From soil organic carbon stocks to MRV-compatible indicators: a methodological pathway for tropical forest plantations
Gorde:
| Egileak: | , , , , , |
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| Formatua: | artículo original |
| Egoera: | Versión publicada |
| Argitaratze data: | 2026 |
| Deskribapena: | [Introduction]: Soil organic carbon (SOC) remains weakly integrated into forest carbon offset schemes because SOC changes are spatially variable, slow to detect and methodologically demanding to verify. [Objective]: To examine SOC stock variation across a short-rotation operational chronosequence and to develop a preliminary methodological pathway for MRV-oriented forest soil carbon accounting. [Methodology]: This study used Gmelina arborea Roxb. plantations in northern Costa Rica as an empirical case. Carbon concentration was determined at 0–30 cm depth in plantations aged 0, 3 and 6 years; SOC stocks were then calculated by integrating C concentration, bulk density, sampling depth and coarse fragments. Stock changes were annualized and converted into potential CO₂e equivalences using the 44/12 stoichiometric factor. [Results]: Mean SOC stocks increased from 72.8 t C ha⁻¹ at baseline to 83.4 t C ha⁻¹ in six-year-old coppice-managed plantations, corresponding to apparent annual rates of 1.73–1.77 t C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and potential CO₂e equivalences of 6.4–6.5 t CO₂e ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Given the exploratory design, chronosequence comparison and limited independent replication, these estimates should not be interpreted as verified removals or marketable credits. [Conclusions]: The main contribution of this article is a conservative MRV pathway that distinguishes C concentration, SOC stock, apparent stock change, annualized rate, potential CO₂e equivalence and verifiable carbon credits. This framework can guide future pilots seeking to integrate forest soils into carbon accounting systems under stronger baseline, uncertainty, additionality, permanence, leakage and independent verification requirements. |
| Herria: | Portal de Revistas UNA |
| Erakundea: | Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica |
| Repositorio: | Portal de Revistas UNA |
| Hizkuntza: | Español Inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:www.revistas.una.ac.cr:article/22882 |
| Sarrera elektronikoa: | https://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/ambientales/article/view/22882 |
| Gako-hitza: | soil organic carbon MRV Gmelina arborea CO₂ equivalent environmental integrity carbon credits carbono orgánico del suelo CO₂ equivalente integridad ambiental créditos de carbono carbono orgânico do solo CO2 equivalente integridade ambiental |