Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical Effects
Abstract Forestation is a key strategy for climate mitigation in China through its biogeochemical (BGC) effect of ecosystem carbon sequestration. Additionally, the BGC effect of forestation can be either reinforced or counteracted by concurrent biogeophysical processes (BGP effect) resulting in loca...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-07-01
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| Series: | Earth's Future |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF004536 |
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| author | Yu Li Pengyi Zhang Huanhuan Wang Hui Ma Jie Zhao Mengyang Xu Mengyu Wang Chenhui Guo Chao Yue |
| author_facet | Yu Li Pengyi Zhang Huanhuan Wang Hui Ma Jie Zhao Mengyang Xu Mengyu Wang Chenhui Guo Chao Yue |
| author_sort | Yu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Forestation is a key strategy for climate mitigation in China through its biogeochemical (BGC) effect of ecosystem carbon sequestration. Additionally, the BGC effect of forestation can be either reinforced or counteracted by concurrent biogeophysical processes (BGP effect) resulting in local land surface warming or cooling, which can be translated into CO2e (i.e., BGC effect) using a local transient climate response. Previous evaluations of the climate mitigation potential of future forestation in China have, however, focused on the BGC effect only and neglected the BGP effect, potentially leading to suboptimal forestation areas. Here, we determined priority forestation areas in China by incorporating both effects to maximize its global climate mitigation effect. Our results suggest an additional 167.2 Mha potentially suitable for forestation in China, exceeding the largest forestation target (86.8 Mha) possibly assumed by the government in 2060. The forestation‐induced BGP effect (18.7 ± 61.9 tCO2e ha−1) largely reinforces the BGC effect (458.2 ± 92.6 tCO2e ha−1) in China, yielding a total climate mitigation effect of 476.9 ± 114.2 tCO2e ha−1 over 40 years (2021–2060). Under the 2060 forestation target, considering both BGC and BGP effects will displace 17.7% (15.3 Mha) of the forestation area derived by considering the BGC effect alone. Integrating both BGC and BGP effects will lead to a CO2 uptake of 28.8 GtCO2e by 2060, 3.9 GtCO2e higher than the value obtained when considering the BGC effect only. Our results highlight the importance of considering BGP effect when making forestation policies for climate mitigation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7d4d53f2f6e64c6180a6cf8638912221 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2328-4277 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth's Future |
| spelling | doaj-art-7d4d53f2f6e64c6180a6cf86389122212025-01-29T07:58:53ZengWileyEarth's Future2328-42772024-07-01127n/an/a10.1029/2024EF004536Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical EffectsYu Li0Pengyi Zhang1Huanhuan Wang2Hui Ma3Jie Zhao4Mengyang Xu5Mengyu Wang6Chenhui Guo7Chao Yue8College of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A & F University Yangling ChinaCollege of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A & F University Yangling ChinaSchool of Engineering The University of Western Australia Crawley WA AustraliaCollege of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A & F University Yangling ChinaShandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection College of Resources and Environment Linyi University Linyi ChinaCollege of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A & F University Yangling ChinaCollege of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A & F University Yangling ChinaCollege of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A & F University Yangling ChinaCollege of Natural Resources and Environment Northwest A & F University Yangling ChinaAbstract Forestation is a key strategy for climate mitigation in China through its biogeochemical (BGC) effect of ecosystem carbon sequestration. Additionally, the BGC effect of forestation can be either reinforced or counteracted by concurrent biogeophysical processes (BGP effect) resulting in local land surface warming or cooling, which can be translated into CO2e (i.e., BGC effect) using a local transient climate response. Previous evaluations of the climate mitigation potential of future forestation in China have, however, focused on the BGC effect only and neglected the BGP effect, potentially leading to suboptimal forestation areas. Here, we determined priority forestation areas in China by incorporating both effects to maximize its global climate mitigation effect. Our results suggest an additional 167.2 Mha potentially suitable for forestation in China, exceeding the largest forestation target (86.8 Mha) possibly assumed by the government in 2060. The forestation‐induced BGP effect (18.7 ± 61.9 tCO2e ha−1) largely reinforces the BGC effect (458.2 ± 92.6 tCO2e ha−1) in China, yielding a total climate mitigation effect of 476.9 ± 114.2 tCO2e ha−1 over 40 years (2021–2060). Under the 2060 forestation target, considering both BGC and BGP effects will displace 17.7% (15.3 Mha) of the forestation area derived by considering the BGC effect alone. Integrating both BGC and BGP effects will lead to a CO2 uptake of 28.8 GtCO2e by 2060, 3.9 GtCO2e higher than the value obtained when considering the BGC effect only. Our results highlight the importance of considering BGP effect when making forestation policies for climate mitigation.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF004536forestationbiogeochemical effectbiogeophysical effectcarbon sequestrationland surface temperature |
| spellingShingle | Yu Li Pengyi Zhang Huanhuan Wang Hui Ma Jie Zhao Mengyang Xu Mengyu Wang Chenhui Guo Chao Yue Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical Effects Earth's Future forestation biogeochemical effect biogeophysical effect carbon sequestration land surface temperature |
| title | Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical Effects |
| title_full | Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical Effects |
| title_fullStr | Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical Effects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical Effects |
| title_short | Prioritizing Forestation in China Through Incorporating Biogeochemical and Local Biogeophysical Effects |
| title_sort | prioritizing forestation in china through incorporating biogeochemical and local biogeophysical effects |
| topic | forestation biogeochemical effect biogeophysical effect carbon sequestration land surface temperature |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EF004536 |
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