Carbon stocks and growth of six common shelterbelt species:
- Overview of data analyses used to estimate carbon stocks in shelterbelts in Saskatchewan.
- Carbon stocks in shelterbelts in Saskatchewan.
- Carbon stocks by shelterbelt species:
- Deciduous spp.: Hybrid poplar, Green ash, Manitoba maple
- Coniferous spp.: White spruce, Scots pine
- Shrub spp.: Caragana
Shelterbelt carbon stocks are reported for 31 clusters within 5 soil zones in Saskatchewan. Each cluster is a group of homogeneous ecodistricts. The sub-soil-zone clustering approach grouped similar ecodistricts within the 5 soil zones of agricultural Saskatchewan into clusters for modeling purposes (106 ecodistricts were clustered into 31 clusters). There were between 4 and 8 clusters in each soil zone and each cluster included between 1 and 9 ecodistricts. The method used 42 variables for each clustering analysis (done separately for each soil zone). The number of clusters in each soil zone explained 54-69% of the variation among 42 climatic, topographic, soil, geologic, and plant-growth variables. These variables were extracted from the Soil Landscapes of Canada v. 3.2 (2011) and National Ecological Framework of Canada (1999) datasets.
What are the cluster ID and soil zone at my location?
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SHELTERBELT DATA ANALYSES Shelterbelts have been planted in Saskatchewan for more than a century, since 1901, under the provisions of the Government of Canada’s Prairie Shelterbelt Program (PSP). In the past two decades, the carbon storage potential of planted shelterbelts was recognized, but there was a lack of shelterbelt distribution data and growth models. To estimate the carbon stocks in shelterbelts for the agricultural land in Saskatchewan, the following data analyses are performed (Figures 1 and 2):
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GENERATED SHELTERBELT PRODUCTS
- Yield tables quantifying shelterbelt volume increment are generated by the 3PG model and used as input data in the CBM-CFS3 model
- In CBM-CFS3, C stocks for six shelterbelt species are generated in 31 clusters and validated with field data
- Finally, maps of the carbon stocks inventory are created, including total ecosystem carbon (TEC) and carbon stocks additions (Figure 2)
- Carbon inventories are generated for four periods: a/ planted 1925-2009; b/ since 1990, regardless of planting period; c/ planted 1990-2009; and d/ planted 2015-2075, using the A2-scenario of future climate projections by the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis
- All generated products (Figure 2) are valuable tools for shelterbelt decision support systems for future tree planting on agricultural landscapes
The carbon (C) sequestration potential of six common shelterbelt species in Saskatchewan was 1.3-5.3 Mg C /ha/yr (Figure 1), which was similar to other regions in the world. Saskatchewan shelterbelts sequester C at rates that are also comparable to intensively managed shrub willow plantations (15,000 shrubs /ha) in the province at 4.9-6.6 Mg C /ha/yr (Figure 1), and to higher density (1,600 trees /ha) hybrid poplar plantations in western Canada at 1.7-6.1 Mg C /ha/yr. Globally, shelterbelts sequester 0.7-2.0 and 1.5-2.0 Mg C /ha/yr in aboveground biomass, and 0.4-1.0 and 0.8-1.5 Mg C /ha/yr in the soils, in Asia and Europe, respectively. Much lower C sequestration rates have been reported elsewhere in North America at 0.37-0.73 Mg C /ha/yr.
CARBON STOCKS INVENTORY
SHELTERBELT SPECIES PREVALENCE
CARBON STOCKS INVENTORY
- Tree growth (3PG model) and C dynamics (CBM-CFS3 model) modelling approaches were used to determine the total ecosystem C (TEC) stocks and C stocks additions in shelterbelts of different ages, species, and planting locations in five soil zones.
- The total length of six commonly planted shelterbelt species in Saskatchewan, of any planting period, was estimated to be 50,439 Km, and ranged from 991 (white spruce) to 35,245 Km (caragana) (Table 1).
- TEC stocks and C stocks additions produced by shelterbelt planting during the course of eight decades were 10.8 and 4.8 Tg C (1 Tg = 1 million Mg), respectively. About 78% of these C stocks additions (3.77 Tg C) occurred since 1990 (Table 1).
- About 69% of the C stocks additions occurring since 1990 were in caragana shelterbelts, mainly because of the very large number of planted caragana shelterbelts, followed by hybrid poplar (15%) and green ash (9%) (Table 1). The estimated value of 3.77 Tg C additions = $208 mill., at $15 per Mg CO2-eq.
SHELTERBELT SPECIES PREVALENCE
- Distribution analysis of six common shelterbelt species from south to north showed a caragana majority in all of the Brown, Dark Brown, and half of the Black soil zone clusters, followed by green ash and hybrid poplar trees (Figure 2)
- Mainly in the Gray and Dark Gray zone clusters (latitude > 52°), conifer shelterbelt species were preferred, and caragana distribution was relatively minimal.
- The length of planted shelterbelts in the province is >3 round-trips from Saskatoon to Paris, France. This legacy of the Prairie Shelterbelt Program (PSP) is deeply rooted in the minds and hearts of farmers, directly benefiting Saskatchewan’s agricultural land, as well as indirectly benefiting the local and global climate.
- Planting shelterbelt trees and shrubs on agricultural landscapes is an important strategy for mitigating greenhouse gasses.