Carbon balance in the temperate and boreal forests
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe Univ., Frankfurt (Germany). Inst. of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Statistical evaluation of the UN-ECE/FAO studies on temperate and boreal forests with respect to carbon uptake and release leads to the conclusion that these forests are at present a global carbon sink between 0.5--0.9 Gt C/year. Any understanding of the future development of these forests will depend on the insight in the change in the disturbance regimes introduced by humans in particular through the management of forests. As a theoretical instrument the authors use the Leslie matrix approach to project a present age class distribution of forests in a particular region of the world into the future. Any prediction of the future conditions will depend specifically on two major changes, namely the increase of atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentration and the social economic development. Depending on the scenario used in the simulations the present forests sink function of the regions considered will persist or will diminish within the next century. A modification of the forest management like changes in the felling rate or in the area reforested may lead to a different sink strength of the forest complexes or even to a carbon source. 30 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 182838
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940426-; ISBN 0-923204-11-3; TRN: IM9608%%203
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International conference on global climate change: science, policy and mitigation strategies, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 5-8 Apr 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Global climate change: Science, policy, and mitigation strategies. Proceedings of the Air and Waste Management Association international specialty conference; Mathai, C.V. [ed.] [Arizona Public Service Co., Phoenix, AZ (United States)]; Stensland, G. [ed.] [Illinois State Water Survey, Champaign, IL (United States)]; PB: 1117 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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