Tropical wetlands, climate, and land-use change: adaptation and mitigation opportunities

Randy Kolka; D. Murdiyarso; J. B. Kauffman; Richard Birdsey

doi:10.1007/s11273-016-9487-x

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Tropical wetlands, climate, and land-use change: adaptation and mitigation opportunities

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Randy Kolka, D. Murdiyarso, J. B. Kauffman, Richard Birdsey

Year:

2016

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Northern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-016-9487-x

Source:

Wetlands Ecology and Management. 24(2): 107-112.

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Abstract

Tropical wetland ecosystems, especially mangroves and peatlands, are carbon (C) rich ecosystems. Globally, tropical mangroves store about 20 PgC, however, deforestation has contributed 10 % of the total global emissions from tropical deforestation, even though mangroves account for only about 0.7 % of the world’s tropical forest area (Donato et al. 2011). Meanwhile, tropical peatlands store 191 PgC or approximately 33 % of global peatland C (Post et al. 1982; Page and Rieley 1999). This disproportionate capacity of tropical wetlands to sequester and store C make them a critical component in understanding local, regional and global C stocks that influence the balance of greenhouse gases to and from the atmosphere.

Citation

Kolka, R.K.; Murdiyarso, D.; Kauffman, J.B.; Birdsey, R.A. 2016. Tropical wetlands, climate, and land-use change: adaptation and mitigation opportunities. Wetlands Ecology and Management. 24(2): 107-112.