The effectiveness of global protected areas for climate change mitigation

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: June 1, 2023

Forests play a critical role in stabilizing Earth's climate. Establishing protected areas (PAs) represents one approach to forest conservation, but PAs were rarely created mitigate climate change. The global impact of on the carbon cycle has not previously been quantified due lack accurate global-scale stock maps. Here we used ~412 million lidar samples from NASA's GEDI mission estimate total PA aboveground (C) 61.43 Gt (+/- 0.31), 26% all mapped terrestrial woody C. Of this total, 9.65 + /- 0.88 additional was attributed status. These higher C stocks are primarily avoided emissions deforestation and degradation compared unprotected forests. This is roughly equivalent year annual fossil fuel emissions. results underscore importance conservation high biomass forests for avoiding preserving future sequestration.

Language: Английский

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Mapping tropical forest degradation with deep learning and Planet NICFI data

Remote Sensing of Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 298, P. 113798 - 113798

Published: Sept. 19, 2023

Tropical rainforests from the Brazilian Amazon are frequently degraded by logging, fire, edge effects and minor unpaved roads. However, mapping extent of degradation remains challenging because lack frequent high-spatial resolution satellite observations, occlusion understory disturbances, quick recovery leafy vegetation, limitations conventional reflectance-based remote sensing techniques. Here, we introduce a new approach to map forest caused road construction based on deep learning (DL), henceforth called DL-DEGRAD, using very high spatial (4.77 m) bi-annual monthly temporal Planet NICFI imagery. We applied DL-DEGRAD model over forests state Mato Grosso in Brazil with attributions 2016 2021 at six-month intervals. A total 73,744 images (256 × 256 pixels size) were visually interpreted manually labeled three semantic classes (logging, roads) train/validate U-Net model. predicted study area for all dates, producing accumulated maps biannually. Estimates accuracy areas performed probability design-based stratified random sampling (n = 2678 samples) compared it existing operational data products level. significantly better than other logging activities (F1-score 68.9) fire 75.6) when Brazil's national (SIMEX, DETER, MapBiomas Fire) global (UMD-GFC, TMF, FireCCI, FireGFL, GABAM, MCD64). Pixel-based comparison showed highest agreement DETER SIMEX as official derived visual interpretation Landsat The closely trained human delineation logged burned forests, suggesting methodology can readily scale up monitoring regional scales. Over Grosso, combined degrading remaining intact an average rate 8443 km2 year−1 2017 2021. In 2020, record 13,294 was estimated which two times deforestation.

Language: Английский

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Contrasting carbon cycle along tropical forest aridity gradients in West Africa and Amazonia

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: April 11, 2024

Abstract Tropical forests cover large areas of equatorial Africa and play a substantial role in the global carbon cycle. However, there has been lack biometric measurements to understand forests’ gross net primary productivity (GPP, NPP) their allocation. Here we present detailed field assessment budget multiple forest sites Africa, by monitoring 14 one-hectare plots along an aridity gradient Ghana, West Africa. When compared with equivalent Amazonia, studied African generally had higher lower use efficiency (CUE). The consistently shows highest NPP, CUE, GPP, autotrophic respiration at medium-aridity site, Bobiri. Notably, NPP GPP site are yet reported anywhere for intact forests. Widely used data products substantially underestimate when Amazonia Our analysis suggests that high is linked allocation canopy semi-deciduous characteristics.

Language: Английский

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Tree species diversity increases carbon stocks in tropical montane cloud forests across successional stages

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 578, P. 122480 - 122480

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Language: Английский

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Reforestation policies around 2000 in southern China led to forest densification and expansion in the 2010s

Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 4(1)

Published: July 18, 2023

Abstract Forest expansion has been observed in China over the past decades, but typically applied coarse resolution satellite data does not reveal spatial details about China’s forest transition. By using three decades of observations at a 30-m resolution, we here complex spatiotemporal patterns individual stands forming return history southern China. We calculate age, densification rates, and annual fragmentation show that area surge around 2010 is result trees planted after 2000 formed dense forests decade later. document old 1980s were mostly fragmented into scattered patches located on mountain tops, rapidly expanded downhill by 729,540 km 2 alleviated clear-cut logging pressure from forests. Our study provides detailed documentation for country had largely deforested ago.

