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Can the Terrestrial Biosphere Be Managed to Conserve and Sequester Carbon?

  • Conference paper
Carbon Sequestration in the Biosphere

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASII,volume 33))

Abstract

Globally, the terrestrial biosphere contains about 1943 Pg C with approximately 60% of this C occurring in forests. In 1990, deforestation in the low-latitudes emitted around 1.6 Pg C yr-1, whereas forest area expansion and growth in mid- and high-latitude forest sequestered 0.7 Pg C yr-1, for a net flux to the atmosphere of 0.9 ± 0.6 Pg C yr-1. Slowing deforestation, combined with an increase in forestation and other management measures to improve forest ecosystem productivity could conserve or sequester significant quantities of C Analysis of forest sector C budgets for the countries of Brazil, Russian Federation and USA reveal opportunities exist in key nations to mitigate the flux of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Slowing land use change, expanding current forest area and improving productivity of existing stands could potentially conserve or sequester approximately 2.9, 6.5 and 1.3 Pg C yr-1 in Brazil, Russia and USA, respectively. Future terrestrial biosphere C cycling trends attributable to vegetation losses and regrowth associated with global climate and land use change are uncertain. Model projections range widely suggesting the terrestrial biosphere may be a C sink or source in the future.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Support for Country Studies to Address Climate Change, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, PO-63, Washington, DC, 20585, USA

    Robert K. Dixon & Olga N. Krankina

  2. Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Olga N. Krankina

Authors
  1. Robert K. Dixon
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  2. Olga N. Krankina
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. TIGER Programme Office, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK

    Max A. Beran

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Dixon, R.K., Krankina, O.N. (1995). Can the Terrestrial Biosphere Be Managed to Conserve and Sequester Carbon?. In: Beran, M.A. (eds) Carbon Sequestration in the Biosphere. NATO ASI Series, vol 33. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79943-3_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79943-3_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-79945-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-79943-3

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