Author(s): QUIJAS, S.; BOIT, A.; THONICKE, K.; MURRAY-TORTAROLO, G.; MWAMPAMBA, T.; SKUTSCH, M.; SIMÕES, M.; ASCARRUNZ, N.; PEÑA-CLAROS, M.; JONES, L.; ARETS, E.; JARAMILLO, V. J.; LAZOS, E.; TOLEDO, M.; MARTORANO, L. G.; FERRAZ, R. P. D.; BALVANERA, P.

Summary: Ecosystem service (ES) models can only inform policy design adequately if they incorporate ecological processes. We used the Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land (LPJmL) model, to address following questions for Mexico, Bolivia and Brazilian Amazon: (i) How different are C stocks and C sequestration quantifications under standard (when soil and litter C and heterotrophic respiration are not considered) and comprehensive (including all C stock and heterotrophic respiration) approach? and (ii) How does the valuation of C stock and C sequestration differ in national payments for ES and global C funds or markets when comparing both approach? We found that up to 65% of C stocks have not been taken into account by neglecting to include C stored in soil and litter, resulting in gross underpayments (up to 500 times lower). Since emissions from heterotrophic respiration of organic material offset a large proportion of C gained through growth of living matter, we found that markets and decision-makers are inadvertently overestimating up to 100 times C sequestrated. New approaches for modelling C services relevant ecological process-based can help accounting for C in soil, litter and heterotrophic respiration and become important for the operationalization of agreements on climate change mitigation following the COP21 in 2015.

Publication year: 2018

Types of publication: Journal article

Unit: Embrapa Soils

Keywords: Carbono do solo, Mercados globais de carbono, Modelo dinâmico de vegetação global, Pagamento por serviços ecossistêmicos, Respiração heterotrófica, Tomadores de decisão