Are old forests underestimated as global carbon sinks?

Old forests are important carbon pools, but are thought to be insignificant as current atmospheric carbon sinks. This perception is based on the assumption that changes in productivity with age in complex, multiaged, multispecies natural forests can be modelled simply as scaled‐up versions of individual trees or even‐aged stands. This assumption was tested by measuring the net primary productivity (NPP) of natural subalpine forests in the Northern Rocky Mountains, where NPP is from 50% to 100% higher than predicted by a model of an even‐age forest composed of a single species. If process‐based terrestrial carbon models underestimate NPP by 50% in just one quarter of the temperate coniferous forests throughout the world, then global NPP is being underestimated by 145 Tg of carbon annually. This is equivalent to 4.3–7.6% of the missing atmospheric carbon sink. These results emphasize the need to account for multiple‐aged, species‐diverse, mature forests in models of terrestrial carbon dynamics to approximate the global carbon budget.     

Is soil carbon disappearing? The dynamics of soil organic carbon in Java

Research in the soil of the tropics mostly has demonstrated the decline of soil organic carbon (SOC) after conversion of primary forest to plantation and cultivated lands. This paper illustrates the dynamics of SOC on the island of Java, Indonesia, from 1930 to 2010. We used 2002 soil profile observations containing organic carbon (C) analysis in the topsoil, which were collected by the Indonesian Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research & Development from 1923 to 2007. Results show the obvious decline of SOC values from around 2% in 1930–1940 to 0.8% in 1960–1970. However, there has been an increase of SOC content since 1970, with a median level of 1.1% in the year 2000. Our analysis suggests that the human influence and agricultural practices on SOC in Java have been a stronger influence than the environmental factors. SOC for the top 10 cm has shown a net accumulation rate of 0.2–0.3 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 during the period 1990–2000. These findings give rise to optimism for increased soil C sequestration in the tropics.     

Do grasslands act as a perpetual sink for carbon?

It is increasingly commonly suggested that grasslands are a perpetual sink for carbon, and that just maintaining grasslands will yield a net carbon sink. I examine the evidence for this from repeated soil surveys, long term grassland experiments and simple mass balance calculations. I conclude that it is untenable that grasslands act as a perpetual carbon sink, and the most likely explanation for observed grassland carbon sinks over short periods is legacy effects of land use and land management prior to the beginning of flux measurement periods. Simply having grassland does not result is a carbon sink, but judicious management or previously poorly managed grasslands can increase the sink capacity. Given that grasslands are a large store of carbon, and that it is easier and faster for soils to lose carbon that it is for them to gain carbon, it is an important management target to maintain these stocks.     

石灰碳汇综述

以“碳失汇”科学之谜和碳捕集与封存技术发展为背景,从石灰碳化原理、影响因素和石灰在化工、冶金、建筑以及石灰窑灰处理等领域的利用方式,综述了石灰物质流动过程的碳汇研究.结果发现: 石灰材料和环境条件是影响碳化的主要因素;石灰碳汇主要集中在化工、冶金和建筑领域;已有研究侧重分析石灰碳汇的机理、影响因素,但缺乏系统的碳汇核算方法.今后的研究工作应从以下几方面加强: 从物质流动的角度出发,建立系统完整的石灰碳汇核算方法;量化我国乃至全球的石灰碳汇量,阐明石灰生产过程中排放的CO₂抵消比例;分析石灰碳汇对碳失汇的贡献比例,明晰部分失踪碳汇;推动石灰碳捕集与封存技术发展,为我国应对气候变化国际谈判提供科学依据.     

Hierarchical saturation of soil carbon pools near a natural CO2 spring

Soil has been identified as a possible carbon (C) sink to mitigate increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration. However, several recent studies have suggested that the potential of soil to sequester C is limited and that soil may become saturated with C under increasing CO₂ levels. To test this concept of soil C saturation, we studied a gley and organic soil at a grassland site near a natural CO₂ spring. Total and aggregate‐associated soil organic C (SOC) concentration showed a significant increase with atmospheric CO₂ concentration. An asymptotic function showed a better fit of SOC and aggregation with CO₂ level than a linear model. There was a shift in allocation of total C from smaller size fractions to the largest aggregate fraction with increasing CO₂ concentration. Litter inputs appeared to be positively related to CO₂ concentration. Based on modeled function parameters and the observed shift in the allocation of the soil C from small to large aggregate‐size classes, we postulate that there is a hierarchy in C saturation across different SOC pools. We conclude that the asymptotic response of SOC concentration at higher CO₂ levels indicates saturation of soil C pools, likely because of a limit to physical protection of SOC.     

