The impact of land use and cover change on above and below-ground carbon stocks of the miombo woodlands since the 1950s : a systematic review protocol

摘要

BACKGROUND : Increasingly, forests are on the international climate change agenda as land use and cover changesdrive forest and carbon loss. The ability of forests to store carbon has created programs such as Reducing Emissionsfrom Deforestation and Degradation plus (REDD+), in order to provide incentives for particular land uses and forestmanagement practices. A critical element to REDD+ is the ability to know the carbon-storage potential of anecosystem, and the factors likely to affect the rate of carbon accumulation or the maximum amount stored. MostREDD+ initiatives have focused on humid tropical forests because of their large stocks per unit area. Less attentionhas been paid to the carbon-storage potential of tropical dry forests, woodlands and savannas. Although theseecosystems support a lower biomass per unit area, they are more widespread than humid forests. This proposedsystematic review examines miombo woodlands, which are the most extensive vegetation formation in Africa andsupport over 100 million people. We ask: To what extent have changes in land use and land cover influencedabove- and below-ground carbon stocks of miombo woodlands since the 1950s?METHODS : We will search systematically for studies that document the influence of land use and cover change onabove and below ground carbon in miombo woodlands since the 1950s. We will consult bibliographic databasesand an extensive grey literature network, including government reports and forestry offices. Relevant studies willexamine the impacts of human activities, fire and other land use or cover changes that affect wood biomass or soilcarbon in the miombo region. All included studies will be assessed for the soundness and scientific validity of theirstudy design. A quantitative synthesis will tabulate estimates of various parameters necessary to assess carbonstocks and changes across climate and geological factors; and a qualitative analysis will describe the governing landand forest policies. Understanding the impact that land uses and the associated changes have on carbon storage inthe miombo woodlands will contribute to more informed forest management policies and better guided strategiesfor the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.