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Despite the key role that understory vegetation plays in ecosystems and the terrestrial carbon cycle, it is often overlooked and has few quantitative measurements, especially at national scales. To understand the contribution of understory carbon to the United States (US) carbon budget, we developed an approach that relies on field measurements of understory vegetation cover and height on US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) subplots. Allometric models were developed to estimate aboveground understory carbon. A spatial model based on stand characteristics and remotely sensed data was also applied to estimate understory carbon on all FIA plots. We found that most understory carbon was comprised of woody shrub species (64%), followed by nonwoody forbs and graminoid species (35%) and seedlings (1%). The largest estimates were found in temperate or warm humid locations such as the Pacific Northwest and southeastern US, thus following the same broad trend as aboveground tree biomass. The average understory aboveground carbon density was estimated to be 0.977 Mg ha ^−1 , for a total estimate of 272 Tg carbon across all managed forest land in the US (approximately 2% of the total aboveground live tree carbon pool). This estimate is more than twice as low as previous FIA modeled estimates that did not rely on understory measurements, suggesting that this pool may currently be overestimated in US National Greenhouse Gas reporting.

• The project 'Tropical Biomass & Carbon' and its main product TB&C App is introduced. • TB&C App is an user-friendly tool that estimates C stored in forests of Brazil. • Model performance analysis proved reliability >95% of the TB&C App's models. • Carbon in Amazonian forests can be accurately and precisely estimated. • A dataset containing 64,000 plots with forest variables is delivered as supplement. This article introduces the Tropical Biomass & Carbon Application – the 'TB&C App', a web application available on the permanent link www.tropicalbiomass.com. The TB&C App requires as input attributes 'the smallest and largest diameters', 'number of trees ha−1', basal area ha−1, and 'parameters of the diameter (beta) distribution' describing stand structure. The App delivers outputs at two levels: (1) Stand level, including mean aboveground biomass (AGB) and carbon (AGC), in Mg ha−1, along with confidence intervals (CIs) as measures of uncertainty, and; (2) Tree level estimates, with AGB and diameter for every simulated tree. Phase 1 of the project TB&C comprises four Brazilian forest (and non-forest) formations: Campinarana, Floresta estacional, Floresta ombrofila , and Savana. This article aims to (i) describe the algorithm written for the TB&C App, and (ii) present results of Phase 1. This first phase counts on a standardized database of 1,428 trees with field-measured dry AGB, from plots across the different formations, which is the largest tree-biomass database compiled so far in Brazil. Model uncertainties were incorporated into the modeling process, allowing computation of CIs through an uncertainty approach. The total variance of residuals of AGB was also modeled, aiming at predicting CIs as a function of the quantity of AGB. An analysis of reliability of the equations implemented in the TB&C App indicates that more than 95% (n = 64,000) of the true AGB's fit into the CI outputted by the TB&C App. A comparison with other approaches in the literature shows significant agreement with previous estimates and more conservative estimates where previously-published estimates disagreed with the TB&C App. We cite as advantages of the TB&C App; (i) reliability of the outputs, (ii) a user-friendly layout, (iii) AGB and AGC estimates provided along with robust CIs, and (iv) estimates at the stand and tree levels with consistent totals. A biomass dataset containing information on 64,000 plots is also delivered as supplement of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, LiDAR technology has provided accurate forest aboveground biomass (AGB) maps in several forest ecosystems, including tropical forests. However, its ability to accurately map forest AGB changes in high-biomass tropical forests has seldom been investigated. Here, we assess the ability of repeated LiDAR acquisitions to map AGB stocks and changes in an old-growth Neotropical forest of French Guiana. Using two similar aerial small-footprint LiDAR campaigns over a four year interval, spanning ca. 20 km 2 , and concomitant ground sampling, we constructed a model relating median canopy height and AGB at a 0.25-ha and 1-ha resolution. This model had an error of 14% at a 1-ha resolution (RSE = 54.7 Mg ha − 1 ) and of 23% at a 0.25-ha resolution (RSE = 86.5 Mg ha − 1 ). This uncertainty is comparable with values previously reported in other tropical forests and confirms that aerial LiDAR is an efficient technology for AGB mapping in high-biomass tropical forests. Our map predicts a mean AGB of 340 Mg ha − 1 within the landscape. We also created an AGB change map, and compared it with ground-based AGB change estimates. The correlation was weak but significant only at the 0.25-ha resolution. One interpretation is that large natural tree-fall gaps that drive AGB changes in a naturally regenerating forest can be picked up at fine spatial scale but are veiled at coarser spatial resolution. Overall, both field-based and LiDAR-based estimates did not reveal a detectable increase in AGB stock over the study period, a trend observed in almost all forest types of our study area. Small footprint LiDAR is a powerful tool to dissect the fine-scale variability of AGB and to detect the main ecological controls underpinning forest biomass variability both in space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has already begun to impact the structure and function of forest ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest by altering the frequency, intensity, and duration of droughts and heat stress, with implications for widespread environmental and socio-economic change. A major realization is that accumulated physiological stress can ultimately lead to tree mortality and changes in species distributions, particularly in areas away from maritime influences. To ameliorate the effects of