Aboveground biomas and ecosystem carbon pools in tropical secondary forests growing in six life zones of Costa Rica
Carbon sequestration in tropical secondary forests growing in all climates must be quantified to understand their potential role in adaptation and mitigation strategies of global climate change. Total aboveground biomass (TAGB), soil carbon, and total ecosystem carbon (TEC) were measured in 54 secondary forests growing along a broad bioclimatic gradient of 6 life zones, from lowland Dry to Premontane Rain forests in Costa Rica. The potential of regenerating secondary forests to offset carbon losses due to climate change-mediated primary forest degradation into the year 2100 was also determined. TAGB ranged from 12 Mg·ha-1 (5 MgC·ha-1) in a 9-yr Dry forest to 298 Mg·ha-1 (143 MgC·ha-1) in a 60-yr Wet forest. TAGB and carbon were correlated with forest age and the ratio of potential evapotranspiration to precipitation. Secondary forests were predicted to reach TAGB ≥ 90% of that in primary forest in 35 to 126 yrs. Mean soil carbon to 1 m ranged from 127 to 278 Mg·ha-1 in the Dry and Premontane Rain life zones. There was no correlation of soil C pools with age. Based upon simulations of forest growth and the changing land area covered by differing life zones due to climate change, carbon losses from primary forests ranged from < 6 to 65 Tg under two different climate change scenarios for the year 2100. Results from this study underscore the value of secondary forests for their potential to sequester carbon across a diversity of tropical climates as a means of climate change mitigation.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Texto biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
Oregon (Estados Unidos) : Oregon State University
2008
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| Subjects: | BIOMASA, CARBONO, ALMACENAMIENTO, SECUESTRO DE CARBONO, MODELOS, ALOMETRIA, ECOSISTEMA, ARBOLES, MEDICION, BOSQUE TROPICAL, BOSQUE SECUNDARIO, BIOMASA AEREA, ECUACIONES ALOMETRICAS, ZONAS DE VIDA, CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO, |
| Online Access: | http://orton.catie.ac.cr/repdoc/A11109i/A11109i.pdf |
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| Summary: | Carbon sequestration in tropical secondary forests growing in all climates must be quantified to understand their potential role in adaptation and mitigation strategies of global climate change. Total aboveground biomass (TAGB), soil carbon, and total ecosystem carbon (TEC) were measured in 54 secondary forests growing along a broad bioclimatic gradient of 6 life zones, from lowland Dry to Premontane Rain forests in Costa Rica. The potential of regenerating secondary forests to offset carbon losses due to climate change-mediated primary forest degradation into the year 2100 was also determined. TAGB ranged from 12 Mg·ha-1 (5 MgC·ha-1) in a 9-yr Dry forest to 298 Mg·ha-1 (143 MgC·ha-1) in a 60-yr Wet forest. TAGB and carbon were correlated with forest age and the ratio of potential evapotranspiration to precipitation. Secondary forests were predicted to reach TAGB ≥ 90% of that in primary forest in 35 to 126 yrs. Mean soil carbon to 1 m ranged from 127 to 278 Mg·ha-1 in the Dry and Premontane Rain life zones. There was no correlation of soil C pools with age. Based upon simulations of forest growth and the changing land area covered by differing life zones due to climate change, carbon losses from primary forests ranged from < 6 to 65 Tg under two different climate change scenarios for the year 2100. Results from this study underscore the value of secondary forests for their potential to sequester carbon across a diversity of tropical climates as a means of climate change mitigation. |
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