Language: Английский

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Pitfalls for the sustainability of forest transitions: evidence from Southeast Asia

Environmental Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 51(3), P. 152 - 162

Published: April 23, 2024

Summary The concept of a forest transition – regional shift from deforestation to recovery tends equate area expansion with sustainability, assuming that more is good for people and the environment. To promote debate just ecologically sustainable outcomes during this period intense focus on forests (such as United Nations’ Decade Ecological Restoration, Trillion Trees initiative at Climate Change Conferences), we synthesize recent nuanced integrated research inform management restoration in future. Our results reveal nine pitfalls transitions sustainability are automatically linked. follows: (1) fixating quantity instead quality; (2) masking local diversity large-scale trends; (3) expecting U-shaped temporal trends change; (4) failing account irreversibility; (5) framing categories concepts universal/neutral; (6) diverting attention simplification forestlands into single-purpose conservation or intensive production lands; (7) neglecting social power dispossessions; (8) productivism hidden driving force; (9) ignoring agency sentiments. We develop illustrate these local- national-level evidence Southeast Asia outline forward-looking recommendations policy address them. Forest neglects risks legitimizing unsustainable unjust policies programmes tree planting.

Language: Английский

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Biochar Addition Increased Soil Carbon Storage but Did Not Exacerbate Soil Carbon Emission in Young Subtropical Plantation Forest

Forests, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(6), P. 917 - 917

Published: May 24, 2024

Forests play a crucial role in mitigating global warming, contributing approximately 46% of the terrestrial carbon sink. However, it remains uncertain whether addition biochar to forests enhances ecosystem’s sink capacity. This study aims address this scientific question by investigating application increases storage, potentially leading an overall rise emissions influencing soil respiration and identifying underlying mechanisms. A controlled experiment was conducted young plantation forest that had grown for three years, where CO2 efflux rate physicochemical properties, photosynthesis, plant growth traits were measured across varying rates (0, 5, 10 t/ha) over five seasons. Then, statistical methods including one-way ANOVA, regression analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM) employed assess differences biological abiotic factors among gradients understand mechanisms change. The findings revealed significantly increased contents organic (SOC) microbial biomass (MBC), consequently promoting photosynthesis (p < 0.05). Biochar accounted 73.8% variation affecting basal diameter growth. net effect on found be low. positive effects via such as bulk density, total nitrogen (TN), MBC, counteracted its negative impact through phosphorus (TP), water content, pH, SOC, Overall, our indicate there no significant increase short term (totaling 16 months) gradient. we observed substantial storage enhancement soil’s capacity act Therefore, adding may feasible strategy sinks mitigate climate

Language: Английский

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Bibliometric and literature synthesis on assisted natural regeneration: an evidence base for forest and landscape restoration in the tropics

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7

Published: July 10, 2024

Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) is a set of restoration strategies and interventions primarily based on natural regeneration, aimed at accelerating succession providing multiple benefits in degraded ecosystems landscapes. These have the potential to significantly contribute global Forest Landscape Restoration efforts. However, ANR faces challenges due limited recognition, support, formal integration into relevant sectors policies, particularly tropical regions. The dearth evidence-based syntheses further compounds these challenges. To address this gap, bibliometric analysis selected scientific publications ( n = 208) from 1987 2023 was conducted, using Web Science Google Scholar databases. A systematic review undertaken, subset original research articles 44), synthesize published data interventions, contexts, costs, identify major knowledge gaps. Analysis metadata revealed an increasing annual output over 80 journals, encompassing various document types authors 40 countries. Despite ANR’s emergence Philippines, Brazil has taken lead both its implementation, international collaboration grown. While focused mostly ecosystem services ecological outcomes, social aspects been poorly studied. Diverse align not only with but also integrated land management, biodiversity conservation, forest landscape restoration, management. cost-effectiveness especially for carbon storage, exhibited considerable variability when compared active tree planting, varied intervention types, time, use history, long-term costs. This synthesis provides critical insights evidence enhance effective reforestation programs policies.

Language: Английский

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Evaluating carbon emissions and removals resulting from Russia's trade in harvested wood products

Forest Policy and Economics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 172, P. 103444 - 103444

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

Language: Английский

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Primary Mid-Succession Carbon Fluxes in a Spontaneously Recovering Post-Mining Ecosystem

Atmosphere, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(2), P. 176 - 176

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

Limited research exists on the carbon sequestration potential of spontaneously developing post-coal-mining sites in mid-stage primary succession. Therefore, 2023, net ecosystem exchange (NEE) was quantified Czechia using an eddy covariance (EC) tower to assess fluxes a dominated by pioneer tree species such as willow, along with aspen and birch, growing wave-like microtopography. The functioned strong sink, annual NEE −415 g C m−2 yr−1, ~39 years after coal mining. This derived gross (GEE) −1423 yr−1 respiration (Reco) 1008 yr−1. Seasonal variation driven higher GEE summer rather than Reco. Consequently, Reco accounted for ca. 51% summer, compared 56% spring. In addition, temperature important climatic factor spring, whereas vapor pressure deficit (VPD) global radiation (Rg) were more critical summer. Overall, our results highlight robust capacity naturally forests, suggesting their role restoring mined areas Central Europe other regions without water limitations following

Language: Английский

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