Mediterranean shrublands as carbon sinks for climate change mitigation: new root-to-shoot ratios

Carrión-Prieto, P. ; Hernández-Navarro, S. ; Martín-Ramos, P. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Sánchez-Sastre, L.F. ; Garrido-Laurnaga, F. ; Marcos-Robles, J.L. ; Martín-Gil, J.

Resumen: Shrublands play an important role in the reduction of atmospheric CO2 and contribute to the mitigation of the effects of climate change, due to their ability to act as carbon sinks and the large expanses of land involved. Two of the most representative shrub species in the Iberian Peninsula, Cistus ladanifer L. and Erica arborea L., were studied in terms of biomass distribution and carbon and nitrogen contents in the different fractions. With a view to fast and cost-effective estimation of radical biomass, a new procedure for easy root-to-shoot calculation based on vibrational data was proposed, resulting in an excellent agreement with the values obtained from conventional direct belowground and aerial biomass measurements: 0.23 for C. ladanifer and 0.54 for E. arborea. Carbon sequestration, estimated at 45 and 73 t CO2 eq·ha-1 for C. ladanifer and E. arborea, respectively, was subsequently determined. Since these values are substantially higher than those of other shrubs, these two key species can be deemed particularly promising for ecological restoration and carbon offsetting.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1080/17583004.2017.1285178

Año: 2017

Publicado en: Carbon Management 8, 1 (2017), 67-77
ISSN: 1758-3004

Factor impacto JCR: 1.109 (2017)

Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES rank: 92 / 108 = 0.852 (2017) - Q4 - T3
Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES rank: 196 / 241 = 0.813 (2017) - Q4 - T3

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.765 - Environmental Science (miscellaneous) (Q1)

Tipo y forma: Artículo (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Area Ingeniería Agroforestal (Dpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural)