Forest management in southern China generates short term extensive carbon sequestration

Xiaowei Tong, Martin Brandt, Yuemin Yue (), Philippe Ciais, Martin Rudbeck Jepsen, Josep Penuelas, Jean-Pierre Wigneron, Xiangming Xiao, Xiao-Peng Song, Stephanie Horion, Kjeld Rasmussen, Sassan Saatchi, Lei Fan, Kelin Wang (), Bing Zhang, Zhengchao Chen, Yuhang Wang, Xiaojun Li and Rasmus Fensholt
Additional contact information
Xiaowei Tong: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Martin Brandt: University of Copenhagen
Yuemin Yue: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Philippe Ciais: CE Orme des Merisiers
Martin Rudbeck Jepsen: University of Copenhagen
Josep Penuelas: Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB
Jean-Pierre Wigneron: INRA Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Xiangming Xiao: University of Oklahoma
Xiao-Peng Song: Texas Tech University
Stephanie Horion: University of Copenhagen
Kjeld Rasmussen: University of Copenhagen
Sassan Saatchi: California Institute of Technology
Lei Fan: INRA Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Kelin Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bing Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhengchao Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuhang Wang: Beijing Normal University
Xiaojun Li: INRA Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Rasmus Fensholt: University of Copenhagen

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Land use policies have turned southern China into one of the most intensively managed forest regions in the world, with actions maximizing forest cover on soils with marginal agricultural potential while concurrently increasing livelihoods and mitigating climate change. Based on satellite observations, here we show that diverse land use changes in southern China have increased standing aboveground carbon stocks by 0.11 ± 0.05 Pg C y−1 during 2002–2017. Most of this regional carbon sink was contributed by newly established forests (32%), while forests already existing contributed 24%. Forest growth in harvested forest areas contributed 16% and non-forest areas contributed 28% to the carbon sink, while timber harvest was tripled. Soil moisture declined significantly in 8% of the area. We demonstrate that land management in southern China has been removing an amount of carbon equivalent to 33% of regional fossil CO2 emissions during the last 6 years, but forest growth saturation, land competition for food production and soil-water depletion challenge the longevity of this carbon sink service.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13798-8

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