SEAMEO-SEARCA and ICRAF-SEA reached an agreement to implement a collaborative research project entitled, “Assessment of Sustainability Criteria and Carbon Stocks for Selected Land Use Options for Philippine Uplands”. The objectives of this research project are: (1)To assess the longer term implications for soil properties, nutrient, water and organic matter balance of a range of land use alternatives for upland agriculture and agroforestry, to estimate the possible trade-offs between profitability, sustainability and carbon sequestration; and (2)To test a generic method for deriving sustainability, profitability and carbon stock indicators form a comprehensive tree-soil-crop interaction model. (Refer to Appendix A and B for details ) The pre-implementation stage of the WaNuLCAS Project involved a series of project team meetings, analysis of the model, and project workplan finalization. Most of the project time was spent on model parameterization and/or calibration using existing as well as secondary data from differenr sources like past research project results in the study site. Parameterization included activities such as sensitivity analysis and curve-fitting. Two agroforestry-based farming systems or landuse options were considered, namely the Corn Monocropping System (CMS) and the Corn-Gliricidia Cropping System (CGCS). These two systems which are dominant in the sloping uplands of Northern Mindanao were modelled and their long -term sustainability performance was assessed using the selected sets of indicators and criteria. Simulation results show that CMS appears to be less unprofitable or more profitable compared to CGCS. But from sustainability standpoint, the latter is still better than the former. Analysis of the model performance indicated that, WaNuLCAS provides the best well-rounded simulation at the plot level. The very detailed simulation output it provides can easily be generalized or transformed and inputted to other simulation models focus at higher hierarchical level of agroecosystems. Moreover, during the course of model parameterizations, observations on the model input data requirements and simulation outputs were noted and documented. These are deemed important in assessing the model input data necessary considering the data availability, reliability, and importance at a particular level in the hierarchy of systems.
Tag: carbon
Avoided Deforestation with Sustainable Benefits: A case study of potential in 3 provinces in Indonesia
The release of carbon into the atmosphere from forest conversion and exploitation is estimated to be 18% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and thus a significant contributor to the increase of atmospheric CO 2 (and other greenhouse gas) concentrations that is linked to global climate change (IPCC, 2007); • If the recent estimates of total emissions of 3 Giga ton per year for Indonesia are true, per capita emissions are twice that in France and 30% above those in the UK or Germany; • The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol supports some forms of affores- tation and reforestation, but no projects have been approved for Indonesia; it excludes activities that protect existing carbon stocks and forms of ‘avoided deforestation’; • There probably is a large potential in Indonesia to reduce emissions from agriculture, forestry and other land uses (AFOLU) and to generate both local and global benefits; the scope for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) will depend on the definitions used; • Indonesia has an institutional and a vegetation concept of forest, and therefore includes “forests without trees” and “non-forests with trees”; mixed and multristrata agroforestry (intermediate land uses) can store significant quantities of carbon, maintain flows of ecosystem services, generate good economic returns and reduce pressure on remaining forest resources; • Mechanisms for reducing carbon emissions through avoi ded deforestat ion will have to maintain national sovereignty, and to balance between fairness (incentives for long term protection) and effectiveness (demonstrated reductions of emissions on the short term); • Before the institutional challenges of REDD mechanisms are tackled, we need to know the potential cost effectiveness; if current emissions would lead to large economic benefits, emission reduction would be difficult, if not, incentive systems will be feasible.
Avoided deforestation with sustainable benefits: a simple way to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and degradation
Climate Change and its global impacts can no longer be ignored. While cutting emissions from fossil fuel consumption obviously deserves continued attention by all levels of the global society, the approximately 20% of emissions that are due to loss of forests and peatlands cannot remain outside the purview of climate change mechanisms. Recognizing this, the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change invited a discussion “on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries, focusing on relevant scientific, technical and methodological issues, and the exchange of relevant information and experiences, including policy approaches and positive incentives” in its eleventh session on agenda item 6 (FCCC/CP/2005/L.2).
