Carbon dynamics of tropical forests

Abstract

Tropical forests are a critical resource affecting world climate. They are very diverse, largely because of variations in regional climate and soil. For purposes of this analysis they have been divided in four broad forest types "ever-wet, semi-evergreen, dry deciduous, and montane. Existing literature on climate and tropical forests suggests that, compared to temperate and boreal forest biomes, tropical forests play a disproportionate role in contributing to emissions that both affect and mitigate climate. This chapter describes the geographical extent of tropical forests and their role in terrestrial carbon storage, uptake (through processes of photosynthesis), and loss (through plant respiration and microbial decomposition of dead biomass). A review is provided of current knowledge about the role of disturbance (natural and human caused) in affecting the carbon balance of tropical forests. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the threats to tropical forests and how they may influence climate change and elevated CO2.