drought, insect outbreaks, and reduce the risk of crown fires, various strategies are being tested. To make some of these strategies economical, biomass is proposed as an alternative energy source. At the same time that an increase in harvesting is being considered, there is a desire to increase carbon sequestration by forests to offset, at least in part, greenhouse gas emissions. Assessments are needed to determine current and future impacts of climate change, and to evaluate management options while considering carbon storage benefits and sustainability of ecosystem structure and function. Here we provide an overview of research results from the Pacific Northwest region where forests dominate the landscape and contain among the highest biomass on earth. In this review, we present findings that challenge common assumptions, and suggest a way to predict outcomes of changes in climate and land management in the future. The approach includes the use of observation-driven land system models that integrate the extent that forests are vulnerable to climate change, management practices, and economic considerations. It also requires increased emphasis on in situ and remotely sensed observations and experiments to initialize and test the model, and to track trends in forest condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in tropical Asia require accurate high-resolution mapping of forest carbon stocks and predictions of their likely future variation. Here we combine radar and LiDAR with field measurements to create a high-resolution aboveground forest carbon stock (AFCS) map and use spatial modeling to present probable future AFCS changes for the Riau province of central Sumatra. Results: Our map provides spatially explicit estimates of the AFCS with an accuracy of ±23.5 Mg C ha-1. According to this map, the natural forests in the province currently store 265 million Mg C, with a density of 72 Mg C ha-1, as aboveground biomass. Using a spatially explicit modeling technique we derived time-series AFCS maps up to the year 2030 under three forest policy scenarios: business as usual, conservation, and concession. The spatial patterns of AFCS and their trends under different scenarios vary on a local scale, and some areas are highlighted that are at eminent risk of carbon emission. Based on the business as usual scenario, the current AFCS could decrease by 75 %, which may lead to the release of 747 million Mg CO2. The other two scenarios, conservation and concession, suggest the risk reductions by 11 and 59 %, respectively. Conclusion: The time-series AFCS maps provide spatially explicit scenarios of changes in AFCS. These data may aid in planning Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries projects in the study area, and stimulate the development of AFCS maps for other regions of tropical Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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There is an imperative interrelationship between people and forests however forests loss is continued which causes several complexities. This research was objectively done to show the effects of carbon stock on species ranking in collaborative forests (CFMs). The randomized block design (RBD) was set and stratified random sampling was applied to collect the biophysical data. Total 33, 32 and 31 samples were collected from Banke-Maraha, Tuteshwarnath and Gadhanta-Bardibash CFMs respectively; establishing 20*25m² plot for trees using GPS coordinates. The height and diameter of plants were measured. Additionally, frequency and density of plant species were also recorded. Latter biomass was calculated using equation by Chave et al. and importance value index (IVI) was also calculated to prioritize the species. Additionally, mix rank was also estimated by using IVI and carbon to evaluate effects of carbon on species ranking. It showed that, estimated highest IVI was 68.59 in Shorea robusta in Tuteshwarnath CFM. The carbon stock of Shorea robusta was the highest 50.43±0.43 t ha-1 in Gadhanta-Bardibash CFM. Total 11 species like Dalbergia latifolia, Schleichera trijuga, Croton roxburghii and Acacia catechu were promoted their rank under mix criteria. This showed that there was effect of carbon on species ranking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Three options are proposed to improve the accuracy of national forest biomass estimates and decrease the uncertainty related to tree model selection depending on available data and national contexts. Introduction: Different tree volume and biomass equations result in different estimates. At national scale, differences of estimates can be important while they constitute the basis to guide policies and measures, particularly in the context of climate change mitigation. Method: Few countries have developed national tree volume and biomass equation databases and have explored its potential to decrease uncertainty of volume and biomasttags estimates. With the launch of the GlobAllomeTree webplatform, most countries in the world could have access to country-specific databases. The aim of this article is to recommend approaches for assessing tree and forest volume and biomass at national level with the lowest uncertainty. The article highlights the crucial need to link allometric equation development with national forest inventory planning efforts. Results: Models must represent the tree population considered. Data availability; technical, financial, and human capacities; and biophysical context, among other factors, will influence the calculation process. Conclusion: Three options are proposed to improve accuracy of national forest assessment depending on identified contexts. Further improvements could be obtained through improved forest stratification and additional non-destructive field campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Regional Technical Workshop on Tree Volume and Biomass Allometric Equations in South and Central America, held in May 2014 in Costa Rica. Topics covered include obstacles and solutions to improving data sharing on allometric equations, the emergence of collaborative networks such as FLUXNET, the management of forest ecosystems, and the need for researchers developing tree allometric equations to create an online repository where raw data and metadata can be stored.

