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Increasing carbon storage in intact African tropical forests

Author

Listed:
  • Simon L. Lewis

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Bonaventure Sonké

    (Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, University of Yaounde I, PO Box 047, Yaounde, Cameroon)

  • Kofi Affum-Baffoe

    (Resource Management Support Centre, Forestry Commission of Ghana, PO Box 1457, Kumasi, Ghana)

  • Timothy R. Baker

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Lucas O. Ojo

    (University of Agriculture, PMB 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria)

  • Oliver L. Phillips

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Jan M. Reitsma

    (Bureau Waardenburg bv, PO Box 365, 4100 AJ Culemborg, The Netherlands)

  • Lee White

    (Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale (IRET), BP 7847, Libreville, Gabon)

  • James A. Comiskey

    (SI/MAB Biodiversity Program, Smithsonian Institution, Suite 3123, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington DC 20560, USA
    Present addresses: Inventory & Monitoring Program, National Park Service, 120 Chatham Lane, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22405, USA (J.A.C.); Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, PO Box 44, Kabale, Uganda (D.S.); Centre for International Forestry Research, PO Box 6596 JKPWB, Jakata 10065, Indonesia (T.S.).)

  • Marie-Noël Djuikouo K

    (Plant Systematic and Ecology Laboratory, University of Yaounde I, PO Box 047, Yaounde, Cameroon)

  • Corneille E. N. Ewango

    (Forest Ecology & Management Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 342, NL-6700, The Netherlands)

  • Ted R. Feldpausch

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Alan C. Hamilton

    (Plantlife International, 14 Rollestone Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 1DX, UK)

  • Manuel Gloor

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Terese Hart

    (Wildlife Conservation Society–DRC, 1725 Avenue Monjiba, Chanic Building 2nd floor, Ngalinema, BP 240, Kinshasa I, Democratic Republic of Congo)

  • Annette Hladik

    (Eco-anthropologie et ethnobiologie, Natures, Sociétés, MNHN, 4 av. du Petit Château, 91 800 Brunoy, France)

  • Jon Lloyd

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Jon C. Lovett

    (Centre for Ecology, Law and Policy, University of York)

  • Jean-Remy Makana

    (Wildlife Conservation Society–DRC, 1725 Avenue Monjiba, Chanic Building 2nd floor, Ngalinema, BP 240, Kinshasa I, Democratic Republic of Congo)

  • Yadvinder Malhi

    (Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University)

  • Frank M. Mbago

    (University of Dar es Salaam, PO Box 35060, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

  • Henry J. Ndangalasi

    (University of Dar es Salaam, PO Box 35060, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

  • Julie Peacock

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Kelvin S.-H. Peh

    (Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds)

  • Douglas Sheil

    (Centre for International Forestry Research, PO Box 0113 BOCBD, Bogor 16000, Indonesia
    Present addresses: Inventory & Monitoring Program, National Park Service, 120 Chatham Lane, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22405, USA (J.A.C.); Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, PO Box 44, Kabale, Uganda (D.S.); Centre for International Forestry Research, PO Box 6596 JKPWB, Jakata 10065, Indonesia (T.S.).)

  • Terry Sunderland

    (SI/MAB Biodiversity Program, Smithsonian Institution, Suite 3123, 1100 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington DC 20560, USA
    Present addresses: Inventory & Monitoring Program, National Park Service, 120 Chatham Lane, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22405, USA (J.A.C.); Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, PO Box 44, Kabale, Uganda (D.S.); Centre for International Forestry Research, PO Box 6596 JKPWB, Jakata 10065, Indonesia (T.S.).)