Quantifying carbon sequestration as a result of soil erosion and deposition: retrospective assessment using caesium-137 and carbon inventories

The role of soil erosion in the global carbon cycle remains a contested subject. A new approach to the retrospective derivation of erosion‐induced quantitative fluxes of carbon between soil and atmosphere is presented and applied. The approach is based on the premise that soil redistribution perturbs the carbon cycle by driving disequilibrium between soil carbon content and input. This perturbation is examined by establishing the difference between measured carbon inventories and the inventories that would be found if input and content were in dynamic equilibrium. The carbon inventory of a profile in dynamic equilibrium is simulated by allowing lateral and vertical redistribution of carbon but treating all other profile inputs as equal to outputs. Caesium‐137 is used to derive rates of vertical and lateral soil redistribution. Both point and field‐scale estimates of carbon exchange with the atmosphere are derived using the approach for a field subject to mechanized agricultural in the United Kingdom. Sensitivity analysis is undertaken and demonstrates that the approach is robust. The results indicate that, despite a 15% decline in the carbon content of the cultivation layer of the eroded part of the field, this area has acted as a net sink of 11 ± 2 g C m^?2 yr^?1 over the last half century and that in the field as a whole, soil redistribution has driven a sink of 7 ± 2 g C m^?2 yr^?1 (6 ± 2 g C m^?2 yr^?1 if all eroded carbon transported beyond the field boundary is lost to the atmosphere) over the same period. This is the first empirical evidence for, and quantification of, dynamic replacement of eroded carbon. The relatively modest field‐scale net sink is more consistent with the identification of erosion and deposition as a carbon sink than a carbon source. There is a clear need to assemble larger databases with which to evaluate critically the carbon sequestration potential of erosion and deposition in a variety of conditions of agricultural management, climate, relief, and soil type. In any case, this study demonstrated that the operation of erosion and deposition processes within the boundaries of agricultural fields must be understood as a key driver of the net carbon cycle consequences of cultivating land.     

南方双季稻田稻草还田的碳汇效应

利用长期稻草还田定位试验和短期不同稻草还田模式试验,研究稻草还田对南方双季稻田土壤固碳、甲烷排放和综合碳汇的影响.结果表明： 稻草还田能增加土壤有机碳,长期还田的耕层土壤碳汇年增长率为0.07 t C·hm^-2·a^-1,土壤有机碳的表观转化率随着稻草还田量的增加而减少.稻草还田导致稻田甲烷排放量显著增加,其中,NPK添加稻草（NPK+RS）处理早、晚稻期间甲烷排放通量比仅施NPK分别增加了75.0%和251.5%（P<0.01）.稻田甲烷排放随着稻草还田量的增加而增加,在水稻产量和耕作方式相近的条件下,稻草（茬）的甲烷表观转化率接近.综合土壤固碳和甲烷排放的稻田净碳汇,NPK+RS处理负碳汇效应显著,基本与其水稻生物固碳接近,比稻草不还田处理（NPK）增加158.3%;不同还田模式中,稻草覆盖免耕处理能显著减少甲烷排放,其净碳汇（负值）比高桩翻耕处理减少50.9%,有利于水稻高产稳产.     

森林土壤储碳与增汇的不确定性分析

森林具有类型多样、结构复杂以及随环境变化等特征,1 m深森林土壤储存的碳约占全球森林生态系统总碳储量的45%,约占全球土壤碳库的52%。目前对森林土壤固碳潜力和关键过程机制的认识还十分有限。因此,森林土壤储碳与增汇的估算仍存在很大不确定性。研究梳理了森林土壤有机碳(SOC)储量、密度、含量、增量、固定和碳汇等术语定义;综述了SOC稳定性的机制,包括化学结构稳定性、团聚体物理保护、金属氧化物和粘土矿物吸附,生物与环境主导有机碳稳定固持,以及最新研究相继提出的森林SOC组分多样性及功能复杂性维持碳稳定的学术观点。研究还分析了森林SOC储量和增量不同测定方法的主要原理、优点和不足。根据已有文献数据分析,全球森林1 m 深SOC储量变化范围为383-787 Pg C(Pg=10¹⁵g),年变化范围为每年降低349 Tg C(Tg=10¹²g)到每年增加498 Tg C。中国森林1 m深 SOC储量评估范围为16.0-34.2 Pg C,年变化范围为每年降低64.5 Tg C到增加217.3 Tg C。说明目前对森林SOC储量和增量的估算还存在很大不确定性。最新研究表明全球森林碳容量和固碳潜力巨大,但不同研究对SOC是否存在上限仍具不同观点,气候变化对森林SOC储量及其持续固碳潜力的影响也存在较大的不确定性。未来建议通过学科交叉深入探索森林群落结构与土壤固碳过程之间的联系,从碳组分多样性和功能复杂性的新视角理解森林SOC的形成与稳定机制;将SOC监测纳入国家森林资源清查体系、建立国家尺度的SOC长期监测网络、设立我国森林SOC增汇大科学计划;提出保持SOC稳定固持的天然林保护修复及经营提升途径;建立培育高固碳树种,优化林分结构,合理采伐以及轮伐期延长等人工林土壤固碳增汇经营技术体系。     

