The paper analyzes carbon storage in global forests, emphasizing the potential for increased storage and the impacts of deforestation on biodiversity loss. It synthesizes data from IPCC reports, scientific articles, and global maps to estimate above-ground net biomass change in tropical and subtropical forests. The authors refine IPCC default rates with forest plot data and examine the effects of oil palm on recent deforestation and biodiversity. They also address the varying rates of carbon sink saturation in African and Amazonian tropical forests, highlighting the sensitivity of carbon, timber, and species richness to forest age in boreal-temperate North America.
The findings offer valuable insights into the potential for increased carbon storage, the impacts of deforestation on biodiversity, and the sensitivity of carbon, timber, and species richness to forest age. The comprehensive analysis of diverse data sources enhances the understanding of global forest carbon dynamics and informs future research and policy development in climate change and forest management.
Highlights
- Global Forests as Carbon Sinks: Global forests consistently absorb around 3.6 Pg C yr−1, offsetting nearly half of fossil-fuel emissions and playing a critical role in mitigating climate change.
- Regional Variations in Carbon Sinks: While temperate and regrowth tropical forests increased their carbon absorption by 30% and 29%, respectively, boreal and intact tropical forests saw decreases of 36% and 31% due to intensified disturbances and deforestation.
- Impact of Deforestation: Two-thirds of the carbon absorption benefits provided by global forests are negated by tropical deforestation, emphasizing the urgent need for effective land management policies to protect these crucial carbon sinks.
