A mid-20th century inventory-based estimate of global terrestrial vegetation carbon stocks

Abstract

Terrestrial biomass carbon stocks (BCS) play a vital role in the climate system, but benchmarked estimates prior to the late twentieth century remain scarce. Here, by making use of an early global forest resource assessment and harmonizing information on land use and carbon densities, we establish a global BCS account for the year 1950. Our best-guess BCS estimate is 450.2 PgC (median of all modulations: 517.8 PgC, range: 443.7–584.0 PgC), with ecosystems in Southern America and Western Africa storing c. 27 and 16% of the total respectively. Our estimates are in line with land change emissions estimates and suggest a reduction in BCS of 8–29% compared to the median, with losses in tropical subcontinents partially offset by gains in northern subcontinents. Our study demonstrates an approach to reconstruct global BCS by triangulating different data sources and extends the study of global BCS accounts further back into the twentieth century.