forest carbon, biodiversity and fire emissions in the beira corridor region
TRANSCRIPT
Forest Carbon, Biodiversity and Fire Emissions in the Beira
Corridor Region
Natasha Ribeiro, Romana Bandeira, Valério Macandza, Almeida SitoeCOP21, Paris, December 4, 2015
Objectives• Evaluate change in carbon stocks over a forest cover gradient• Evaluate plant and animal species diversity over a forest cover
gradient• Characterize fire regime• Estimate GHG Emissions from fire and biomass loss
Study Area
3
Mopane
Miombo
Undifferentiated forest
Mountain forest
• Manica, Sofala e Zambézia• Logging concessions, forest reserves,
hunting areas, community forestry areas
Forest types
Mopane Mountain ForestUndifferentiated forest Miombo
Methodology (1): Carbon and Vegetation Sampling
• 220 plots (50x20m)• Trees: dbh>10 cm• Crown cover: (>60%) High – (30-60%) Medium – (<30%) Low• Above ground carbon: Locally developed allometric functions• Soil organic carbon: 30 cm depth
Methodology (2): Fire RegimeMODIS AQUA and TERRA data (MCD14ML and MCD45A1https://earthdata.nasa.gov/data/
1. Density: # fires/ km2
2 . Frequency and Mean Return Interval (MFRI)
MFRI= T * (A / a) F = 1 / PRF ; T= analysis period A= study area a= burned area (km2)
3. Seasonality: early dry (May/June); Mid dry (July/August); late (September/October)
4. Extent (ha)
Methodology (3): CO2 Emissions
L- biomass burning emissions (tonnes) Ai - burned area (ha)
Bi – available biomass for combustion (tonnes /ha) Cf - Combustion factor (tonnes /ha)
Ggi – Emission factor (CO2 1580; CH4 0.012; N2O 0.007)
Lburned= Ai * Bi * Cf * Ggi * 10-3 (IPCC, 2006)
Data collection
• Site selection• 1 ha plots established for burn & control • Weather condition (temperature, wind speed and relative humidity – KRESTEL 4000)
• Biomass measurements (before and after)
plots for biomass measurements
Sub-plots distribution inside the plot
Methodology (4): Herb and grass component biomass
using control area calibration figures Y = 0.0078559 +0.008X; Mopane woodlands (Tambara)
Y = 0.02994848+0.017449X; Miombo woodlands (Manica)
Y = -0028+0.002329X; Miombo woodlands (Gondola)
Y = 0.0737+0.004923X; Miombo woodlands (Mocuba)
Y = 0.0675+0.024015X; Miombo woodlands (Gile)
where: Y- Biomass in kg ;
X- Disc height reading
Tree component: allometric equations
Re
Results
Does plant species diversity decline with forest cover?
0 10 20 30 40 50 601
10
100
Miombo
HighLowMedium
Ranking
Rela
tive
Abun
danc
e (%
)
0 5 10 15 20 25 301
10
100
Mopane
HighLowMedium
Ranking
Rela
tive
Abun
danc
e (%
)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 401
10
100
Mountain Forest
HighLowMedium
Ranking
Rela
tive
Abun
danc
e (%
)
Species RakingSpecies Ranking Species Ranking
Does the forest structure change with forest cover?
5-15 15-25 25-35 35-45 45-55 55-65 65-750
50
100
150
200
250
300
Miombo
HighMediumLow
Diameter Class (cm)
Abun
danc
e (T
rees
/ha)
5-15
15-25
25-35
35-45
45-55
55-65
65-75
75-85
85-95
115-
125
0
50
100
150
200
250
Mopane
HighMediumLow
Diameter Class (cm)
ABun
danc
e (T
rees
/ha)
5-1525-35
45-5565-75
95-105
135-145
155-165
175-185
195-2050
50100150200250300350400450
Mountain Forest
HighMediumLow
Diameter Class (cm)
Abun
danc
e (T
rees
/ha)
Carbon stock by forest type and crown cover
Miombo Mopane Mountain Forest0
50
100
150
200
250
Tree Carbon Stock
HighMediumLow
Abov
e gr
ound
Car
bon
(ton
/ha)
Miombo Mopane Mountain Forest0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Soil Carbon
HighMediumLow
Soil
Carb
on (t
on/h
a)
14
• Fauna species richness did not vary
significantly with changes in forest cover;
• Differences in fauna composition is
determined by species turnover
(replacement of species) and not
nestedness (species loss or gain) along
the forest cover gradient Low Medium High
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Forest cover
Num
ber o
f spe
cies
Fauna Diversity
The similarity of fauna
assemblages reduced
with the increase in the
difference of forest
cover in the habitat
The density of birds
increased with the
reduction of forest
cover
Fauna Diversity
Fire Regime: DensityGondola
Tambara
Manica
Manica Province
2. Fire Regime: Mean Fire Return Interval (MFRI)
Tambara Gondola
Manica
Manica Province
4. Fire Regime: Extent
• Gondola presents the largest fire extent;
• Interannual variation characteristic of miombo woodland
5. Fire Regime: Seasonality
• Peak in Aug/Sept October (Tambara).
• Pattern similar to other studies (Ribeiro, 2007, Cangela & Ribeiro, in prep.).
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
Tambara
Gondola
Manica
Anos
CO2
(ton
)
Estimativa de Emissões do CO2
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 0.0
100 000.0
200 000.0
300 000.0
400 000.0
500 000.0
600 000.0
700 000.0
TambaraGondola
Anos
CO2
(t) IPCC (2006)
Field data (2014)
Other studies (southern Africa): - 448 ± 75 Tg (Lehsten
et al., 2009)
- 576 ± 72 Tg (Van der Werf Scholes et al., 2006)
- 45-132 Tg (Scholes et al., 1996)
6. Fire CO2 emissions
GHG emissions released during controlled fire
Variables
Districts
Gondola Manica Tambara Cheringoma Mocuba Gilé
Biomass before burn (Bi) in ton/ha 61.92 55.96 57.5
5.08 28.80 40.17
Biomass after burn in ton/ha 61.6 55.26 56.81 4.7 22.34 23.29
Burnt area (Ai) in ha 1 1 1 1 1 1
Combustion factor (Cf) 0.005 0.03 0.01 0.22 0.065 0.17
CO2 emissions (ton) 0.51 1.11 1.09 1.77 2,34 10,79
CH4 emissions (ton) 0.002 0.005 0.0052 0.007 0.028 0.130
N2O emissions (ton) 0.00006 0.0001 0.0001 0.0002 0.0164 0.0755
ConclusionsNo unique pattern observed in biodiversity change per forest cover.
Diversity may increase in areas with regeneration and reduce in newly changed
areas.
Difference in the composition of fauna assemblages is determined by species
turnover (replacement of species) and not nestedness (species loss or gain) along
the forest cover gradient.
Similarity of fauna assemblages reduced with increases in the variation in forest
cover in the habitat.
Bird species density increased with the reduction of forest cover.
Conclusions
Fire regime reflects the pattern for southern Africa.
Spatial variations in density and frequency should be further studied in terms of impacts
on the ecosytems.
Given the amount of biomass and carbon stock lost we conclude that wildfires did not cause substancial damage to the tree component; herb and litter components were not totally consumed.
CO2 emission estimates varied from 0.51 to 10.79 tonnes/ha(early dry to late dry season fires)