Congo Basin Carbon Cycle Responses to Global Change.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Climate Science
• Forestry

Background:

• The Congo Basin's forests store significant carbon (65 GtC) and act as a weak carbon sink (0.26-0.50 GtC yr⁻¹).
• Quantification of carbon stocks and fluxes in this region is limited, hindering understanding of its global carbon cycle role and vulnerability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and quantify carbon stocks and fluxes in the Congo Basin and contiguous forests.
• To synthesize knowledge on how global change drivers impact the region's carbon cycle.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing data on carbon stocks and fluxes.
• Analysis of the influence of climate change drivers (temperature, drought, precipitation) and land use changes.
• Inclusion of findings from in situ studies on CO2 fertilization and nutrient deposition.

Main Results:

• Forests show limited response to precipitation variability but declining stocks/fluxes with increased temperature and drought.
• Land use changes (agriculture, logging) reduce carbon stocks and ecosystem functioning.
• Savanna burning provides nutrients, supporting sequestration, while CO2 fertilization's impact on biomass is uncertain.

Conclusions:

• Climate and land use changes significantly impact the Congo Basin's carbon cycle, with complex interactions.
• Improved monitoring and in situ networks are crucial for understanding and conserving this vital carbon sink.
• Future carbon sink potential is threatened by global change pressures, necessitating informed conservation strategies.