Land-use change and terrestrial carbon: the temporal record

Abstract

Understanding changes in the terrestrial pools of carbon (C) over the last two centuries helps identify management strategies that might be used to enhance the storage of C on land in the future. Three general types of management can be recognised. The first two: policies affecting the area of forests; and policies affecting the amount of C per unit area of forest, including the amount stored in forest products; are directly related to the management of land, particularly forests. The third type of management pertains to maintaining the climate of the Earth so as, again, to conserve and enhance both the area of forests and the amount of C stored per unit area of forest. Although the latter type of management is not related to land use or land-use change, perse, knowing the contribution of land-use change to the global C cycle over the last two centuries helps identify the critical role that forests may play in the future.