An inventory-based carbon budget for forest and woodland ecosystems of Turkey

Abstract

Environmental monitoring of national-level comparisons of CO₂ emissions is needed to quantify sources and sinks of carbon (C) in national ecosystems. In this study, a national forest inventory database was used to estimate the past and current pools and fluxes of C in deciduous and coniferous forest and woodland ecosystems (20.7 × 10⁶ ha) of Turkey. Growing C stock was 12.63 t C ha⁻¹ in 1960 and 16.55 t C ha⁻¹ in 1995. Total C store in the whole live woody biomass was estimated at 22.77 t C ha⁻¹ in 1996. The total flux of C from the atmosphere into the forest and woodland ecosystems driven by primary productivity was about 1.46 t C ha⁻¹ (or 30.2 Mt C) in 1996. The estimated net release of C from the forest and woodland ecosystems of Turkey to the atmosphere was about 1.34 t C ha⁻¹ (or 21.5 Mt C) in 1996. When C released was taken into account, net ecosystem sequestration (NES) resulted in 0.12 t C ha⁻¹ per year. Such analytical tools as national forest C budgets are needed to improve our preventive and mitigative strategies for dealing with global climate change.