Use of wood biomass for energy results in carbon (C) emissions at the time of burning and alters C stocks on the land because of harvest, regrowth, and changes in land use or management. This study evaluates the potential effects of expanded woody biomass energy use (for heat and power) on net C emissions over time. A scenario with increased wood energy use is compared with a dynamic business-as-usual scenario where wood energy use is driven by its historical relationship with gross domestic product. At the national level, we projected that up to 78% of increased cumulative C emissions from increased wood burning and up to 80% of increased cumulative radiative forcing would be offset over 50 years by change in forest area loss, biomass regrowth on land, C storage in harvested wood products, and C in logging slash left in forests. For example, forest area is projected to decline in both scenarios, but 3.5 million hectares more are retained in the high wood energy-use case. Projected C offsets over a 50 year period differed substantially by US region (16% in the North, 50% in the West, and 95% in the South) not only because of differences in forest regrowth and induced investment in retaining and planting forest, but also because of shifts in competitive advantage among regions in producing various wood products. If wood systems displace coal systems that have 75% of the C emissions of wood energy systems per unit energy, then the nationwide net C emissions offset would be reduced to 71-74%. If displacing natural gas systems that have 40% of the level of wood bioenergy emissions per unit energy, the nationwide net C emissions offset would be 46-52%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest bioenergy can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas ( GHG) emissions associated with energy production. We assessed changes in GHG emissions resulting from displacement of coal with wood pellets for the Atikokan Generating Station located in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Two contrasting biomass sources were considered for continuous wood pellet production: harvest residue from current harvest operations (residue scenario) and fibre from expanded harvest of standing live trees (stemwood scenario). For the stemwood scenario, two metrics were used to assess the effects of displacing coal with forest biomass on GHG emissions: (i) time to carbon sequestration parity, defined as the time from the beginning of harvest to when the combined GHG benefit of displacing coal with biomass and the amount of carbon in regenerating forest equalled the amount of forest carbon without harvest for energy production; and (ii) time to carbon debt repayment, defined as the time from the beginning of harvest to when the combined GHG benefit of displacing coal with biomass and the amount of carbon in the regenerating forest equalled forest carbon at the time of harvest. Only time to carbon sequestration parity was used for the residue scenario. In the residue scenario, carbon sequestration parity was achieved within 1 year. In the stemwood scenario, times to carbon sequestration parity and carbon debt repayment were 91 and 112 years, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that estimates were robust when parameter values were varied. Modelling experiments showed that increasing growth rates for regenerating stands in the stemwood scenario could substantially reduce time to carbon sequestration parity. We discuss the use of the two metrics (time to carbon sequestration parity and time to carbon debt repayment) for assessing the effects of forest bioenergy projects on GHG emissions and make recommendations on terminology and methodologies for forest bioenergy studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected area downgrading, downsizing and degazettement (PADDD) is a global phenomenon that has not received formal attention in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) policies designed to reduce forest carbon emissions and conserve biodiversity. Here, we examine how PADDD affects deforestation and forest carbon emissions. We documented 174 enacted and 8 proposed PADDD events affecting more than 48,000 km2 in three REDD+ priority countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malaysia, and Peru. Where sufficient data were available, we estimated deforestation rates and the quantity and economic value of forest carbon already lost and at risk in three land tenure classes: PADDDed, protected, and never-protected. PADDDed forests experienced deforestation and forest carbon emissions greatly exceeding rates in protected areas and slightly exceeding rates in never-protected forests. PADDD represents business-as-usual for protected areas, posing substantial risk to forests and forest carbon stocks. REDD+ policies have substantive implications for protected area biodiversity and forest carbon emissions; the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ provides new, but insufficient, guidance for nations to address these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to incentivize the reduction of carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation require accurate carbon accounting. The extensive tropical forest of Papua New Guinea ( PNG) is a target for such efforts and yet local carbon estimates are few. Previous estimates, based on models of neotropical vegetation applied to PNG forest plots, did not consider such factors as the unique species composition of New Guinea vegetation, local variation in forest biomass, or the contribution of small trees. We analysed all trees >1 cm in diameter at breast height ( DBH) in Melanesia's largest forest plot ( Wanang) to assess local spatial variation and the role of small trees in carbon storage. Above-ground living biomass ( AGLB) of trees averaged 210.72 Mg ha−1 at Wanang. Carbon storage at Wanang was somewhat lower than in other lowland tropical forests, whereas local variation among 1-ha subplots and the contribution of small trees to total AGLB were substantially higher. We speculate that these differences may be attributed to the dynamics of Wanang forest where erosion of a recently uplifted and unstable terrain appears to be a major source of natural disturbance. These findings emphasize the need for locally calibrated