Research advance of forest carbon sink assessment methods and carbon sequestration potential estimation under carbon neutral vision
LI Haikui
Research Institute of Forest Resource Information Techniques, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Forest Management and Growth Modelling of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100091, China
Abstract：Under the carbon neutral vision, strengthening the carbon sequestration function of forests is the most economical and effective way to offset and absorb carbon emissions. Accurate assessment of forest carbon sink and prediction of the forest carbon sequence potential can help to quantify the contribution of forests in tackling climate change and achieving carbon neutral vision. However, the lower accuracy and higher uncertainty always exist in the forest carbon sequestration assessment, because of the universality of forest distribution, the complexity of forest ecosystem structure, the under representation of survey data and the difference of methodology. After defining the basic concepts of forest carbon storage, carbon sink and carbon sequestration potential, the forest carbon sequestration assessment methods have been introduced from the perspectives of forest definition, spatial and temporal scale, carbon pool selection and its basic methods. Besides, the main characteristics, problems, advantages and disadvantages of various methods were also analyzed. The forest carbon sequestration potential methods have been reviewed based on the area and growth scenarios. The research results about the forest carbon sequestration potential in recent 10 years have been analyzed emphatically, and the annual carbon sequestration potential of China’s forest vegetation will reach about 169 million tons and 148 million tons in 2030 and 2060, respectively. Finally, the future development trend of forest carbon sink assessment methods and carbon sequestration potential prediction was discussed, and it may provide some reference for forest carbon sink assessment and carbon sequestration potential prediction under different spatial and temporal scales.
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2021, Vol. 8 
