Africa and the global carbon cycle
<p>Abstract</p> <p>The African continent has a large and growing role in the global carbon cycle, with potentially important climate change implications. However, the sparse observation network in and around the African continent means that Africa is one of the weakest links in our...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2007-03-01
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| Series: | Carbon Balance and Management |
| Online Access: | http://www.cbmjournal.com/content/2/1/3 |
| _version_ | 1818325967768125440 |
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| author | Denning A Scott Berry Joseph A Scholes Robert J Neff Jason C Hanan Niall P Williams Christopher A Baker David F |
| author_facet | Denning A Scott Berry Joseph A Scholes Robert J Neff Jason C Hanan Niall P Williams Christopher A Baker David F |
| author_sort | Denning A Scott |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>The African continent has a large and growing role in the global carbon cycle, with potentially important climate change implications. However, the sparse observation network in and around the African continent means that Africa is one of the weakest links in our understanding of the global carbon cycle. Here, we combine data from regional and global inventories as well as forward and inverse model analyses to appraise what is known about Africa's continental-scale carbon dynamics. With low fossil emissions and productivity that largely compensates respiration, land conversion is Africa's primary net carbon release, much of it through burning of forests. Savanna fire emissions, though large, represent a short-term source that is offset by ensuing regrowth. While current data suggest a near zero decadal-scale carbon balance, interannual climate fluctuations (especially drought) induce sizeable variability in net ecosystem productivity and savanna fire emissions such that Africa is a major source of interannual variability in global atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub>. Considering the continent's sizeable carbon stocks, their seemingly high vulnerability to anticipated climate and land use change, as well as growing populations and industrialization, Africa's carbon emissions and their interannual variability are likely to undergo substantial increases through the 21st century.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T11:52:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-657d79d28f7d417ba1b61daf0af9d9ed |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1750-0680 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T11:52:54Z |
| publishDate | 2007-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Carbon Balance and Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-657d79d28f7d417ba1b61daf0af9d9ed2022-12-21T23:47:18ZengBMCCarbon Balance and Management1750-06802007-03-0121310.1186/1750-0680-2-3Africa and the global carbon cycleDenning A ScottBerry Joseph AScholes Robert JNeff Jason CHanan Niall PWilliams Christopher ABaker David F<p>Abstract</p> <p>The African continent has a large and growing role in the global carbon cycle, with potentially important climate change implications. However, the sparse observation network in and around the African continent means that Africa is one of the weakest links in our understanding of the global carbon cycle. Here, we combine data from regional and global inventories as well as forward and inverse model analyses to appraise what is known about Africa's continental-scale carbon dynamics. With low fossil emissions and productivity that largely compensates respiration, land conversion is Africa's primary net carbon release, much of it through burning of forests. Savanna fire emissions, though large, represent a short-term source that is offset by ensuing regrowth. While current data suggest a near zero decadal-scale carbon balance, interannual climate fluctuations (especially drought) induce sizeable variability in net ecosystem productivity and savanna fire emissions such that Africa is a major source of interannual variability in global atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub>. Considering the continent's sizeable carbon stocks, their seemingly high vulnerability to anticipated climate and land use change, as well as growing populations and industrialization, Africa's carbon emissions and their interannual variability are likely to undergo substantial increases through the 21st century.</p>http://www.cbmjournal.com/content/2/1/3 |
| spellingShingle | Denning A Scott Berry Joseph A Scholes Robert J Neff Jason C Hanan Niall P Williams Christopher A Baker David F Africa and the global carbon cycle Carbon Balance and Management |
| title | Africa and the global carbon cycle |
| title_full | Africa and the global carbon cycle |
| title_fullStr | Africa and the global carbon cycle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Africa and the global carbon cycle |
| title_short | Africa and the global carbon cycle |
| title_sort | africa and the global carbon cycle |
| url | http://www.cbmjournal.com/content/2/1/3 |
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