forest carbon estimates if accurate landscape level valuation and monetization of carbon is to be achieved. Such estimates aim to situate PNG forests in the global carbon context and provide baseline information needed to improve the accuracy of PNG carbon monitoring schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus ( REDD+) programme seeks to reshape the way we value, govern and interact with forests. Rather than managing forests according to interests in timber, conservation, land or livelihoods, REDD+ encourages forms of forest management that prioritise carbon. While international negotiations are shaping the rules of the programme, how it takes place on the ground will depend on its interpretation and implementation in different places. In this paper, we are interested in how the REDD+ Task Force ( Satgas REDD+), an ad hoc body formed by presidential decree to design and implement REDD+ readiness activities in Indonesia, has attempted to mainstream the programme from 2010 to 2013. We develop a governmentality approach to focus on how the Task Force sought to introduce REDD+ carbon rationalities to forest politics. Based on extended ethnographic research, we identify three strategies: adopting and promoting the carbon discourses circulating among global REDD+ communities; making carbon visible and governable through mapping technologies; and implementing participatory technologies to encourage pro- REDD+ subjectivities. In some ways, the Task Force has been successful in building awareness about forest carbon among forest stakeholders in Indonesia. National civil society organisations, in particular, appear to be supportive of REDD+; however, they emphasise 'co-benefits' framed as ' Beyond Carbon', informed by social and environmental justice. For others, however, forests remain sources of timber and land, and new strategies are required if REDD+ is to have substantial impacts on forest governance in Indonesia. The Task Force's efforts reveal the difficult and contested processes through which global climate change programmes come to be embedded in national arenas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a practitioner perspective on community-based REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) projects in the Pacific Islands. It draws upon the author's experience in forest conservation financing since 1987, and REDD project and programme design, development and implementation since 2006. The aim is to highlight the commercial challenges faced by REDD practitioners, and explore strategic (including policy) solutions to meet these challenges. The paper begins by situating REDD as a tool for forest conservation and community development. Following a brief overview of the key elements of REDD project development procedures, the paper examines commercial (particularly market access) challenges faced by project proponents, together with challenges associated with the supply and demand dynamic for REDD credits in the global carbon market. This is situated against a backdrop of global policy stagnation in the REDD sector and the implications of this for those at the frontier of community-based forest protection efforts on the ground. The paper culminates by showing the importance of an effective partnership between governments, rainforest communities and the private sector in regional and global rainforest conservation financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation' (REDD+) is a mechanism for developed countries to compensate developing countries for reducing forest loss. At present, REDD+ is underfunded, due in part to a lack of private funding caused by the absence of a compliance market for REDD+ credits. One of the obstacles in creating a compliance market is a concern that private funders will capture profits for themselves at the expense of local welfare. To date, however, little research has been done to assess this risk. This study helps to fill this gap by investigating the motives of current and potential future private REDD+ funders. Interview results indicate that most current funders have sought positive local social impacts, both to mitigate the risk of deforestation and to demonstrate social benefits for marketing purposes. The risk mitigation motive could exist in a compliance market, depending on how contractual arrangements distribute risk along the supply chain. However, respondents suggested that the social marketing motive would be diminished in a compliance market, because compliance buyers would prioritize credit price and volume over reputational benefits. There is a need for further research that examines whether these reported motives correlate with actual firm behaviour and how this might inform future REDD+ governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvesting branches, stumps and unmercantable tops, in addition to stem wood, decreases the carbon input to the soil and consequently reduces the forest carbon stock. We examine the changes in the forest carbon cycle that would compensate for this carbon loss over a rotation period and lead to carbon neutral forest residue bioenergy systems. In addition, we analyse the potential climate impact of these carbon neutral systems. In a boreal forest, the carbon loss was compensated for with a 10% increase in tree growth or a postponing of final felling for 20 years from 90 to 110 years in one forest rotation period. However, these changes in carbon sequestration did not prevent soil carbon loss. To recover soil carbon stock, a 38% increase in tree growth or a 21% decrease in the decomposition rate of the remaining organic matter was needed. All the forest residue bioenergy scenarios studied had a warming impact on climate for at least 62 years. Nevertheless, the increases in the carbon sequestration from forest growth or reduction in the decomposition rate of the remaining organic matter resulted in a 50% smaller warming impact of forest bioenergy use or even a cooling climate impact in the long term. The study shows that carbon neutral forest residue bioenergy systems have warming climate impacts. Minimization of the forest carbon loss improves the climate impact of forest bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite substantial policy attention, tropical forests in Southeast Asian region are releasing