An Ecosystem-Scale Flux Measurement Strategy to Assess Natural Climate Solutions

Abstract

Eddy covariance measurement systems provide direct observation of the exchange of greenhouse gases between ecosystems and the atmosphere, but have only occasionally been intentionally applied to quantify the carbon dynamics associated with specific climate mitigation strategies. Natural climate solutions (NCS) harness the photosynthetic power of ecosystems to avoid emissions and remove atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), sequestering it in biological carbon pools. In this perspective, we aim to determine which kinds of NCS strategies are most suitable for ecosystem-scale flux measurements and how these measurements should be deployed for diverse NCS scales and goals. We find that ecosystem-scale flux measurements bring unique value when assessing NCS strategies characterized by inaccessible and hard-to-observe carbon pool changes, important non-CO 2 greenhouse gas fluxes, the potential for biophysical impacts, or dynamic successional changes. We propose three deployment types for ecosystem-scale flux measurements at various NCS scales to constrain wide uncertainties and chart a workable path forward: "pilot", "upscale", and "monitor". Together, the integration of ecosystem-scale flux measurements by the NCS community and the prioritization of NCS measurements by the flux community, have the potential to improve accounting in ways that capture the net impacts, unintended feedbacks, and on-the-ground specifics of a wide range of emerging NCS strategies.

Biophysical Impacts of Historical Disturbances, Restoration Strategies, and Vegetation Types in a Peatland Ecosystem

“…Biophysical changes are usually significant at local to regional scales, but have the potential to provide climate benefits at the global scale. Although often undervalued compared to forests as natural climate solutions, peatland restoration as a natural climate solution (e.g., coastal wetland and peatland preservation) accounts for a significant portion of the global mitigation potential by considering the potential biophysical feedbacks (Hemes et al., 2021). These results highlight the importance of considering biophysical as well as biogeochemical impacts in assessing how relevant policies and incentives for land use change can impact climate at local and regional scales.…”

Commercial Forest Carbon Protocol Over-credit Bias Delimited by Zero-threshold Carbon Accounting

“…Differences between NEE direct measurement and CFCP limited forest mensuration to determine net tCO2e as the basis for commercial products must be resolved to safeguard the integrity of carbon markets. For example, in addition to offset discrepancies reported here, linkage of carbon offset results to CARB policy and regulatory terms and conditions for the CARB-CAR protocol [1] revealed inconsistencies within the carbon offset supply chain [56], a topic not typically addressed by eddy covariance studies supporting natural climate solutions [26], [100], [101], but an integral part of the offset supply chain [56]. Studies identifying deficiencies in the CARB-CAR protocol related to additionality and overcrediting of up to 30% based on discrepancies in above ground carbon accounting also support the need for improvement in CFCPs [34]- [36], [102] and are consistent with the results presented here.…”

Novel approach to observing system simulation experiments improves information gain of surface–atmosphere field measurements

“…NS-ERF thus provides a framework to prepare and test the quantification of science objectives well ahead of the actual field measurements, thus reducing latency from field data capture to knowledge creation. More generally, NS-ERF can extend to any sort of study in which spatially and/or temporally (Hemes et al, 2021), emission inventory validation (Desjardins et al, 2018), urban air quality (Vaughan et al, 2021), industry leak detection (Kohnert et al, 2017), and multi-species applications (Vaughan et al, 2017).…”