carbon in the Qinghai–Tibetan grasslands

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 5455-5470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjuan Zhang ◽  
Feng Zhang ◽  
Jiaguo Qi ◽  
Fujiang Hou
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Grazing Intensity ◽  
Ecosystem Change ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Ground Biomass

Abstract. The Qinghai Province supports over 40 % of the human population of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) but occupies about 29 % of its land area, and thus it plays an important role in the plateau. The dominant land cover is grassland, which has been severely degraded over the last decade due to a combination of increased human activities and climate change. Numerous studies indicate that the plateau is sensitive to recent global climate change, but the drivers and consequences of grassland ecosystem change are controversial, especially the effects of climate change and grazing patterns on the grassland biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in this region. In this study, we used the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model and two climate change scenarios (representative concentration pathways: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) to understand how the grassland biomass and SOC pools might respond to different grazing intensities under future climate change scenarios. More than 1400 grassland biomass sampling points and 46 SOC points were used to validate the simulated results. The simulated above-ground biomass and SOC concentrations were in good agreement with the measured data (R2 0.71 and 0.73 for above-ground biomass and SOC, respectively). The results showed that climate change may be the major factor that leads to fluctuations in the grassland biomass and SOC, and it explained 26.4 and 47.7 % of biomass and SOC variation, respectively. Meanwhile, the grazing intensity explained 6.4 and 2.3 % variation in biomass and SOC, respectively. The project average biomass and SOC between 2015 and 2044 was significantly smaller than past 30 years (1985–2014), and it was 191.17 g C m−2, 63.44 g C kg−1 and 183.62 g C m−2, 63.37 g C kg−1 for biomass and SOC under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively. The RCP8.5 showed the more negative effect on the biomass and SOC compared with RCP4.5. Grazing intensity had a negative relationship with biomass and positive relationship with SOC. Compared with the baseline, the biomass and SOC changed by 12.56 and −0.19 % for G0, 7.23 and 0.23 for G−50, and −5.17 and 1.19 % for G+50. In the future, more human activity and management practices should be coupled into the model simulation.

scholarly journals Carbon capture in three land use systems in the Colombian Amazonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-123
Author(s):  
Yelly-Yamparli Pardo-Rozo ◽  
Hernán-Jair Andrade-Castañeda ◽  
Jader Muñoz-Ramos ◽  
Jaime-Enrique Velásquez-Restrepo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Rubber Plantations ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Temporal Sampling

The main strategies to combat climate change are reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing carbon sinks in terrestrial ecosystems such as forests, forest plantations, and agroforestry systems. Deforestation and land use changes in the Amazonia bear great responsibility both for the fixation and emission of GHG. The aim of this research was to estimate the carbon stored in above-ground biomass of forests, rubber plantations (Hevea brasiliensis Muell Arg.), and trees in pastures in the Colombian Amazonia piedmont. Data was collected in 40 farms located in the rural area of the municipality of Belén de Los Andaquíes (Colombia). A total of 174 temporal sampling plots of 250 m2 each were established (80 in forests, 40 in rubber plantations and 54 in pastures with trees). In these plots, the diameter at breast height (dbh) was measured in trees with dbh ≥ 10 cm, and the above-ground biomass was estimated with allometric models for the Colombian Amazon. The carbon stored was 154.1 Mg ha-1 in forests, 1.4 Mg ha-1 in pastures with trees and 138.9 Mg ha-1 in rubber plantations. Positive changes for mitigation of climate change could be achieved through the conversion of agricultural areas, mainly pastures, to forests (+560 Mg CO2 ha-1). Likewise, if deforestation stops in the area, the estimated emissions reduction would be 0.16 Tg CO2 year-1.

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