Potential for Climate Change Mitigation in Degraded Forests: A Study from La Primavera, México
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Background
2.1. Quantification of Forest Carbon Services
2.2. Study Area
3. Methods
3.1. Forest Inventory
3.2. Allometric Equations and Growth Models
3.3. Forest Area
3.4. Tiers 1 and 2 Values for Carbon Stocks and Increments in Oak-Pine Forests
Source | Climatic Domain and Vegetation Type | Annual Growth (ton/ha/year) * |
---|---|---|
IPCC, 2006 | Natural Forests in Tropical Mountain Systems | |
North and South America (<20 year) | 2.0–6.4 | |
North and South America (>20 year) | 0.6–1.9 | |
Plantations in Tropical Mountain Systems | ||
Americas Pinus | 12.7 | |
Americas Other Broadleaf | 5.2 |
4. Results
4.1. Forest Inventory and Carbon Stocks
Variable | Mean | S.D. | Range |
---|---|---|---|
Basal Area (Inventory) (m2/ha) | 17.0 | 7.5 | 1.9–37.0 |
Weighted Mean Basal Area (m2/ha) a | 12.5 | 3.7 | 11.7–13.3 b |
Canopy Cover (%) c | 54% | 22% | 10%–96% |
Density (trees/ha) | 368 | 280 | 11–1144 |
Mean Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) in Site (cm) | 27.3 | 15.8 | 14.7–158.0 |
Mean Crown Diameter in Site (m) | 6.3 | 4.4 | 1.9–36.3 |
Mean Height in Site (m) | 12.2 | 4.3 | 3.6–35.9 |
% of Oaks | 62% | 30% | 0%–100% |
Slope (%) | 12.0% | 9.3% | 1.0%–60.0% |
Altitude (masl) | 171 | 197 | 1410–2180 |
Strata | Mean (SD) | Range (95%) | S.E. | CI (95%) a | U b | n | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canopy Cover (CC) (%) | Low CC <30% | 130 (63) | 59–258 | 17 | 92–168 | 29% | 13 |
Medium CC 30%–60% | 199 (77) | 93–371 | 12 | 175–222 | 12% | 43 | |
High CC >60% | 336 (120) | 161–624 | 21 | 293–379 | 13% | 33 |
Canopy Cover Class | Area (ha) | Mean (Minimum–Maximum) |
---|---|---|
Low CC | 10,605 | 1.38 (0.98–1.78) |
Medium CC | 13,442 | 2.67 (2.35–2.98) |
High CC | 324 | 0.11 (0.09–0.12) |
Total | 24,371 | 4.16 (3.42–4.89) |
4.2. Carbon Removals
4.3. Reduced Emissions and Total Forest Carbon Services
Change Described | Mean Biomass Growth Rate (ton/ha/year) | Basal Area (m2/ha) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 to 30 years | 30 to 60 years | 60 to 100 years | Initial | 30 years | 60 years | 100 years | ||
Enhancement Forest Areas | ||||||||
Low CC | 1.7 (1.0–2.4) | 2.1 (1.4–2.7) | 2.0 (1.2–2.8) | 9.4 (6.3–12.6) | 15.9 (9.5–22.2) | 21.4 (15.6–27.3) | 29.6 (23.6–35.5) | |
Medium CC | 2.8 (2.5–3.2) | 2.3 (1.8–2.8) | 0.4 (0.2–0.7) | 14.0 (12.5–15.5) | 23.6 (21.0–26.1) | 33.5 (30.6–36.5) | 40.0 (37.7–42.3) | |
High CC | 3.2 (2.4–3.9) | 0.2(0.0–0.4) | 0.1 (0.0–0.3) | 23.7 (21.5–25.9) | 37.0 (34.3–39.8) | 38.8 (37.1–40.6) | 39.6 (38.9–40.2) | |
Reforestation/Afforestation | ||||||||
Oaks (300 trees/ha) | 0.04 (0.03–0.06) | 0.12 (0.09–0.14) | 0.5 (0.4–0.6) | - | 0.4 (0.3–0.5) | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) | 4.7 (3.5–5.8) | |
Pines (400 trees/ha) | 1.23 (0.92–1.54) | 2.47 (1.85–3.09 | 3.6 (2.7–4.5) | - | 7.2 (5.4–9.0) | 17.6 (13.2–22.0) | 34.5 (25.9–43.5) | |
