Carbon stock and sequestration as a form of payment for environmental services in a sedimentary basin humid forest refuge in brazilian semiarid

• Published in: Environmental development Vol. 45; p. 100796
• Main Authors: Arrais Benício, Roberta Maria, Linhares, Karina Vieiralves, Nobre Lisboa, Maria Amanda, Venâncio Cruz, Gabriel, Alves da Silva, Leonardo Vitor, da Silva Nascimento, Arthur, Pessoa da Silva, Maria Arlene, Gomes Rocha, Leonardo Silvestre, Drumond, Marcos Antônio, Tonucci, Rafael Gonçalves, Calixto Júnior, João Tavares
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Climate change mitigation; Payment for environmental services; Sedimentary basin humid forest; Climate change mitigation; Sedimentary basin humid forest; Payment for environmental services
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envdev.2022.100796
• ISSN: 2211-4645

Forests function as carbon reservoirs since they act in its sequestration and storage, playing a fundamental role in global climate change mitigation. Payments for this kind of environmental service have emerged as an important means for combating deforestation. This study evaluated the potential of a Sedimentary Basin Humid Forest refuge in a Semiarid Brazilian region (Chapada do Araripe, southern Ceará state) to receive payments for environmental services (PES) for carbon (C) assimilation and storage. The biomass quantification was performed by the non-destructive method and the determination of the C content was carried out using a LECO carbon analyzer to correlate carbon production in different litter components with climate variables. The carbon, carbon increment and stored carbon values were obtained by information collected from a continuous forest inventory. The average carbon content of each litter component and the volume of wood stored in the forest indicated that the fragment has 27.78 t ha−1 of carbon stored in its living biomass and an annual increment of 1.26 t ha−1 year. The carbon sequestered annually totaled 3.99 t ha−1 [carbon incorporated in the litter (2.73 t ha−1) + average annual increment of carbon in the commercial volume (1.26 t ha−1)] indicating that the area sequesters an average of 102.02 t ha−1 CO2e. Of the three studied compartments, only the leaves component showed a significant correlation with any climatic variable (rainfall). Based on amounts paid per ton of carbon sequestered, it is estimated that the area can earn € 2583.79.ha−1 should it participate in a program of PES for carbon sequestration and storage. This value serves as an incentive for the conservation of biodiversity, promoting environmental benefits and financial advantages compared to other forms of land use.