Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparison of two methods to assess the carbon budget of forest biomes in the Former Soviet Union

  • Part III Workshop Research Presentations
  • Section 1: Forest Systems
  • Published:
Water, Air, and Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The sink of CO2 and the C budget of forest biomes of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) were assessed with two distinct methods: (1) ecosystem/ecoregional, and (2) forest statistical data. The ecosystem/ecoregional method was based on the integration of ecoregions (defined with a GIS analysis of several maps) with soil/vegetation C data bases. The forest statistical approach was based on data on growing stock, annual increment of timber, and FSU yield tables.

Applying the ecosystem/ecoregional method, the area of forest biomes in the FSU was estimated at 1426.1 Mha (106 ha); forest ecosystems comprised 799.9 Mha, non-forest ecosystems and arable land comprised 506.1 and 119.9 Mha, respectively. The FSU forested area was 28% of the global area of closed forests. Forest phytomass (i.e., live plant mass), mortmass (i.e., coarse woody debris), total forest plant mass, and net increment in vegetation (NIV) were estimated at 57.9 t C ha−1, 15.5 t C ha−1, 73.4 t C ha−1, and 1.0 t C ha−1 yr−1, respectively. The 799.9 Mha area of forest ecosystems calculated in the ecosystem/ecoregional method was close to the 814.2 Mha reported in the FSU forest statistical data. Based on forest statistical data forest phytomass was estimated at 62.7 t C ha−1, mortmass at 37.6 t C ha−1; thus the total forest plant mass C pool was 100.3 t C ha−1. The NIV was estimated at 1.1 t C ha−1 yr−1. These estimates compared well with the estimates for phytomass, total forest plant mass, and NIV obtained from the ecosystem/ecoregional method. Mortmass estimated from the forest statistical data method exceeded the estimate based on the ecosystem/ecoregional method by a factor of 2.4. The ecosystem/ecoregional method allowed the estimation of litter, soil organic matter, NPP (net primary productivity), foliage formation, total and stable soil organic matter accumulation, and peat accumulation (13.9 t C ha−1, 125.0 t C ha−1, 3.1 t C ha−1 yr−1, 1.4 t C ha−1 yr−1, 0.11, and 0.056 t C ha−1 yr−1, respectively). Based on an average value of NEP (net ecosystem productivity) from the two methods, and following a consideration of anthropogenic influences, FSU forests were estimated to be a net sink of approximately 0.5 Gt C yr−1 of atmospheric C.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alimov, Y.P., I.V. Golovikhin, L.B. Zdanevich, and I.V. Yunov (eds.). 1989. Dynamics of forests under forest management organization regarding the main forest forming species in 1966–1988, U.S.S.R State Forestry Committee, 159 pp., Moscow.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apps, M.J., A.W. Kurz, and T.D. Price. 1991. Estimating carbon budgets of Canadian forest ecosystems using a national scale model. In: T. Kolchugina and T. Vinson, (eds.)Proceedings of the Workshop on Carbon Cycling in Boreal Forests and Subarctic Ecosystems. Corvallis, Oregon, Sept. 9–14, pp. 241–250.

  • Bazilevich, N.I. 1986. Biological productivity of soil-vegetation formations in the USSR. Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.Geographical Series, 2:49–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birdsey, R.A. 1991. Prospective changes in forest carbon storage from increasing forest area and timber growth. USDA Forest Service, Washington DC. (Data on the file with the USDA Forest Service).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonan, G.B. 1991. Boreal forests, the carbon cycle and global change: a challenge for ecologists. In: T. Kolchugina and T. Vinson, (eds.)Proceedings of the Workshop on Carbon Cycling in Boreal Forests and Subarctic Ecosystems. Corvallis, Oregon, Sept. 9–14, pp. 139–153.

  • Botch, M.S. and V.V. Masing. 1983. Mire ecosystems in the USSR. In: A.J.P. Gore (ed.) Ecosystems of the World: Mires, Swamp, Bog, Fen and Moor, 4B, Regional Studies. Elsevier, New York, pp. 95–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S., A.G.R. Gillespie, and A.E. Lugo. 1989. Biomass estimation methods for tropical forests with application to forest inventory data.Forest Science, 35(sn4):881–902.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson, H. 1991. Sources and sinks of carbon dioxide in Sweden.AMBIO, 20(sn3–4):146–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gucinski, H., D.P. Turner, and G. Koerper. 1992. The carbon flux on forested lands of the United States. In:Proceedings of the IUFRO Conference on Integrating Forest Information over Space and Time. Canberra, Australia.

  • Johnson, D.W. 1992. Soil carbon storage.Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 64:83–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobak, K.I. 1988.Biotical compounds of carbon cycle. Hydrometeoizdat Press, Leningrad, 248 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolchugina, T.P. and T.S. Vinson. 1991. Framework to quantify the natural terrestrial carbon cycle of the former Soviet Union. In: T. Kolchugina and T. Vinson, (eds.)Proceedings of the Workshop on Carbon Cycling in Boreal Forests and Subarctic Ecosystems. Corvallis, Oregon, Sept. 9–14, pp. 257–273.

