Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi
As the extent of secondary forests continues to expand throughout the tropics, there is a growing need to better understand the ecosystem services, including carbon (C) storage provided by these ecosystems. Despite their spatial extent, there are limited data on how the ecosystem services provided b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/3/189 |
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| author | Angelica Melone Leah L. Bremer Susan E. Crow Zoe Hastings Kawika B. Winter Tamara Ticktin Yoshimi M. Rii Maile Wong Kānekoa Kukea-Shultz Sheree J. Watson Clay Trauernicht |
| author_facet | Angelica Melone Leah L. Bremer Susan E. Crow Zoe Hastings Kawika B. Winter Tamara Ticktin Yoshimi M. Rii Maile Wong Kānekoa Kukea-Shultz Sheree J. Watson Clay Trauernicht |
| author_sort | Angelica Melone |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As the extent of secondary forests continues to expand throughout the tropics, there is a growing need to better understand the ecosystem services, including carbon (C) storage provided by these ecosystems. Despite their spatial extent, there are limited data on how the ecosystem services provided by secondary forest may be enhanced through the restoration of both ecological and agroecological functions in these systems. This study quantifies the above- and below-ground C stocks in a non-native secondary forest in Hawaiʻi where a community-based non-profit seeks to restore a multi-strata agroforestry system for cultural and ecological benefits. For soil C, we use the equivalent soil mass method both to estimate stocks and examine spatial heterogeneity at high resolution (eg. sub 5 m) to define a method and sampling design that can be replicated to track changes in C stocks on-site and elsewhere. The assessed total ecosystem C was ~388.5 Mg C/ha. Carbon stock was highest in trees (~192.4 Mg C/ha; ~50% of total C); followed by soil (~136.4 Mg C/ha; ~35% of total C); roots (~52.7 Mg C/ha; ~14% of total C); and was lowest in coarse woody debris (~4.7 Mg C/ha; ~1% of total C) and litter (~2.3 Mg C/ha; <1% of total C). This work provides a baseline carbon assessment prior to agroforest restoration that will help to better quantify the contributions of secondary forest transitions and restoration efforts to state climate policy. In addition to the role of C sequestration in climate mitigation, we also highlight soil C as a critical metric of hybrid, people-centered restoration success given the role of soil organic matter in the production of a suite of on- and off-site ecosystem services closely linked to local sustainable development goals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:33:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44f7dd9792f9404f90b3547a818cc4d1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:33:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-44f7dd9792f9404f90b3547a818cc4d12023-12-11T18:21:31ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722021-02-0111318910.3390/agriculture11030189Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from HawaiʻiAngelica Melone0Leah L. Bremer1Susan E. Crow2Zoe Hastings3Kawika B. Winter4Tamara Ticktin5Yoshimi M. Rii6Maile Wong7Kānekoa Kukea-Shultz8Sheree J. Watson9Clay Trauernicht10Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAUniversity of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USADepartment of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USASchool of Life Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USADepartment of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USASchool of Life Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAHeʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserve, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744, USAUniversity of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAKākoʻo ʻŌiwi, Heʻeia, HI 96744, USAPacific Bioscience Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USADepartment of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USAAs the extent of secondary forests continues to expand throughout the tropics, there is a growing need to better understand the ecosystem services, including carbon (C) storage provided by these ecosystems. Despite their spatial extent, there are limited data on how the ecosystem services provided by secondary forest may be enhanced through the restoration of both ecological and agroecological functions in these systems. This study quantifies the above- and below-ground C stocks in a non-native secondary forest in Hawaiʻi where a community-based non-profit seeks to restore a multi-strata agroforestry system for cultural and ecological benefits. For soil C, we use the equivalent soil mass method both to estimate stocks and examine spatial heterogeneity at high resolution (eg. sub 5 m) to define a method and sampling design that can be replicated to track changes in C stocks on-site and elsewhere. The assessed total ecosystem C was ~388.5 Mg C/ha. Carbon stock was highest in trees (~192.4 Mg C/ha; ~50% of total C); followed by soil (~136.4 Mg C/ha; ~35% of total C); roots (~52.7 Mg C/ha; ~14% of total C); and was lowest in coarse woody debris (~4.7 Mg C/ha; ~1% of total C) and litter (~2.3 Mg C/ha; <1% of total C). This work provides a baseline carbon assessment prior to agroforest restoration that will help to better quantify the contributions of secondary forest transitions and restoration efforts to state climate policy. In addition to the role of C sequestration in climate mitigation, we also highlight soil C as a critical metric of hybrid, people-centered restoration success given the role of soil organic matter in the production of a suite of on- and off-site ecosystem services closely linked to local sustainable development goals.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/3/189agroecologybiocultural restorationsoil carbonecosystem servicesland-use changeequivalent soil mass method |
| spellingShingle | Angelica Melone Leah L. Bremer Susan E. Crow Zoe Hastings Kawika B. Winter Tamara Ticktin Yoshimi M. Rii Maile Wong Kānekoa Kukea-Shultz Sheree J. Watson Clay Trauernicht Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi Agriculture agroecology biocultural restoration soil carbon ecosystem services land-use change equivalent soil mass method |
| title | Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi |
| title_full | Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi |
| title_short | Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi |
| title_sort | assessing baseline carbon stocks for forest transitions a case study of agroforestry restoration from hawai i |
| topic | agroecology biocultural restoration soil carbon ecosystem services land-use change equivalent soil mass method |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/3/189 |
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