Estimation of Future Changes in Aboveground Forest Carbon Stock in Romania. A Prediction Based on Forest-Cover Pattern Scenario

Abstract

The aboveground forest biomass plays a key role in the global carbon cycle and is considered a large and constant carbon reservoir. Hence, exploring the future potential changes in forest-cover pattern can help to estimate the trend of forest biomass and therefore, carbon stock in a certain area. As a result, the present paper attempts to model the potential changes in aboveground forest carbon stock based on the forest-cover pattern scenario simulated for 2050. Specifically, the resulting aboveground forest biomass, estimated for 2015 using the allometric equation based on diameter at breast height and the estimated forest density, was used as baseline data in the present approach. These spatial data were integrated into the forest-cover pattern scenario, predicted by using a spatially explicit model, i.e., the Conversion of Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extent (CLUE-S), in order to estimate the potential variation of aboveground forest carbon stock. Our results suggest an overall increase by approximately 4% in the aboveground forest carbon stock until 2050 in Romania. However, important differences in the forest-cover pattern change were predicted on the regional scale, thus highlighting that the rates of carbon accumulation will change significantly in large areas. This study may increase the knowledge of aboveground forest biomass and the future trend of carbon stock in the European countries. Furthermore, due to their predictive character, the results may provide a background for further studies, in order to investigate the potential ecological, socio-economic and forest management responses to the changes in the aboveground forest carbon stock. However, in view of the uncertainties associated with the data accuracy and methodology used, it is presumed that the results include several spatial errors related to the estimation of aboveground forest biomass and simulation of future forest-cover pattern change and therefore, represent an uncertainty for the practical management of applications and decisions.

Assessment of Carbon Stock in Forest Biomass and Emission Reduction Potential in Malaysia

“…The total forested area in 2020 for BAU, PLAN Forest biomass refers to the aboveground (tree biomass) and belowground (roots) biomass of trees in the forests [20]. Tree biomass refers to the oven-dry mass of the aerial part and the root of trees, and 50% of the dry mass of trees is carbon [3]. Table 2 presents the aboveground and belowground forest biomass in Malaysia along with the carbon in biomass and litter.…”

“…Global climate change and its negative effects on natural ecosystems have become a major environmental issue due to the continuous increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) dominated by carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) [1]. Forests play a vigorous role in mitigating climate change by absorbing the atmospheric CO 2 and storing it in tree biomass [2,3]. The process of absorbing atmospheric carbon by the trees is called carbon sequestration, which is one of the forest ecosystems services [4].…”

Utilizing the Available Open-Source Remotely Sensed Data in Assessing the Wildfire Ignition and Spread Capacities of Vegetated Surfaces in Romania

“…Furthermore, the spatio-temporal evolution of forest cover in Romania is tightly correlated with the forest management regimes affected by sociopolitical fluctuations from the early 19 th century [28]. At the territorial level of Romania, 29.9% of the surface is covered by different forests, covering 7.13 million hectares [24]. Romania is one of the countries with the highest percentage of occupied forest areas, with the latest estimates having a significant growth rate (i.e., 19.3 million m 3 /year for conifers, 19 million m 3 /year for beech, 8.1 m 3 /year for quercinea, 8.6 million m 3 /year for hardwoods, and 3.4 million m 3 /year for softwoods), to which are added old forests and virgin forests in different stages of conservation.…”

A Practical Approach to Assess the Wildfire Ignition and Spreading Capacities of Vegetated Areas at Landscape-scale

“…They are projected to have a significant protective effect on Romanian forest cover on the brink of climate change 23 . At the territorial level of Romania, 29.9% of the surface is covered by different forests, covering 7.13 million hectares 24 . Romania is one of the countries with the highest percentage of occupied forest areas, with the latest estimates having a significant growth rate (19.3 million m 3 /year for conifers, 19 million m 3 /year for beech, 8.1 m 3 /year for quercinea, 8.6 million m 3 /year for hardwoods and 3.4 million m 3 /year for softwoods), to which are added old forests and virgin forests in different stages of conservation.…”