Total Reforestation/Afforestation | 1.27 (0.96–1.59) | 2.58 (1.94–3.23) | 4.1 (3.1–5.1) | - | 7.6 (5.7–9.5) | 18.8 (14.1–23.5) | 39.2 (29.4–48.9) |
Carbon Enhancement/Removals | 30 years | 60 years | 100 years | Scenario Restricted by Basal Area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Enhancement in Existing Forests | ||||
Low CC | 0.99 (0.58–1.40) | 2.22 (1.40–2.97) | 3.77 (2.33–5.15) | 2.22 (1.40–2.97) |
Medium CC | 2.07 (1.85–2.37) | 3.77 (3.18–4.44) | 4.16 (3.38–5.13) | 2.07 (1.85–2.37) |
High CC | 0.06 (0.04–0.07) | 0.06 (0.04–0.08) | 0.06 (0.04–0.08) | - |
Sub-Total Enhancement | 3.12 (2.47–3.84) | 6.05 (4.62–7.49) | 8.00 (5.75–10.36) | 4.29 (3.25–5.34) |
Sequestration in Non-Forest areas Afforestation/Reforestation | 0.44 (0.33–0.55) | 1.33 (0.99–1.66) | 3.21 (2.41–4.01) | 1.33 (0.99–1.66) |
Total Potential Removals (Enhancement + Sequestration) | 3.56 (2.80–4.38) | 7.37 (5.62–9.15) | 11.21 (8.16–14.37) | 5.61 (4.24–7.00) |
Total Potential Future Carbon Stocks (Actual + Potential Removals) | 7.72 (6.22–9.27) | 11.53 (9.04–14.04) | 15.37 (11.58–19.26) | 9.77 (7.66–11.89) |
Forest Areas | Reforestation/Afforestation (60 years) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Low CC | Medium CC | High CC | ||
Reduced Emissions, REL = 1.0% | 1.3 (0.9–1.7) | 2.0 (1.7–2.2) | 3.4 (2.8–3.7) | - |
Reduced Emissions, REL = 3.7% | 4.8 (3.4–6.2) | 7.3 (6.5–8.2) | 12.6 (10.3–13.7) | - |
Carbon Removals | 3.5 (2.2–4.7) | 5.1 (4.6–5.9) | - | 3.5 (2.6–4.4) |
Total Forest Carbon Services, REL = 1.0% | 4.8 (3.1–6.3) | 7.1 (6.3–8.1) | 3.4 (2.8–3.7) | 3.5 (2.6–4.4) |
Total Forest Carbon Services, REL = 3.7% | 8.3 (5.6–10.9) | 12.5 (11.1–14.1) | 12.6 (10.3–13.7) | 3.5 (2.6–4.4) |
5. Conclusions
5.1. Comparison with Default Values and Local Studies
5.2. Forest Carbon Services and Incentive Based Mechanisms
5.3. Further Work
5.4. Final Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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Balderas Torres, A.; Ontiveros Enríquez, R.; Skutsch, M.; Lovett, J.C. Potential for Climate Change Mitigation in Degraded Forests: A Study from La Primavera, México. Forests 2013, 4, 1032-1054. https://doi.org/10.3390/f4041032
Balderas Torres A, Ontiveros Enríquez R, Skutsch M, Lovett JC. Potential for Climate Change Mitigation in Degraded Forests: A Study from La Primavera, México. Forests. 2013; 4(4):1032-1054. https://doi.org/10.3390/f4041032
Chicago/Turabian StyleBalderas Torres, Arturo, Ricardo Ontiveros Enríquez, Margaret Skutsch, and Jon C. Lovett. 2013. "Potential for Climate Change Mitigation in Degraded Forests: A Study from La Primavera, México" Forests 4, no. 4: 1032-1054. https://doi.org/10.3390/f4041032
APA StyleBalderas Torres, A., Ontiveros Enríquez, R., Skutsch, M., & Lovett, J. C. (2013). Potential for Climate Change Mitigation in Degraded Forests: A Study from La Primavera, México. Forests, 4(4), 1032-1054. https://doi.org/10.3390/f4041032