Forest Carbon, Biodiversity and Fire Emissions in the Beira

Corridor Region

Natasha Ribeiro, Romana Bandeira, Valério Macandza, Almeida SitoeCOP21, Paris, December 4, 2015

Objectives• Evaluate change in carbon stocks over a forest cover gradient• Evaluate plant and animal species diversity over a forest cover

gradient• Characterize fire regime• Estimate GHG Emissions from fire and biomass loss

Study Area

3

Mopane

Miombo

Undifferentiated forest

Mountain forest

• Manica, Sofala e Zambézia• Logging concessions, forest reserves,

hunting areas, community forestry areas

Forest types

Mopane Mountain ForestUndifferentiated forest Miombo

Methodology (1): Carbon and Vegetation Sampling

• 220 plots (50x20m)• Trees: dbh>10 cm• Crown cover: (>60%) High – (30-60%) Medium – (<30%) Low• Above ground carbon: Locally developed allometric functions• Soil organic carbon: 30 cm depth

Methodology (2): Fire RegimeMODIS AQUA and TERRA data (MCD14ML and MCD45A1https://earthdata.nasa.gov/data/

1. Density: # fires/ km2

2 . Frequency and Mean Return Interval (MFRI)

MFRI= T * (A / a) F = 1 / PRF ; T= analysis period A= study area a= burned area (km2)

3. Seasonality: early dry (May/June); Mid dry (July/August); late (September/October)

4. Extent (ha)

Methodology (3): CO2 Emissions

L- biomass burning emissions (tonnes) Ai - burned area (ha)

Bi – available biomass for combustion (tonnes /ha) Cf - Combustion factor (tonnes /ha)

Ggi – Emission factor (CO2 1580; CH4 0.012; N2O 0.007)

Lburned= Ai * Bi * Cf * Ggi * 10-3 (IPCC, 2006)

Data collection

• Site selection• 1 ha plots established for burn & control • Weather condition (temperature, wind speed and relative humidity – KRESTEL 4000)

• Biomass measurements (before and after)

plots for biomass measurements

Sub-plots distribution inside the plot

Methodology (4): Herb and grass component biomass

using control area calibration figures Y = 0.0078559 +0.008X; Mopane woodlands (Tambara)

Y = 0.02994848+0.017449X; Miombo woodlands (Manica)

Y = -0028+0.002329X; Miombo woodlands (Gondola)

Y = 0.0737+0.004923X; Miombo woodlands (Mocuba)

Y = 0.0675+0.024015X; Miombo woodlands (Gile)

where: Y- Biomass in kg ;

X- Disc height reading

Tree component: allometric equations

Re

Results

Does plant species diversity decline with forest cover?

0 10 20 30 40 50 601

10

100

Miombo

HighLowMedium

Ranking

Rela

tive

Abun

danc

e (%

)

0 5 10 15 20 25 301

10

100

Mopane

HighLowMedium

Ranking

Rela

tive

Abun

danc

e (%

)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 401

10

100

Mountain Forest

HighLowMedium

Ranking

Rela

tive

Abun

danc

e (%

)

Species RakingSpecies Ranking Species Ranking

Does the forest structure change with forest cover?

5-15 15-25 25-35 35-45 45-55 55-65 65-750

50

100

150

200

250

300

Miombo

HighMediumLow

Diameter Class (cm)

Abun

danc

e (T

rees

/ha)

5-15

15-25

25-35

35-45

45-55

55-65

65-75

75-85

85-95

115-

125

0

50

100

150

200

250

Mopane

HighMediumLow

Diameter Class (cm)

ABun

danc

e (T

rees

/ha)

5-1525-35

45-5565-75

95-105

135-145

155-165

175-185

195-2050

50100150200250300350400450

Mountain Forest

HighMediumLow

Diameter Class (cm)

Abun

danc

e (T

rees

/ha)

Carbon stock by forest type and crown cover

Miombo Mopane Mountain Forest0

50

100

150

200

250

Tree Carbon Stock

HighMediumLow

Abov

e gr

ound

Car

bon

(ton

/ha)

Miombo Mopane Mountain Forest0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Soil Carbon

HighMediumLow

Soil

Carb

on (t

on/h

a)

14

• Fauna species richness did not vary

significantly with changes in forest cover;

• Differences in fauna composition is

determined by species turnover

(replacement of species) and not

nestedness (species loss or gain) along

the forest cover gradient Low Medium High

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Forest cover

Num

ber o

f spe

cies

Fauna Diversity

The similarity of fauna

assemblages reduced

with the increase in the

difference of forest

cover in the habitat

The density of birds

increased with the

reduction of forest

cover

Fauna Diversity

Fire Regime: DensityGondola

Tambara

Manica

Manica Province

2. Fire Regime: Mean Fire Return Interval (MFRI)

Tambara Gondola

Manica

Manica Province

4. Fire Regime: Extent

• Gondola presents the largest fire extent;

• Interannual variation characteristic of miombo woodland

5. Fire Regime: Seasonality

• Peak in Aug/Sept October (Tambara).

• Pattern similar to other studies (Ribeiro, 2007, Cangela & Ribeiro, in prep.).

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

Tambara

Gondola

Manica

Anos

CO2

(ton

)

Estimativa de Emissões do CO2

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 0.0

100 000.0

200 000.0

300 000.0

400 000.0

500 000.0

600 000.0

700 000.0

TambaraGondola

Anos

CO2

(t) IPCC (2006)

Field data (2014)

Other studies (southern Africa): - 448 ± 75 Tg (Lehsten

et al., 2009)

- 576 ± 72 Tg (Van der Werf Scholes et al., 2006)

- 45-132 Tg (Scholes et al., 1996)

6. Fire CO2 emissions

GHG emissions released during controlled fire

Variables

Districts

Gondola Manica Tambara Cheringoma Mocuba Gilé

Biomass before burn (Bi) in ton/ha 61.92 55.96 57.5

5.08 28.80 40.17

Biomass after burn in ton/ha 61.6 55.26 56.81 4.7 22.34 23.29

Burnt area (Ai) in ha 1 1 1 1 1 1

Combustion factor (Cf) 0.005 0.03 0.01 0.22 0.065 0.17

CO2 emissions (ton) 0.51 1.11 1.09 1.77 2,34 10,79

CH4 emissions (ton) 0.002 0.005 0.0052 0.007 0.028 0.130

N2O emissions (ton) 0.00006 0.0001 0.0001 0.0002 0.0164 0.0755

ConclusionsNo unique pattern observed in biodiversity change per forest cover.

Diversity may increase in areas with regeneration and reduce in newly changed

areas.

Difference in the composition of fauna assemblages is determined by species

turnover (replacement of species) and not nestedness (species loss or gain) along

the forest cover gradient.

Similarity of fauna assemblages reduced with increases in the variation in forest

cover in the habitat.

Bird species density increased with the reduction of forest cover.

Conclusions

Fire regime reflects the pattern for southern Africa.

Spatial variations in density and frequency should be further studied in terms of impacts

on the ecosytems.

Given the amount of biomass and carbon stock lost we conclude that wildfires did not cause substancial damage to the tree component; herb and litter components were not totally consumed.

CO2 emission estimates varied from 0.51 to 10.79 tonnes/ha(early dry to late dry season fires)