large amount of carbon to the atmosphere due to accelerating deforestation. Accurately determining forest statistics and characterizing aboveground forest carbon stocks (AFCSs) are always challenging in the region. In order to develop more accurate estimates of AFCS, the present study collected airborne LiDAR and field measurements data and calibrated AFCS models to estimate carbon stock in the tropical forests in central Sumatra. The study region consists of natural forests, including peat swamp, dry moist, regrowth, and mangrove, and plantation forests, including rubber, acacia, oil palm, and coconut. To cover the different forest types, 60 field plots of 1 ha in size were inventoried. Eight transects crossing these field plots were acquired to calibrate the LiDAR to AFCS models. The AFCS values for the field plots ranged from 4 to \bf 161\nbsp\\bf Mg ha^- \bf 1. General models were fitted without considering forest types, whereas a specific model was fitted for each specific forest type. Five alternative general models with different LiDAR metrics were calibrated with model performance expressed as ${{\bf R}^{\bf 2}}$ ranging from 0.73 to 0.87 and root-mean-square error (RMSE) values ranging from 17.4 to \bf 25.\bf 0\nbsp\\bf Mg ha^- \bf 1. Seven forest-specific AFCS models were calibrated for different forest types, with ${{\bf R}^{\bf 2}}$ values ranging from 0.72 to 0.97 and RMSE values ranging from 1.4 to \bf 10.\bf 7\nbsp\\bf Mg ha^ - \bf 1. The performance of each model was cross-validated by iteratively removing one data point. While forest-specific models provide better AFCS estimates, the general models are still useful when forest types are ambiguous. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Three years of monthly growth increment data identified large interannual differences in growth rate across six contrasting species in a broadleaved, temperate forest with minimum management intervention (Wytham Woods, UK). Growth rates varied by species and canopy position, and were higher in canopy species. Growth rate in 2010 was up to 40% lower than in 2011 and 2012. This can best be explained as an effect of low temperature, which delayed the start of spring and the growing season. This had a greater impact on the growth of sub-canopy trees than that of canopy species. In temperate systems, late spring and summer is an important component of the whole growing season carbon balance because of long day length. In 2010 there were also periods of lower-than-average rainfall, which may additionally have constrained growth during the growing season. Fluctuations and seasonal changes in both temperature and rainfall are projected to continue, so we may expect to see increasing differences in growth and growth rates. A small effect of location relative to the nearest edge was also detected, with higher growth rates only found >50 m from the forest edge. The findings have implications for forest structure and productivity under climate change, and may thus inform current and future forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While bioenergy plays a key role in strategies for increasing renewable energy deployment, studies assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forest bioenergy systems have identified a potential trade-off of the system with forest carbon stocks. Of particular importance to national GHG inventories is how trade-offs between forest carbon stocks and bioenergy production are accounted for within the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector under current and future international climate change mitigation agreements. Through a case study of electricity produced using wood pellets from harvested forest stands in Ontario, Canada, this study assesses the implications of forest carbon accounting approaches on net emissions attributable to pellets produced for domestic use or export. Particular emphasis is placed on the forest management reference level (FMRL) method, as it will be employed by most Annex I nations in the next Kyoto Protocol Commitment Period. While bioenergy production is found to reduce forest carbon sequestration, under the FMRL approach this trade-off may not be accounted for and thus not incur an accountable AFOLU-related emission, provided that total forest harvest remains at or below that defined under the FMRL baseline. In contrast, accounting for forest carbon trade-offs associated with harvest for bioenergy results in an increase in net GHG emissions (AFOLU and life cycle emissions) lasting 37 or 90 years (if displacing coal or natural gas combined cycle generation, respectively). AFOLU emissions calculated using the Gross-Net approach are dominated by legacy effects of past management and natural disturbance, indicating near-term net forest carbon increase but longer-term reduction in forest carbon stocks. Export of wood pellets to EU markets does not greatly affect the total life cycle GHG emissions of wood pellets. However, pellet exporting countries risk creating a considerable GHG emissions burden, as they are responsible for AFOLU and bioenergy production emissions but do not receive credit for pellets displacing fossil fuel-related GHG emissions. Countries producing bioenergy from forest biomass, whether for domestic use or for export, should carefully consider potential implications of alternate forest carbon accounting methods to ensure that potential bioenergy pathways can contribute to GHG emissions reduction targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is general consensus that carbon (C) sequestration projects in forests are a relatively low cost option for mitigating climate change, but most studies on the subject have assumed that transaction costs are negligible. The objectives of the study were to examine transaction costs for forest C sequestration projects and to determine the significance of the costs based on economic analyses. Here we examine four case studies of active C sequestration projects being implemented in tropical countries and developed for the C market. The results from the case studies were then used with a dynamic forest and land use economic model to investigate how transaction costs affect the efficiency and cost of forest C projects globally. In the case studies transaction costs ranged from 0.38 to 27 