土壤有机碳汇内涵与核算方法辨析

在\"碳达峰、碳中和\"战略需求下,土壤有机碳汇作为生态系统碳汇的重要组成部分,土壤碳库容量以及如何开展土壤有机碳汇核算日益成为生态碳汇的研究热点。梳理了国内外土壤有机碳汇及核算相关研究成果,解析了土壤有机碳汇的概念内涵,提出了以稳定性有机碳作为土壤有机碳汇的表征指标及获取方法。从土壤发生学角度提出了土壤碳汇阈值的概念,土壤中有机碳的含量随着分解转化最终会达到动态平衡,此时稳定有机碳含量值约是常数,这个常数就是稳定碳库的库容,在特定的成土因素下,碳库的核算值不会超过平衡时的常态值。在客观上,体现在非人类干扰状态下不同土壤类型自然状态下的稳定性有机碳含量。参照土壤有机质平衡理论,提出了土壤碳汇核算的定量化方法,为土壤碳汇的度量和核算提供了一套技术思路。下一步土壤有机碳汇的核算应在科学研究基础上多角度凝聚共识,制定碳汇核算标准,确定不同尺度下可操作、可重复以及可复制的土壤有机碳汇核算技术与方法。     

江西省森林碳蓄积过程及碳源/汇的时空格局

森林碳蓄积是研究森林与大气碳交换以及估算森林吸收或排放含碳气体的关键参数,不同年龄森林的碳源/汇功能差异则体现出森林生态系统碳蓄积过程的时间特征。以森林资源清查的样方数据作为数据源,通过刻画主要树种的林分蓄积生长曲线、林龄与净初级生产力(NPP)之间的关系,驱动区域碳收支模型(InTEC)模拟江西省1950—2008年的森林碳蓄积过程,了解山江湖工程实施以来的森林碳源/汇状况。结果表明,20世纪80年代以前,江西省森林年平均NPP波动于450—813 gCm-2a-1之间,年净增生物量碳26.55—36.23 TgC/a,年净增木质林产品碳0.01—0.3 TgC/a;80年代初,NPP和年净增生物量碳分别降至307.39 gC m-2a-1和17.31 TgC/a,而年净增木质林产品碳却高达0.6 TgC/a,说明森林被大量砍伐进入林产品碳库;1985年山江湖工程实施后,大面积造林使得年净增碳蓄积呈现急剧上升趋势,生物量和木质林产品碳蓄积分别上升至目前的42.37 TgC/a和0.79 TgC/a,而平均NPP值增加缓慢、碳汇功能降低,说明林分质量有待提高;90年代后碳汇功能开始稳步增强,说明造林面积的迅速增加是引起江西省森林碳增汇的主要驱动因素,但未来森林增汇潜力应源于森林生长和有效的经营管理。     

基于建筑容量的城市建设用地碳汇量核算方法

城市建设中的矿物质材料开发利用活动不仅导致大量碳排放,也产生了碳吸收.以往建筑矿物质材料的碳吸收过程一直没有得到重视和科学量化.本研究采用遥感影像阴影高度反演技术,提取地块的建筑容量,识别建筑类型,以此为依据确定矿物材料用量及碳含量参数,采用热重分析法测定碳化率,基于以上步骤构建城市建筑碳汇量的核算方法,并选取沈阳市蒲河新来测试这一核算方法,同时进行不确定性分析.结果表明: 1996—2016年,沈阳市蒲河新城各类型建筑产生的碳汇总量依次为:居住建筑>公共服务建筑>其他类建筑>商业金融建筑>工业建筑;各类建筑用地的碳汇容积率依次为:商业金融建筑>居住建筑>公共服务建筑>其他类建筑>工业建筑.本研究构建的基于建筑容量提取的城市尺度的建筑碳汇量核算方法,可以快速准确地估算不同类型城市建设用地无机材料产生的碳汇量.在城市自然碳汇有限条件下,利用建筑碳汇增加城市碳汇量,能够为我国城市低碳发展提供新的思路.     