  • Michael D. Swaine

    (Cruickshank Building, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, St Machar Drive, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, UK)

  • James Taplin

    (Centre for Ecology, Law and Policy, University of York)

  • David Taylor

    (Museum Building, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College, University of Dublin)

  • Sean C. Thomas

    (Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B3, Canada)

  • Raymond Votere

    (Resource Management Support Centre, Forestry Commission of Ghana, PO Box 1457, Kumasi, Ghana)

  • Hannsjörg Wöll

    (Sommersbergseestr. 291)

Abstract

Tropical forests grab carbon Tropical forests store and process large amounts of carbon, affecting the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, and hence the rate and magnitude of climate change. The extent of the contribution of tropical forests in this role is uncertain, largely because of a lack of monitoring. An international collaboration has now collected and analysed data from a ten-country network of 79 long-term monitoring plots across the largest tropical continent - Africa. Their findings reveal that above-ground carbon storage in live trees increased by 0.63 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year between 1968 and 2007. Extrapolation to unmeasured forest components and scaling to the continent implies a total increase in carbon storage in African tropical forest trees of 340 million tonnes a year. These results provide evidence that increasing carbon storage in old-growth forests is a pan-tropical phenomenon.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon L. Lewis & Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez & Bonaventure Sonké & Kofi Affum-Baffoe & Timothy R. Baker & Lucas O. Ojo & Oliver L. Phillips & Jan M. Reitsma & Lee White & James A. Comiskey & Marie-Noël Dj, 2009. "Increasing carbon storage in intact African tropical forests," Nature, Nature, vol. 457(7232), pages 1003-1006, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:457:y:2009:i:7232:d:10.1038_nature07771
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07771
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Grainger, Alan, 2017. "The prospect of global environmental relativities after an Anthropocene tipping point," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 36-49.
    2. Amy C. Bennett & Thaiane Rodrigues de Sousa & Abel Monteagudo-Mendoza & Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert & Paulo S. Morandi & Fernanda Coelho de Souza & Wendeson Castro & Luisa Fernanda Duque & Gerardo Flore, 2023. "Sensitivity of South American tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 13(9), pages 967-974, September.
    3. Tibesigwa, Byela & Siikamäki, Juha & Lokina, Razack & Alvsilver, Jessica, 2018. "Naturally Available Wild Pollination Services Have Economic Value for Nature Dependent Small-Holder Crop Farms in Tanzania," EfD Discussion Paper 18-15, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    4. Wehkamp, Johanna & Aquino, André & Fuss, Sabine & Reed, Erik W., 2015. "Analyzing the perception of deforestation drivers by African policy makers in light of possible REDD+ policy responses," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 7-18.
    5. Denis J. Murphy, 2024. "Carbon Sequestration by Tropical Trees and Crops: A Case Study of Oil Palm," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-31, July.
    6. Sara Karam & Baba-Serges Zango & Ousmane Seidou & Duminda Perera & Nidhi Nagabhatla & Raphael M. Tshimanga, 2023. "Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrological Regimes in the Congo River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, March.
    7. Skutsch, Margaret M. & Ba, Libasse, 2010. "Crediting carbon in dry forests: The potential for community forest management in West Africa," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 264-270, April.
    8. Minjin Lee & Charles A. Stock & Elena Shevliakova & Sergey Malyshev & Maureen Beaudor & Nicolas Vuichard, 2024. "Uneven consequences of global climate mitigation pathways on regional water quality in the 21st century," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    9. Confidence Duku & Carlos Alho & Rik Leemans & Annemarie Groot, 2022. "IFAD Research Series 72: Climate change and food system activities - a review of emission trends, climate impacts and the effects of dietary change," IFAD Research Series 320722, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    10. Lucas Theodori Ntukey & Linus Kasian Munishi & Anna Christina Treydte, 2022. "Land Use Land/Cover Change Reduces Woody Plant Diversity and Carbon Stocks in a Lowland Coastal Forest Ecosystem, Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-19, July.
    11. Habitamu Taddese & Mesele Negash & Tariku Geda & Gebiaw T. Ayele, 2022. "Carbon Sequestration Potentials of Different Land Uses in Wondo Genet Sub-Catchment, Southern Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, December.

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