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Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics: Case Studies in the Former Soviet Union, the Conterminous United States, Mexico and Brazil

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Abstract

This research assessed land-use impacts on C flux at a national level in four countries: former Soviet Union, United States, Mexico and Brazil, including biotic processes in terrestrial ecosystems (closed forests, woodlands, and croplands), harvest of trees for wood and paper products, and direct C emission from fires. The terrestrial ecosystems of the four countries contain approximately 40% of the world's terrestrial biosphere C pool, with the FSU alone having 27% of the global total. Average phytomass C densities decreased from south to north while average soil C densities in all three vegetation types generally increased from south to north. The C flux from land cover conversion was divided into a biotic component and a land-use component. We estimate that the total net biotic flux (Tg/yr) was positive (= uptake) in the FSU (631) and the U.S. (332), but negative in Mexico (−37) and Brazil (−16). In contrast, total flux from land use was negative (= emissions) in all four countries (TgC/yr): FSU −343; U.S. −243; Mexico −35; and Brazil −235. The total net effect of the biotic and land-use factors was a C sink in the FSU and the U.S. and a C source in both Brazil and Mexico.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA

    Michael A. Cairns & Donald L. Phillips

  2. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, (USEPA), 200 SW 35th Street, Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA

    Jack K. Winjum

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Tatyana P. Kolchugina & Ted S. Vinson

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  1. Michael A. Cairns
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  4. Tatyana P. Kolchugina
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Cairns, M.A., Winjum, J.K., Phillips, D.L. et al. Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics: Case Studies in the Former Soviet Union, the Conterminous United States, Mexico and Brazil. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 1, 363–383 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MITI.0000027388.65532.60

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