million US dollars ($0.09 to $7.71/t CO) or 0.3 to 270 % of anticipated income depending principally on the price of C and project size. The three largest cost categories were insurance (under the voluntary market; 41-89 % of total costs), monitoring (3-42 %) and regulatory approval (8-50 %). The global analysis indicated that most existing estimates of marginal costs of C sequestration are underestimated by up to 30 % because transaction costs were not included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection and development of tree species with high fixing C[O.sub.2] capacity is an increasing problem worldwide. A comparative study on carbon fixation ability of three forest stands was conducted at Linlong Mountain, Li'nan County, Zhejiang Province, China. The results showed that total carbon storage in the ecosystems of Moso bamboo, Chinese fir, and Masson pine stands were 104.83, 95.66, and 96.49 tC/ha, respectively. The spatial distribution of carbon storage in the three ecosystems decreased in the order: soil > tree story > the vegetation under the forests. Carbon storage in the soils under Moso bamboo, Chinese fir, and Masson pine stands accounted for 65.3, 61.4, and 55.6% of the total CSs, respectively. The Moso bamboo forest ecosystem fixed 1.69 and 1.63 times as much C (9.64 tC/ha/year) as the Chinese fir and Masson pine forest ecosystems, respectively. Keywords Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachy pubescens) Stand * Carbon Sink * Carbon Storage * Carbon Fixation Abilities * Subtropical China, Introduction Forests cover nearly one-third of the Earth's land area, containing up to 80% of the total above-ground terrestrial carbon and 40% of below-ground carbon, thus having a critical role [...]

The tension between the large global demand for tropical timber, and ecological sustainability and local socioeconomic development in the fragile natural ecosystems of the Amazon region has challenged many generations. In this case study, carried out in an ecotone forest in the northern Brazilian Amazon, we seek to demonstrate how forest management can became more sustainable through silvicultural prescriptions that reduce forest degradation and soil erosion. We evaluated the effects of the sustainable forest management (SFM) on tree diversity, timber volumes, and carbon stocks. A continuous forest inventory was carried out in nine 1-ha permanent plots (900 subplots of 100 m²), distributed in three treatments with three repetitions: T1 = control without selective logging, T2 = SFM, and T3 = SFM + silvicultural treatment of thinning release by tree girdling and poisoning. SFM was carried out with an average of three commercial timber trees harvested per hectare with DBH (diameter at breast height) ≥ 50 cm, corresponding to a timber volume of 20 ± 6 m3 ha-1, equivalent to the removal of 7 ± 2 Mg C ha-1 (5% of the original C). The formation of clearings (gaps) arising from the falling of exploited trees (0.12 ± 0.09 ha) resulted in greater impacts on the forest structure than the construction of 4 m skidder trails (0.06 ± 0.04 ha), with an average of 7 ± 4 damaged trees ha-1 and 5 ± 3 dead trees ha-1. Although six trees species became locally extinct, tree diversity was little altered, and timber volumes and forest carbon volume stocks remained essentially constant at this average logging intensity. Based on our results, sustainable forest management can become an efficient model for land use in the Amazon when harvesting is carried out using this average logging intensity. However, long-term monitoring studies using permanent plots in ecotone forests in the Brazilian Amazon will still be necessary. Quantifying, evaluating, and reporting impacts related to forest management will enable the formation of an empirical basis to support sustanaible forestry practices and for updating environmental legislation, contributing to local socioeconomic development, and maintaining the environmental services provided globally by tropical forests. • We evaluated the effects of selective logging and silvicultural treatments. • The mean intensity of logging (20 ± 6 m3 ha-1) did not alter tree diversity. • The greatest impact came from clearings created by falling commercial timber trees. • Forest carbon stock may alter depending on the selective logging intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle, but knowledge of interannual variation in the total tropical carbon flux and constituent carbon pools is highly uncertain. One such pool, branchfall, is an ecologically important dynamic with links to nutrient cycling, forest productivity, and drought. Identifying and quantifying branchfall over large areas would reveal the role of branchfall in carbon and nutrient cycling. Using data from repeat airborne light detection and ranging campaigns across a wide array of lowland Amazonian forest landscapes totaling nearly 100 000 ha, we find that upper canopy gaps—driven by branchfall—are pervasive features of every landscape studied, and are seven times more frequent than full tree mortality. Moreover, branchfall comprises a major carbon source on a landscape basis, exceeding that of tree mortality by 21%. On a per hectare basis, branchfall and tree mortality result in 0.65 and 0.72 Mg C ha ^−1 yr ^−1 gross source of carbon to the atmosphere, respectively. Reducing uncertainties in annual gross rates of tropical forest carbon flux, for example by incorporating large-scale branchfall dynamics, is crucial for effective policies that foster conservation and restoration of tropical forests. Additionally, large-scale branchfall mapping offers ecologists a new dimension of disturbance monitoring and potential new insights into ecosystem structure and function.