Carbon sequestration
Forests help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and transform it, through photosynthesis, into carbon, which the forests then “saved” in the form of wood and vegetation. This process is called “carbon sequestration ”. Generally, approximately 20% of the weight of trees consists of carbon, and the entire biomass of the forest acts as a “carbon absorption tank” . Also the organic material in the ground in the forests, as for example humus that derives from the decomposition of dead plant material, acts as a carbon tank . In this way the forests can capture and store enormous amounts of carbon. In fact, according to FAO, the forests of the planet and their undergrowth absorb a total of over a trillion tons of carbon, twice as much as the amount found in the atmosphere. In the balance between emissions and absorption of carbon dioxide, an ecosystem is considered a carbon sink when it absorbs more carbon dioxide than the amount it emits. Instead, an ecosystem is known as a carbon source when it emits more CO2 than what it absorbs. Carbon sequestered from the biomass is known as carbon stock.
In a forest, carbon is stocked in compartments :
- epigean biomass, i.e. the live organic substance above ground;
- hypogean biomass, i.e. live organic substance underground;
- necromass, i.e. dead organic substance in wood;
- litter, i.e. the dead organic substances on the surface of the ground, such as branches, leaves and animals;
- organic substance in the ground.
Special reports
-
30 July 2020
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
We have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when we unplug and…
23 June 2020
The Last Wild Valley. In defence of the Cime Bianche
The Vallone delle Cime Bianche or Courtaud Valley rises at the top of the Val d'Ayas, in Valle d'Aosta. It…
29 May 2017
The universe of Primo Levi
Primo Levi was not only a writer, but also a chemist, linguist and artisan...
-
6 February 2017
Robotics: environmental monitoring and more
More than 830 events were organised in 30 countries during the European Robotics Week (18-27 November)
22 September 2015
An artificial paradise under the sea
Artificial reefs are submerged man-made structures fostering marine biodiversity...
-
10 February 2014
Coral turns pale!
The coral reef is one of the ecosystems with the richest biodiversity...
29 April 2013
Intruders in the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea has always been considered of fundamental importance...
-
30 July 2020
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
We have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when we unplug and…
23 June 2020
The Last Wild Valley. In defence of the Cime Bianche
The Vallone delle Cime Bianche or Courtaud Valley rises at the top of the Val d'Ayas, in Valle d'Aosta. It…
-
29 May 2017
The universe of Primo Levi
Primo Levi was not only a writer, but also a chemist, linguist and artisan...
6 February 2017
Robotics: environmental monitoring and more
More than 830 events were organised in 30 countries during the European Robotics Week (18-27 November)
-
22 September 2015
An artificial paradise under the sea
Artificial reefs are submerged man-made structures fostering marine biodiversity...
-
30 July 2020
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
We have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when we unplug and…
-
23 June 2020
The Last Wild Valley. In defence of the Cime Bianche
The Vallone delle Cime Bianche or Courtaud Valley rises at the top of the Val d'Ayas, in Valle d'Aosta. It…
-
29 May 2017
The universe of Primo Levi
Primo Levi was not only a writer, but also a chemist, linguist and artisan...
From the Multimedia section
Facts
-
Energy from palm trees
Oils that are obtained from palm trees can be used as alternatives to fossil fuels and their use is about…
-
Ant and fish activities
A small insect like the antilion, digs funnel shaped traps in the sandy ground when it is in the larva…
-
Energy from palm trees
Oils that are obtained from palm trees can be used as alternatives to fossil fuels and their use is about…
-
17 May 2011
Myths and legends of the forest
The dark and mysterious shadows of the forest are populated by...