Predicting the Spatial Distribution and Severity of Soil Erosion in the Global Tropics using Satellite Remote Sensing
Soil erosion has long been recognized as a major process of land degradation globally, affecting millions of hectares of land in the tropics and resulting in losses in productivity and biodiversity, decreased resilience of both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and increased vulnerability to climate change. This paper presents an assessment of the extent of soil erosion in the global tropics at a moderate spatial resolution (500 m) based on a combination of systematic field surveys using the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF) methodology and Earth observation data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) platform. The highest erosion prevalence was observed in wooded grassland, bushland, and shrubland systems in semi-arid areas, while the lowest occurrence was observed in forests. Observed erosion decreased with increasing fractional vegetation cover, but with high rates of erosion even at 50–60% fractional cover. These findings indicate that methods to assess soil erosion need to be able to detect erosion under relatively dense vegetation cover. Model performance was good for prediction of erosion based on MODIS, with high accuracy (~89% for detection) and high overall precision (AUC = 0.97). The spatial predictions from this study will allow for better targeting of interventions to restore degraded land and are also important for assessing the dynamics of land health indicators such as soil organic carbon. Given the importance of soil erosion for land degradation and that the methodology gives robust results that can be rapidly replicated at scale, we would argue that soil erosion should be included as a key indicator in international conventions such as the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
Limitations to use of infrared spectroscopy for rapid determination of Carbon-Nitrogen and wood density for tropical species
Infrared (IR) spectroscopy was used as a rapid and non-destructive method to determine, carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and tree wood density.A total of 82 sample cores were scanned in the reflectance mode from 4000 to 400 cm-1 for mid-infrared (MIR) spectra and from 8000 to 4000cm-1 and 11000-4000cm-1 for near infrared (NIR) spectra. The reference values for C and N were measured using combustion method while wood density was calculated using auger method. Calibration equations were developed using partial least-squares and first derivative spectra. Root mean square error (RMSEP) was used to calculate prediction error. Prediction of Cusing MIR spectra gave R2 = 0.59, RMSEP = 0.02; NIR spectra R2 = 0.50, RMSEP = 0.02, whileN prediction usingMIR spectra had R2 = 0.54, RMSEP = 0.22; NIR spectra R2 = 0.48, RMSEP =0.24. Wood density prediction was fair for MIR (R2= 0.79, RMSEP = 0.14); NIR (R2= 0.69, RMSEP = 0.17).Improved predictions using NIR were for extendedspectral range;though accuracies were inferior to MIR. Both MIR and NIR models showed good potentials to be used as rapid and cost effective method of predicting C-N and wood density.
The effects of forest conversion on annual crops and pastures: Estimates of carbon emissions and plant species loss in a Brazilian Amazon colony
The municipality of Theobroma in Rondonia, Brazil, covers 2165 km2, of which 43% was deforested by 1993. Between 1973 and 1993, the national government continued to improve highway BR364 connecting the area to Brazil’s south-central region and established a colony in Theobroma. During this period, 98% of the deforestation occurred. Some 1800 settler families continue to convert forest into pasture in a system based on the slash-and-burn agriculture and dual-purpose cattle production. Trends in carbon emissions and plant species losses during the 20-year history of Theobroma were analyzed by combining observed shifts in land-use types with estimates for the carbon stocks and plant species richness of each of these types. Carbon stocks declined from about 200 t ha1 in the forest to 28 t ha1 in the pasture and of 326 plant species encountered in the forest, only 20 remained in pastures (along with 66 species not found in forests). The effects of converting more than 93000 ha of forest into other uses over 20 years include approximate losses of 14 million tons of C to the atmosphere and substantial losses of plant species. Land use alternatives that would store more C include agroforestry and – given the strong incentives for settlers to convert lands into pasture –improving pasture management or developing silvopastoral systems. Plant species conservation may be improved with proposed ways to add private value to the forest.
Does Tephrosia candida as fallow species, hedgerow or mulch improve nutrient cycling and prevent nutrient losses by erosion on slopes in northern Viet Nam?