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, a global governmental response to climate change, protocol signatories make an effort to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. South Korea is not included in the list of Annex I countries; yet, South Korea is the seventh highest emitter of CO 2 . The South Korean government has enacted various institutional policies to encourage greenhouse gas reductions. While previous studies have focused on the guidance that reflects the stance of suppliers in the carbon market, this study focuses on South Korean firms' actual demand for forest carbon credits. By applying the contingent valuation method, we estimated domestic firms' willingness to pay for forest carbon credits. We then applied a rank-ordered logistic regression to confirm whether the rank of forest carbon credits, as compared to any other carbon credit, is influenced by a firm's characteristics. The results showed that Korean firms are willing to pay 5.45USD/tCO 2 and 7.77 USD/tCO 2 for forest carbon credits in domestic and overseas forest carbon projects, respectively. Therefore, the introduction of forest carbon credits in the Korean carbon market seems reasonable. Analysis of the priority rankings of forest carbon credits, however, demonstrated that forestry projects were least likely to be ranked by firms as their first priority. Although relative preferences for forest carbon credits were influenced by individual firms' characteristics such as prior experience of environmental CSR related activities and whether the firm established an emissions reduction plan, the impact of perceived behavior control, whether the firm was included in the emissions target management scheme on forest carbon credits was negligible. Therefore, forest carbon credits are not a feasible solution without strong government support or institutional instruments. The results of this study are expected to provide policy makers with realistic approaches to formulate climatic change-related policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One important debate regarding Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in developing countries concerns the manner in which its implementation might affect local and indigenous communities. New ways to implement this mechanism without harming the interests of local communities are emerging. To inform this debate, we conducted a qualitative research synthesis to identify best practices (BPs) from people-centered approaches to conservation and rural development, developed indicators of BPs, and invited development practitioners and researchers in the field to assess how the identified BPs are being adopted by community-level REDD+ projects in Latin America. BPs included: local participation in all phases of the project; project supported by a decentralized forest governance framework; project objectives matching community livelihood priorities; project addressing community development needs and expectations; project enhancing stakeholder collaboration and consensus building; project applying an adaptive management approach; and project developing national and local capacities. Most of the BPs were part of the evaluated projects. However, limitations of some of the projects related to decentralized forest governance, matching project objectives with community livelihood priorities, and addressing community development needs. Adaptive management and free and prior informed consent have been largely overlooked. These limitations could be addressed by integrating conservation outcomes and alternative livelihoods into longer-term community development goals, testing nested forest governance approaches in which national policies support local institutions for forest management, gaining a better understanding of the factors that will make REDD+ more acceptable to local communities, and applying an adaptive management approach that allows for social learning and capacity building of relevant stakeholders. Our study provides a framework of BPs and indicators that could be used by stakeholders to improve REDD+ project design, monitoring, and evaluation, which may help reconcile national initiatives and local interests without reinventing the wheel. Evitar la Reinvención de la Rueda en un Acercamiento a REDD+ Centrado en Personas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resource issues around restoring human dominated landscapes in tropical South Asia are complex and can be divided into topics concerning forest fragmentation and restoration. Issues that focus on effects of forest fragmentation include studies that show declines in forest structure and standing carbon stocks within forest fragments as compared to contiguous forest; changes in bird composition and flock density in relation to land use - especially between forests, the forest buffer zones and agricultural lands (tea, coffee); and the potential origins of many sacred groves as forest fragments and their future roles as cultural, social and ecological centers of reforestation within deforested landscapes. Studies that focus on restoration have demonstrated the benefits of plantations as mechanisms to establish second growth forests and native species plantings for both economic and conservation purposes; the incorporation of indigenous plants that produce non-timber forest products in forest restoration programs; and the control of fire, soil preparation and protection from herbivory as treatments that can facilitate natural forest regeneration in montane grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests have the potential to be a sink in the global carbon (C) budget and thus play an important role in mitigating climate change. However, large-scale management of forests to their sink potential requires understanding of factors responsible for changes in forest C stocks. In this paper, we quantify the effects of initial forest landscape condition and disturbance rates on landscape-level changes in forest C stocks using predictions for managed forests in Ontario, Canada. Ten-year changes in C stocks in public forests managed for wood fibre production were simulated under four scenarios reflecting the range of volume harvested between 1998 and 2007. Changes in forest C stocks varied across Ontario and with harvest rate, resulting in the forest ranging from being a source of 0.767 tC ha year to a sink of 0.656 tC ha year. Simulation results were used to develop a predictive equation explaining over 93 % of the variation in forest C stocks. Variables included in the equation, in descending order of their effect on changes in forest C stocks, were relative harvest rate, forest growth rate, natural disturbance rate, and initial forest C stocks. A reduced equation, including only the first three variables, explained nearly 89 % of the variation in forest C stocks. The results indicate that short-term