Carbon sequestration potential of second-growth forest regeneration in the Latin American tropics

Chazdon, Robin L.; Broadbent, Eben N.; Rozendaal, Danaë M. A.; Bongers, Frans; Zambrano, Angélica M. Almeyda; Aide, T. Mitchell; Balvanera, Patricia; Becknell, Justin M.; Boukili, Vanessa; Brancalion, Pedro H. S.; Craven, Dylan; Almeida‐Cortez, Jarcilene Silva de; Cabral, George A. L.; Jong, Ben de; Denslow, Julie S.; Dent, Daisy H.; DeWalt, Saara J.; Dupuy, Juan Manuel; Durán, Sandra M.; Espírito‐Santo, Mário M.; Fandiño, María; César, Ricardo G.; Hall, Jefferson S.; Hernández‐Stefanoni, José Luis; Jakovac, Catarina C.; Junqueira, André Braga; Kennard, Deborah; Letcher, Susan G.; Lohbeck, Madelon; Martı́nez-Ramos, Miguel; Massoca, Paulo; Meave, Jorge A.; Mesquita, Rita C. G.; Mora, Francisco; Muñoz, Rodrigo; Muscarella, Robert; Nunes, Yule Roberta Ferreira; Ochoa‐Gaona, Susana; Orihuela-Belmonte, Edith; Peña‐Claros, Marielos; Pérez‐García, Eduardo A.; Piotto, Daniel; Powers, Jennifer S.; Rodríguez‐Velázquez, Jorge; Romero, Eunice; Ruíz, Jorge; Saldarriaga, Juan; Sánchez‐Azofeifa, Arturo; Schwartz, Naomi B.; Steininger, Marc K.; Swenson, Nathan G.; Uriarte, María; Breugel, Michiel van; Wal, Hans van der; Veloso, Maria das Dores Magalhães; Vester, Hans F. M.; Vieira, Ima Célia Guimarães; Bentos, Tony Vizcarra; Williamson, G. Bruce; Poorter, Lourens

doi:10.1126/sciadv.1501639

articleScience AdvancesMay 6, 2016GOLD OA

Carbon sequestration potential of second-growth forest regeneration in the Latin American tropics

RLRobin L. Chazdon ENEben N. Broadbent DMDanaë M. A. Rozendaal FBFrans Bongers AMAngélica M. Almeyda Zambrano

University of Connecticut · International Institute for Sustainability · +39 more institutions

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Abstract

Regrowth of tropical secondary forests following complete or nearly complete removal of forest vegetation actively stores carbon in aboveground biomass, partially counterbalancing carbon emissions from deforestation, forest degradation, burning of fossil fuels, and other anthropogenic sources. We estimate the age and spatial extent of lowland second-growth forests in the Latin American tropics and model their potential aboveground carbon accumulation over four decades. Our model shows that, in 2008, second-growth forests (1 to 60 years old) covered 2.4 million km(2) of land (28.1% of the total study area). Over 40 years, these lands can potentially accumulate a total aboveground carbon stock of 8.48 Pg C…

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Topics

Keywords

Tropics
Carbon sequestration
Regeneration (biology)
Tropical forest
Environmental science
Agroforestry
Tropical climate
Natural regeneration

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