Agroforestry is considered to be a promising alternative to short-fallow shifting cultivation or other monocropping systems. An on-farm experiment was established in 1996 in northern Viet Nam to examine the contribution of the leguminous bush Tephrosia candida (Roxb.) D.C. as a fallow or hedgerow species and as a mulch producer to improve nutrient cycling and prevent nutrient losses by erosion. The systems tested were upland rice monocropping (Mono), natural fallow (NaFa), fallow of Tephrosia (TepFa), hedgerow intercropping with upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) and internal mulching using pruned Tephrosia biomass (TepAl), and upland rice with external mulching using Tephrosia biomass (TepMu). Over two cropping seasons, from April 1996 to April 1998, nutrients recycled and inputs and exports were recorded, as well as changes in C-, N- and P-pools, and in pH in the 0–5 cm topsoil layer. The Tephrosia systems (TepFa, TepAl, TepMu) prevented nutrient losses by erosion effectively. Compared to the NaFa system, the TepFa system accumulated 34% more N in the above-ground plant parts and increased topsoil N by 20%, probably due to N-fixation. There was a trend that the less labile P-pools (NaOH-P) were reallocated into the more labile P-pools (Bicarb-P) in the soil of the TepFa system. Burning released significant amounts of the inorganic P-pools in both the NaFa and TepFa systems and this effect seemed to be more pronounced in the TepFa than in the NaFa. Organic input to crop export ratios for N and P were >1 in the TepAl and TepMu treatments. This was due to a sufficient quantity and quality of the Tephrosia mulching material. However, moderately labile NaOH-extractable organic P seemed to be depleted in the topsoil due to high P uptake in the TepMu treatment. Thus, nutrient cycling and nutrient balances were improved under the Tephrosia systems. But for long-term P sustainability, there is a belief that a combined use of mulching and mineral P fertiliser is needed.
Can REDD payment alone protect the forest?
Data suggests that Asia has made a net increase in forest area – largely due to the reported increase for China – but still contains the country with the largest net emission (Indonesia). Vietnam can be seen as a ‘nutshell’ of this situation, with parts of the country that resemble Indonesia’s net deforestation pattern, and parts that resemble China’s net increase in forest area (and reduction in forests carbon – stock). Vietnam was one of the first countries to turn the corner on ‘forest transition’ without having first completely depleted the forest. However, while reported forest area increased, net emissions continued to rise as carbon – rich forest was lost and plantations of low carbon – stock were added. Current REDD+ activities in Vietnam mainly focus on Reference Emission Level; Monitoring, Reporting and Verification; Benefit Distribution System and capacity building.
Carbon and watershed function as conditionality for community forestry: case study in Sesaot Lombok
Forests provide a number of ecosystems services to human life-support. The most important are as climate regulation which is close relationship with carbon sequestration and watershed function. However, forest conversion and degradation occurred in the large area in Indonesia due to economic reason. Involving community on managing degraded forest through agro-forestry systems is an alternative option to enhance carbon stock, biodiversity, maintaining watershed function and generate income for community. Assessment of carbon stock, watershed and livelihood condition was conducted in buffer area of Sesaot protected forest, West Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat. Rapid carbon stock appraisal (RaCSA) and participatory landscape appraisal (PaLA) developed by ICRAF was applied to assess carbon stock and watershed condition. Amount of 30 plots were set up in for land use systems namely secondary forest and agroforest which differentiate based on land status (private land, management permitted, non permitted). Household survey was conducted for 120 respondents across three land status. Carbon stock in agroforestry system is affected by type of planted trees as well as land status. Higher carbon stock was found in agroforestry of private land (72 ton/ha) compared to forest land (42 ton/ha). More timber trees were grown in private land rather than in forest land, both in management permitted or non-permitted. Water quality and quantity in this area is relatively good. There is no high fluctuation of discharge between wet and dry season. Dependence of local community to forest land in is quite high, because 33-59% of total income come from agroforestry systems in the buffer area of protected forest and play an important role in poverty alleviation through narrowing inequity income.
Carbon emission abatement costs from reduced deforestation: introduction
Stern Report among studies concluding that avoided deforestation is a good economic investment compared to other abatement possibilities • Results from the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins provide insight into the tradeoffs between C and NPV for alternative land uses in the tropical forest margins • Launching a new pan-tropical study of opportunity costs of avoided deforestation building on 10 years of past work