Modelling carbon stock and carbon sequestration ecosystem services for policy design: a comprehensive approach using a dynamic vegetation model. Issue 1 (1st January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Quijas, Sandra; Boit, Alice; Thonicke, Kirsten; Murray-Tortarolo, Guillermo; Mwampamba, Tuyeni; Skutsch, Margaret; Simoes, Margareth; Ascarrunz, Nataly; Peña-Claros, Marielos; Jones, Laurence; Arets, Eric; Jaramillo, Víctor J.; Lazos, Elena; Toledo, Marisol; Martorano, Lucieta G.; Ferraz, Rodrigo; Balvanera, Patricia
• Is Part Of: Ecosystems and people. Volume 15:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 42
• Page End: 60
• Publication Date: 2019-01-01
• Subjects: Christine Fürst; Carbon soil -- carbon litter -- heterotrophic respiration -- payment for ecosystem services -- global carbon markets -- dynamic global vegetation model -- decision-makers; Ecosystem management -- Periodicals; Biotic communities -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Ecosystem management; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 333.9516
• DOI: 10.1080/26395908.2018.1542413
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2639-5908

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Ecosystem service (ES) models can only inform policy design adequately if they incorporate ecological processes. We used the Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land (LPJmL) model, to address following questions for Mexico, Bolivia and Brazilian Amazon: (i) How different are C stocks and C sequestration quantifications under standard (when soil and litter C and heterotrophic respiration are not considered) and comprehensive (including all C stock and heterotrophic respiration) approach? and (ii) How does the valuation of C stock and C sequestration differ in national payments for ES and global C funds or markets when comparing both approach? We found that up to 65% of C stocks have not been taken into account by neglecting to include C stored in soil and litter, resulting in gross underpayments (up to 500 times lower). Since emissions from heterotrophic respiration of organic material offset a large proportion of C gained through growth of living matter, we found that markets and decision-makers are inadvertently overestimating up to 100 times C sequestrated. New approaches for modelling C services relevant ecological process-based can help accounting for C in soil, litter and heterotrophic respiration and become important for the operationalization of agreements on climate change mitigation following the COP21 in 2015.