Increased vegetation growth and carbon stock in China karst via ecological engineering

TY - JOUR

T1 - Increased vegetation growth and carbon stock in China karst via ecological engineering

AU - Tong, Xiaowei

AU - Brandt, Martin Stefan

AU - Yue, Yuemin

AU - Horion, Stéphanie Marie Anne F

AU - Wang, Kelin

AU - Keersmaecker, Wanda De

AU - Tian, Feng

AU - Schurgers, Guy

AU - Xiao, Xiangming

AU - Luo, Yiqi

AU - Chen, Chi

AU - Myneni, Ranga

AU - Shi, Zheng

AU - Chen, Hongsong

AU - Fensholt, Rasmus

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - Afforestation and reforestation projects in the karst regions of southwest China aim to combat desertification and improve the ecological environment. However, it remains unclear at what scale conservation efforts have impacted on carbon stocks and if vegetation regrowth occurs at a large spatial scale as intended. Here we use satellite time series data and show a widespread increase in leaf area index (a proxy for green vegetation cover), and aboveground biomass carbon, which contrasted negative trends found in the absence of anthropogenic influence as simulated by an ecosystem model. In spite of drought conditions, aboveground biomass carbon increased by 9% (+0.05 Pg C y−1), mainly in areas of high conservation effort. We conclude that large scale conservation projects can contribute to a greening Earth with positive effects on carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. At the regional scale, such ecological engineering projects may reduce risks of desertification by increasing the vegetation cover and reducing the ecosystem sensitivity to climate perturbations.

AB - Afforestation and reforestation projects in the karst regions of southwest China aim to combat desertification and improve the ecological environment. However, it remains unclear at what scale conservation efforts have impacted on carbon stocks and if vegetation regrowth occurs at a large spatial scale as intended. Here we use satellite time series data and show a widespread increase in leaf area index (a proxy for green vegetation cover), and aboveground biomass carbon, which contrasted negative trends found in the absence of anthropogenic influence as simulated by an ecosystem model. In spite of drought conditions, aboveground biomass carbon increased by 9% (+0.05 Pg C y−1), mainly in areas of high conservation effort. We conclude that large scale conservation projects can contribute to a greening Earth with positive effects on carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. At the regional scale, such ecological engineering projects may reduce risks of desertification by increasing the vegetation cover and reducing the ecosystem sensitivity to climate perturbations.

U2 - 10.1038/s41893-017-0004-x

DO - 10.1038/s41893-017-0004-x

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2398-9629

VL - 1

SP - 44

EP - 50

JO - Nature Sustainability

JF - Nature Sustainability

IS - 1

ER -