围封对辽西北退化草地土壤有机碳含量的影响

以辽西北农牧交错带退化草地为研究对象;研究土壤有机碳含量、储量以及土壤固碳能力随围封年限的变化特征。结果表明: 围封6年后0～20 cm土层土壤有机碳储量增加了18.6%。随围封年限的增加;土壤有机碳含量、储量均呈现下降-上升-下降-上升的“W”型的变化趋势;围封3年、6年时;土壤固碳潜力较高。相关性分析结果表明;0～10 cm土壤有机碳储量与土壤pH呈显著负相关（P<0.05）;与凋落物量、地上生物量呈显著正相关（P<0.05）;10～20 cm土壤有机碳储量与凋落物量呈显著正相关、与植物优势度指数呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。短期围封（6年）通过增加地上生物量促进土壤有机碳的积累;同时通过降低土壤pH减缓有机碳分解;从而增加土壤有机碳含量和固碳潜力。本研究为辽西北退化草地的生态恢复提供了技术支撑。     

小兴安岭7种典型林型林分生物量碳密度与固碳能力

森林生物碳储量作为森林生态系统碳库的重要组成部分, 在全球碳循环中发挥着重要作用。以小兴安岭7种典型林型为研究对象, 通过外业样地调查与室内实验分析相结合的方法, 从林分尺度对林分生物量与碳密度进行计量, 分析了林分生物碳储量的空间分配格局, 并对林分年固碳能力与碳汇潜力进行了探讨。结果表明: 小兴安岭不同林型从幼龄林到成熟林的乔木层碳密度增长速率为: 蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica)林>兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii)林>云冷杉(Picea-Abies)林>樟子松(Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica)林>山杨(Populus davidiana)林>红松(Pinus koraiensis)林>白桦(Betula platyphylla)林。7种典型林型不同龄组(幼龄林、中龄林、近熟林和成熟林)林分生物量碳密度分别为: 红松林31.4、74.7、118.4和130.2 t·hm^-2; 兴安落叶松林28.9、44.3、74.2和113.3 t·hm^-2; 樟子松林22.8、52.0、71.1和92.6 t·hm^-2; 云冷杉林23.1、44.1、77.6和130.3 t·hm^-2; 白桦林18.8、35.3、66.6和88.5 t·hm^-2; 蒙古栎林25.0、20.0、47.5和68.9 t·hm^-2; 山杨林19.8、28.7、43.7和76.6 t·hm^-2。红松林、兴安落叶松林、樟子松林和蒙古栎林在幼龄林时林分年固碳量较高, 其他林型在成熟林时林分年固碳量较高。7种典型林型不同龄组的林分生物量碳密度均随林龄增长而增加, 但不同林型的碳汇功能存在差异, 同一林型不同林龄的生物量碳密度增幅差异也较大。林分年固碳量在0.4-2.8 t·hm^-2之间, 碳汇能力较强、碳汇潜力较大。尤其是小兴安岭目前林分质量较差, 幼龄林和中龄林所占的比重较大, 具有较大的碳汇潜力。研究结果可为森林经营管理及碳汇功能评价提供参考。     

蚯蚓对土壤碳循环影响的研究进展及其实现碳中和的潜力

随着人类活动的加剧;温室气体排放量日益剧增;土壤碳库在全球的碳排放过程中扮演着重要角色。土壤生态系统的二氧化碳排放量占温室气体总量的20%。因此;实现土壤生态系统的碳中和对降低其温室气体排放量显得尤为重要。蚯蚓作为土壤中最典型的无脊椎动物;在调节土壤生态系统的碳平衡过程中发挥至关重要的作用。本文总结了蚯蚓对土壤中二氧化碳和甲烷排放的影响;归纳了蚯蚓在土壤中存在的固碳途径;并评估其在修复污染土壤中的固碳潜力;揭示了蚯蚓在土壤生态系统保护中的碳中和作用。蚯蚓在土壤固碳中具有较大的应用前景。本文可为更快、更好达到碳中和目标提供理论依据和指导意义。