  • Kolchugina, T.P. and T.S. Vinson. 1993a. Equilibrium analysis of carbon pools and fluxes of forest biomes in the former Soviet Union.Canadian Journal of Forest Research 23:81–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolchugina, T.P. and T.S. Vinson. 1993b. Carbon sources and sinks in forest biomes of the former Soviet Union.Global Biogeochemical Cycles.

  • Kolchugina, T.P., A.Z. Shwidenko, T.S. Vinson, R.K. Dixon, K.I. Kobak, and M.S. Botch. 1992. Carbon balance of forest biomes in the former Soviet Union. Proceedings of the IPCC AFOS Workshop. University of Joensuu, Joensuu, Finland, May 11–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozlovski, V.B. and V.M. Pavlov. 1967. Growth Rates of the Main Forest Forming Species in the USSR. Lesnaya Promyshlennost Press, Moscow, 327 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krankina, O.N. 1991. Forest fires in the USSR: past, present and future greenhouse gases contributions to the atmosphere. In: T. Kolchugina and T. Vinson (eds.)Proceedings of the Workshop on Carbon Cycling in Boreal Forests and Subarctic Ecosystems. Corvallis, Oregon, Sept. 9–14, pp. 177–184.

  • Kurz, W.A., M.J. Apps, T.M. Webb, and P.J. McNamee. 1992. The carbon budget of the Canadian forest sector: Phase 1.Information Report NOR-X-326, Forestry Canada, Northwest Region, Northern Forestry Centre, 93 pp.

  • Laine, J. and J. Paivanen. 1992. Carbon balance of peatlands and global climatic change: summary. In:The Finnish Research Program on Climate Change Progress Report. Publications of Academy of Finland, March, VAPK — Publishing, Helsinki, pp. 189–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Makarov, A.A. and I. Bashmakov. 1990. The Soviet Union. In: W.U. Chandler (ed.)Carbon Emission Control Strategies: Case Studies in International Cooperation, 263 PP.

  • Melillo, J.M., J.R. Furry, R.A. Houghton, B. Moor III, and D.L. Scole. 1988. Land-use change in the Soviet Union between 1850–1980: causes of a net release of CO2 to the atmosphere.Tellus, 40B: 116–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odum, E.P. 1953.Ecology. W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia-London, 384 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson, J.S., J.A. Watts, and L.J. Allison. 1983. Carbon in live vegetation of major world ecosystem, ORNL-5862, Oak Ridge.

  • Post, W.M., W.R. Emanuel, P.J. Zinker, and A.G. Strangenberger. 1982. Soil carbon pools and world life zones.Nature, July 8, pp.156–159.

  • Raison, R. J., P.K. Khanna, and P.V. Woods. 1985. Mechanisms of element transfer to the atmosphere during vegetation fires.Canadian Journal of Forest Research 15:132–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R.N. 1992. Forestry opportunities in the United States to mitigate the effects of global warming.Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 64:83–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Sedjo, R. A. 1992. Temperate forest ecosystems in the global carbon cycle.Ambio 21(sn4):274–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stocks, B.J. 1991. The extent and impact of forest fires in northern circumpolar countries. In: J.S. Levine (ed.)Global Biomass Burning: Atmospheric, Climatic and Biogenic Implications. MIT press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 197–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tans, P.P., I.Y. Fung, and T. Takahashi. 1990. Observational constraints on the global atmospheric CO2 budget.Science 247:1431–1438

    Google Scholar 

  • USSR State Forestry Committee. 1990.Forest Fund of the USSR, Vol 1,1005 pp., Moscow.

  • Vinson T. S., T.P. Kolchugina, R.K. Dixon, P.M. Bradley, and G.G. Gaston. 1992. Framework to assess the natural component of the carbon budget of the former Soviet Union. In:Proceedings of the IPCC Workshop. University of Joensuu, Finland, May 11–15 (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinson T.S. and T.P. Kolchugina. 1993. Pools and fluxes of biogenic carbon in the former Soviet Union (this volume).

  • Vorobyov, G.I., (ed.). 1985.Forest encyclopedia, 1, Sovetskaya Encyclopedia Press, Moscow, 563 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vorobyov, G.I., (ed.) 1986.Forest encyclopedia, 2, Sovetskaya Encyclopedia Press, Moscow, 631 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Resources Institute (WRI). 1992. World Resources 1992–1993. Oxford University Press, New York — Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oregon State University, 97331, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

    Tatyana P. Kolchugina & Ted S. Vinson

Authors
  1. Tatyana P. Kolchugina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ted S. Vinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kolchugina, T.P., Vinson, T.S. Comparison of two methods to assess the carbon budget of forest biomes in the Former Soviet Union. Water Air Soil Pollut 70, 207–221 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01104998

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01104998

Keywords

Search

Navigation