Carbon Estimation of Main Forest Ecosystem in Three Gorges Reservoir Area Using CBM-CFS3

Author :FuTian
Tutor:XiaoWenFa
School :Chinese Academy of Forestry
CLC :S718.5
TYPE :PhD thesis
Download the PDF Full Text:http://www.topresearch.org/showinfo-187-678705-0.html
Year:2013
Abstract:
Forest resource is the largest carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystem, which contributes carbon to the
global carbon cycle incomparably. The Three Gorges Reservoir Area locates in the upstream to
midstream of Yangtze River under a special ecological status, where is the key area of ecological and
environmental protection in China. The forest ecosystem in this reservoir plays a important role in soil
and water conservation, and carbon sink increase, etc. Simulating the carbon storage and productivity
of forest ecosystem using model method, on one hand, can make for a more objective assessment of
forest ecological functions of Three Gorges Reservoir Area; on the other hand, is conducive to explore
more precise regional carbon accounting theory and technical methods through the localization
improvement of model parameters.This study considers the Masson Pine, Chinese Fir and other major
forest types in Three Gorges reservoir area as the research objects. Firstly, the Age-Volume yield
curves are created by comparing sevaral growth functions based on forest resource inventory of
continuous sample survey data for each forest type, as the driving force for model to simulate forest
carbon stocks and productivity; Secondly, volume-to-biomass conversion parameters and forest
biomass component (stem, bark, branch, foliage) proportion parameters of every main forest type
were estimated using the power function model and multiple logit model and plots by collecting a
large number plots from literature data in various forest types.Ultimately, the model simulation of
forest ecosystem carbon stocks and productivity in Three Gorges Reservoir finished, using the
estimated yield curve, volume-to-biomass conversion parameters and forest biomass component
proportion parameters parameters, biomass turnover and litter decomposition parameters searched
from literature,adding the base information as age, area, etc. in Three Gorges Forest Inventory
data.Model parameters estimation results are as follows: (1) The Age-Volume growth models of main
forest types in Three Gorges Reservoir Area were estimated using the mathematical statistics method
of nonlinear regression, based on the optimal model of Richards, Logistic and Korf growth function.
Finally the most suitable models for every forest type were chosen through comparing the results of
model fit statistics and sampling accuracy test. It shows that the Richards growth function appears its
strong adaptability, the Logistic and Korf growth function. All the fitting results of best curves for
every forest type are good, their determine coefficient R2are all above0.5, and the RMSE varied
from10.99m3hm-2to21.07m3hm-2, the results of accuracy test are between44%-80%. The residuals
between predicted and observed volume which show normal distribution, increased with the age
rising. Coniferous mixed forest has the greatest potential to growth, its accumulation growth limit
is352.356m3hm-2, and the cypress forest is poorest, with the growth extreme value less
than80m3hm-2. All the growth models can provide reference and basis to stand growth prediction and
forest management for this region.(2) The model fitting results of volume-to-biomass conversion for
every forest type show good relations except evergreen broad-leaved forest, and the predicting
residuals increased with the increment of the independent variable value. The root mean square errors
of them are all controlled within6.520thm-2-23.123thm-2. The results of accuracy test are
between31.14%-91.79%, all the forest types of it except evergreen broad-leaved forest are above70%.
On the other hand, The results of proportion models for biomass components show significant
relationship in addition to evergreen broad-leaved forest, and the predicting residuals decreased with
the independent variable value increased. The root mean square error of stem, bark, branch and leaf
biomass proportion of total tree biomass were all less than0.1, as0.0310.085,0.0050.041,0.029
0.103and0.016 0.083respectively. Their results of accuracy test reach91.04% 96.14%,62.71%
94.48%,63.70%-94.47%and-8.86%83.92%. The models obtained (except the models for evergreen

broad-leaved forest) in this paper are reasonable, and the model parameters also can offer reference for
the study of the subtropical forest biomass parameters. Model simulation results are as follows:(1) The
carbon storage of dead organic matter (DOM) pool of forest ecosystems reaches103.636106t in
Three Gorges Reservoir Area, and the carbon storage of underground DOM is3times more than the
aboveground. For different forest types, Masson Pine forest has the highest carbon stocks in DOM
(accounts for26.1%to total DOM carbon stocks), follow in descending order are deciduous broadleaved (22.7%), coniferous and deciduous mixed (20.2%), coniferous mixed (15.2%), Cypress(5.5%),
evergreen broadleaved (5.0%), Chinese Fir (3.4%) and temperate pine forest (1.9%). The carbon
stocks in DOM carbon density of different types of forest varied greatly, shows that the coniferous
forest is significantly less than broadleaved and mixed forests, especially the Cypress forest types
which has the lowest DOM carbon intensity.(2) The carbon storage of forest ecosystem
reaches151.018106t in Three Gorges Reservoir Area, where soil organic carbon stock is up
to80.163106t, accounts for53.1%to the total forest ecosystem carbon stocks, and with the biomass
carbon stock of47.382106t (31.4%), litter carbon reserves of23.472106t (15.5%). The forest
ecosystem carbon stocks of different forest are quite different from3.144x106t to40.706106t. The
Masson Pine forest which has the largest distribution area gets the highest ecosystem carbon stocks,
while the Cypress forst with lower productivity reserves a minimum. The average forest ecosystems
carbon density (vegetation, litters and soil) of107.353thm-2of Three Gorges Reservoir Area is below
the national average level of258.83thm-2, which is far below the world average level of275thm2(vegitation and soil). The average soil organic carbon density is56.984thm-2, with the vegetation
of33.682thm-2, litter of16.685thm-2. For different forest types, the ecosystem carbon density of
coniferous forest is less than broadleaved and mixed forests, in which the Cypress forest owns the
minimal carbon density, the conifer-deciduous mixed forest gets the maximum carbon density.(3) The
simulation results of Net Primary Productivity (NPP) and Net Ecosystem Productivity (NEP) for
forest ecosystem in Three Gorges Reservoir show that:the average vegetation NPP is3.92t Chm-2a-1,
of which more than two thirds of the carbon is assigned to litters, results in the emissions of2.71t
Chm-2a-1. The average NEP is1.21t Chm-2a-1. The vegetation fixes5.513106t atmospheric C
every year, in which1.694106t C sequestrate in ecosystems, and release3.819x106t C returned to the
atmosphere because of litter decomposition.. The average annual NPP of every forest types varies
from2.20-5.08t Chm-2a-1. The carbon fixation capacity of forest in descending order as
follows:coniferous and deciduous mixed> coniferous mixed> evergreen broad-leaved>
deciduous broad-leaved> Masson Pine> Chinese Fir> temperate pine> Cypress forest.
The carbon sequestration capacity are not consistent with its fixation ability fixed carbon, with
average annual NEP at0.63t Chm-2a-1 2.14t Chm-2a-1. The carbon sequestration capacity of
forest in descending order as follows:coniferous mixed> Masson Pine> Chinese Fir>
evergreen broad-leaved> deciduous broad-leaved> coniferous and deciduous mixed>
temperate pine> Cypress forest.By the comparison with estimated results used measured data,
CBM-CFS3model simulation results of vegetation carbon density are reasonable, but the litter and soil
organic carbon density express the overestimation and underestimation respectively, the dead organic
matter including the deadwood and the DOM initialization methods may be the main reasons. NPP
estimation results are basically consistent with the measured projection data. Overall, the average
forest ecosystems carbon density of Three Gorges Reservoir Area derived from model is lower than
the national, and far below the world level. But benefit from its young-middle age structure, the
carbon sequestration potential of forest in this area will appear quickly in the future.