changes in C stocks depend on initial forest condition and that there are limits to how much these changes can be manipulated by altering harvest and disturbance rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper quantified carbon budget in the past 30 years (1981-2010) and identified the impact of land cover change on carbon dynamics using vegetation integrated simulator for trace gases (VISIT) model. North Korea was converted from carbon sink to source with 10.72 ± 5.18 Tg C yr of net ecosystem production (NEP) in the 1980s, 3.00 ± 7.96 Tg C yr in the 1990s, and −0.46 ± 5.13 Tg C yr in the 2000s. NEP in South Korea was 10.55 ± 1.09 Tg C yr in the 1980s, 10.47 ± 7.28 Tg C yr in the 1990s, and 6.32 ± 5.02 Tg C yr in the 2000s, showing a gradual decline. In North Korea, NEP was decreased by 0.52 Tg yr in the 1990s due to reduction of forest, and increased by 0.36 Tg yr in the 2000s due to expansion of cropland. In South Korea, it was decreased by 0.24 Tg yr in the 1990s as urban and built-up area expanded, and increased by 0.04 Tg yr in the 2000s with the expansion of forest. These results suggest the importance of forest and land cover management against deforestation for ensuring national carbon balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) is a potentially powerful international policy mechanism that many tropical countries are working towards implementing. Thus far, limited practical consideration has been paid to local rights to forests and forest resources in REDD+ readiness programs, beyond noting the importance of these issues. Previous studies have shown that community members can reliably and cost-effectively monitor forest biomass. At the same time, this can improve local ownership and forge important links between monitoring activities and local decision-making. Existing studies have, however, been static assessments of biomass at one point in time. REDD+ programs will require repeated surveys of biomass over extended time frames. Here, we examine trends in accuracy and costs of local forest monitoring over time. We analyse repeated measurements by community members and professional foresters of 289 plots over two years in four countries in Southeast Asia. This shows, for the first time, that with repeated measurements community members' biomass measurements become increasingly accurate and costs decline. These findings provide additional support to available evidence that community members can play a strong role in monitoring forest biomass in the local implementation of REDD+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional cost-effectiveness calculations ignore the implications of greenhouse gas ( GHG) emissions timing and thus may not properly inform decision-makers in the efficient allocation of resources to mitigate climate change. To begin to address this disconnect with climate change science, we modify the conventional cost-effectiveness approach to account for emissions timing. GHG emissions flows occurring over time are translated into an 'Equivalent Present Emission' based on radiative forcing, enabling a comparison of system costs and emissions on a consistent present time basis. We apply this 'Present Cost-Effectiveness' method to case studies of biomass-based electricity generation (biomass co-firing with coal, biomass cogeneration) to evaluate implications of forest carbon trade-offs on the cost-effectiveness of emission reductions. Bioenergy production from forest biomass can reduce forest carbon stocks, an immediate emissions source that contributes to atmospheric greenhouse gases. Forest carbon impacts thereby lessen emission reductions in the near-term relative to the assumption of biomass 'carbon neutrality', resulting in higher costs of emission reductions when emissions timing is considered. In contrast, conventional cost-effectiveness approaches implicitly evaluate strategies over an infinite analytical time horizon, underestimating nearer term emissions reduction costs and failing to identify pathways that can most efficiently contribute to climate change mitigation objectives over shorter time spans (e.g. up to 100 years). While providing only a simple representation of the climate change implications of emissions timing, the Present Cost-Effectiveness method provides a straightforward approach to assessing the cost-effectiveness of emission reductions associated with any climate change mitigation strategy where future GHG reductions require significant initial capital investment or increase near-term emissions. Timing is a critical factor in determining the attractiveness of any investment; accounting for emissions timing can better inform decisions related to the merit of alternative resource uses to meet near-, mid-, and long-term climate change mitigation objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decades of heavy-cutting and high-grading in the northeastern United States provide an opportunity for rehabilitation and increased carbon stores, yet few studies have examined the feasibility of using carbon markets to restore high-graded forests. We evaluated the effectiveness of rehabilitation on 391 ha of high-graded forest in Vermont, USA. Thirteen silvicultural scenarios were modeled over 100 years using the Forest Vegetation Simulator. Carbon offsets were quantified with the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) and American Carbon Registry (ACR) protocols and evaluated under voluntary and regulatory carbon price assumptions. Results indicate that management scenarios involving no harvest or low-intensity harvest yield the greatest incentives, yet these scenarios include a range of short-term rehabilitation options that provide flexibility for landowners. The choice of protocol also significantly influences results. Although ACR consistently generated more offsets than CAR for the same scenarios ( p < 0.05), the protocols yielded similar net present values of US$121-US$256·ha−1 under high offset price assumptions. These returns are comparable to those generated from timber harvest alone under more intensive management scenarios. While timber will continue to be a primary source of revenue for many landowners, carbon markets may increasingly appeal as a new incentive for restoring high-graded forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]