Details zur Publikation |
| Kategorie | Textpublikation |
| Referenztyp | Zeitschriften |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102625 |
| Volltext | Autorenversion |
| Titel (primär) | Prediction of forest parameters and carbon accounting under different fire regimes in Miombo woodlands, Niassa Special Reserve, Northern Mozambique |
| Autor | Ribeiro, N.S.; Hildt Armstrong, A.; Fischer, R.
; Kim, Y.-S.; Shugart, H.H.; Ribeiro-Barros, A.I.; Chauque, A.; Tear, T.; Washington-Allen, R.; Bandeira, R.R. |
| Journal / Serie | Forest Policy and Economics |
| Erscheinungsjahr | 2021 |
| Department | OESA |
| Band/Volume | 133 |
| Seite von | art. 102625 |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Topic | T5 Future Landscapes |
| Keywords | FORMIND gap model; Ecosystem dynamics; Carbon accounting; Fire management; Fire policy |
| Abstract | Miombo woodlands
are the most extensive dry forest type in southern Africa, covering ca. 1.9
million km2 across seven countries. Fire is a key ecosystem process
that has structured miombo for the last 200,000 years. However, how fires
affect the ecosystem's functioning is not well understood. In this study, we
used the individual-based forest model called FORMIND to analyze the carbon
balance in the miombo woodlands of Niassa Special Reserve (NSR), northern
Mozambique. The 42.000 km2 NSR represents the most important
conservation area in Mozambique (~31% of the total conservation area in the
country) and of miombo woodlands worldwide. Long-term inventory data from 2004
to 2019 for NSR were used to calibrate FORMIND. The primary ecosystem processes
of this model are tree growth, mortality, regeneration, and competition. Fire
is set as one of the main factors that affect these processes, after the
woodland reaches an equilibrium at 200 years of age. We also calculated
the Net Present Value (NPV) of carbon credits resulting from altering the fire
regime (e.g., reducing or eliminating fires). The FORMIND model successfully
reproduced important characteristics of the woodlands (aboveground biomass,
stem size distribution and basal area). NPV estimates of above-ground woody
biomass carbon stocks were highly dependent on the woodland age. The maximum
NPV estimates were generated for a 30-year project starting with 200 year
old woodlands (the current forest age) at 192–1339 USD based on a realistic
range of carbon values (i.e., 3–20 USD MgCO2e−1). While
fire plays an important role in miombo woodlands by reducing stock and changing
species composition, its effects on the capacity of the woodland to mitigate
the effects of climate change varies depending on the age of stands. Our
results show that FORMIND model reliably reproduce the field inventory data,
thus can be used to improve carbon accounting standards. We recommend the
development of a fire management system to sustain the miombo woodlands of NSR
for multiple reasons. NSR is a globally significant protected area, but perhaps
more importantly it could become a regional example for how to improve miombo
woodland management. Given that miombo woodlands provide a myriad of ecosystem
services to rural Africans, investing in improving fire management could
increase the benefits to local communities. Altering fire regimes could improve
habitat quality and promote greater resilience to climate change while
sequestering carbon. In addition, local employment opportunities in fire
management could be created via carbon financing from a carbon project.
However, much more outreach and education will be needed to local and national
stakeholders for fire management to be perceived more positively and realize
the potential to generate multiple benefits for nature and people.
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| dauerhafte UFZ-Verlinkung | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25301 |
| Ribeiro, N.S., Hildt Armstrong, A., Fischer, R., Kim, Y.-S., Shugart, H.H., Ribeiro-Barros, A.I., Chauque, A., Tear, T., Washington-Allen, R., Bandeira, R.R. (2021): Prediction of forest parameters and carbon accounting under different fire regimes in Miombo woodlands, Niassa Special Reserve, Northern Mozambique Forest Policy Econ. 133 , art. 102625 |
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