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Carbon Sequestration in Farm and Forest Ecosystems. Sarah Hines April 2009 shines@fs.fed.us. Overview. Sequestration: What is it and how does it happen? Global Carbon Cycle & Stocks Forests Forest Carbon Pools Carbon Flux & Cycling Agriculture and Rangelands The local process
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Carbon Sequestration in Farm and Forest Ecosystems Sarah Hines April 2009 shines@fs.fed.us
Overview • Sequestration: What is it and how does it happen? • Global Carbon Cycle & Stocks • Forests • Forest Carbon Pools • Carbon Flux & Cycling • Agriculture and Rangelands • The local process • Soil & co-benefits
The long term storage of carbon in the terrestrial biosphere, oceans, or underground, by maintaining/enhancing natural processes, improving management, or improving technology. Carbon Sequestration
The Global Carbon Cycle Source: NASA Earth Observatory and Woods Hole Research Institute
Global Carbon Stocks and Soil Carbon Pools Source: IPCC Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry, 2001
National Baseline ~200 Tg C/yr 10% of CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels “A goal of an additional 100 to 200 Tg C/yr of forest carbon is achievable, but would require investment in inventory and monitoring, development of technology and practices, and assistance for land managers.” Birdsey et al, 2006. Millions tons CO2/yr Net Emissions Net Sequestration YEAR Carbon Budget of the US Forest Sector
Carbon Pools in Forested Ecosystems: What the US Forest Service Monitors & Reports
Carbon Pools in CCAR:Optional & Required Source: CCAR, 2nd Public Workshop for Updated Forest Protocol, 2/3/09
Carbon movement between pools… Evey Canyon, Angeles National Forest
Suggestions on how to Measure Flux at a Landscape Scale… Hoover, Ed. 2008
Relationship Between Forest Ecosystem Components Smith et al, 2006. Methods for Calculating Forest Ecosystem and Harvested Carbon with Standard Estimates for Forest Types of the United States. GTR-NE-343
Mitigation Options… • Emissions Reduction • Substitute Wood Products for More Energy-Intensive Products • Reduce Demand for Energy through Forest Operations Efficiency • Reduce Biomass Burning (Wildfires) • Sink Enhancement • Afforest Marginal Cropland and Pasture • Reduce Conversion of Forestland to Nonforest Use • Improve Forest Management • Reduce Harvest • Increase Agroforestry • Emissions Reduction & Sink Enhancement • Substitute Renewable Biomass for Fossil Fuel Energy • Increase Proportion and Retention of C in Durable Wood Products • Increase Paper and Wood Recycling • Plant Trees in Urban and Suburban Areas
From 1990-2005, forest sector sequestered 162 Tg C/yr Lots more here… …Mitigation Potential
Root Systems of Native Grasses and Crops meters 1 2 3 Source: Courtesy of Ron Follett, Agricultural Research Service, USDA