Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya

P.K.E. Pellikka; V. Heikinheimo; J. Hietanen; E. Schäfer; M. Siljander; J. Heiskanen

doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2018.03.017

Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya

P.K.E. Pellikka, V. Heikinheimo, J. Hietanen, E. Schäfer, M. Siljander, J. Heiskanen

Tutkimustuotos: Artikkelijulkaisu › Artikkeli › Tieteellinen › vertaisarvioitu

Kuvaus

Land cover change takes place in sub-Saharan Africa as forests and shrublands are converted to agricultural lands in order to meet the needs of growing population. Changes in land cover also impact carbon sequestration in vegetation cover with an influence on climate on continental scale. The impact of land cover change on tree aboveground carbon stocks was studied in Taita Hills, Kenya. The land cover change between 1987 and 2011 for four points of time was assessed using SPOT satellite imagery, while the carbon density in various land cover types was assessed with field measurements, allometric biomass functions and airborne laser scanning data. Finally, the mean carbon densities of land cover types were combined with land cover maps resulting in carbon stock values for given land cover types for each point of time studied. Expansion of croplands has been taking place since 1987 and before on the cost of thickets and shrublands, especially on the foothills and lowlands. Due to the land cover changes, the carbon stock of trees was decreasing until 2003, after which there has been an increase. The findings of the research is supported by forest transition model, which emphasizes increase of awareness of forests' role in providing ecosystem services, such as habitats for pollinators, water harvesting and storage at the same time when economic reasons in making land-use choices between cropland and woodland, and governmental legislation supports trees on farms.

Alkuperäiskieli	englanti
Lehti	Applied Geography
Vuosikerta	94
Sivut	178-189
Sivumäärä	12
ISSN	0143-6228
DOI - pysyväislinkit	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2018.03.017
Tila	Julkaistu - toukokuuta 2018
OKM-julkaisutyyppi	A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä, vertaisarvioitu

Tieteenalat

Land cover change
Biomass
Aboveground carbon
Laser scanning
Ecosystem services
Forest transition
Taita Hills
Kenya
1171 Geotieteet

Lainaa tätä

Pellikka, P. K. E., Heikinheimo, V., Hietanen, J., Schäfer, E., Siljander, M., & Heiskanen, J. (2018). Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya. Applied Geography, 94, 178-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2018.03.017

Pellikka, P.K.E. ; Heikinheimo, V. ; Hietanen, J. ; Schäfer, E. ; Siljander, M. ; Heiskanen, J. / Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya. Julkaisussa: Applied Geography. 2018 ; Vuosikerta 94. Sivut 178-189.

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title = "Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya",

abstract = "Land cover change takes place in sub-Saharan Africa as forests and shrublands are converted to agricultural lands in order to meet the needs of growing population. Changes in land cover also impact carbon sequestration in vegetation cover with an influence on climate on continental scale. The impact of land cover change on tree aboveground carbon stocks was studied in Taita Hills, Kenya. The land cover change between 1987 and 2011 for four points of time was assessed using SPOT satellite imagery, while the carbon density in various land cover types was assessed with field measurements, allometric biomass functions and airborne laser scanning data. Finally, the mean carbon densities of land cover types were combined with land cover maps resulting in carbon stock values for given land cover types for each point of time studied. Expansion of croplands has been taking place since 1987 and before on the cost of thickets and shrublands, especially on the foothills and lowlands. Due to the land cover changes, the carbon stock of trees was decreasing until 2003, after which there has been an increase. The findings of the research is supported by forest transition model, which emphasizes increase of awareness of forests' role in providing ecosystem services, such as habitats for pollinators, water harvesting and storage at the same time when economic reasons in making land-use choices between cropland and woodland, and governmental legislation supports trees on farms.",

keywords = "Land cover change, Biomass, Aboveground carbon, Laser scanning, Ecosystem services, Forest transition, Taita Hills, Kenya, 1171 Geosciences",

author = "P.K.E. Pellikka and V. Heikinheimo and J. Hietanen and E. Sch{\"a}fer and M. Siljander and J. Heiskanen",

year = "2018",

month = "5",

doi = "10.1016/j.apgeog.2018.03.017",

language = "English",

volume = "94",

pages = "178--189",

journal = "Applied Geography",

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Pellikka, PKE , Heikinheimo, V, Hietanen, J, Schäfer, E, Siljander, M & Heiskanen, J 2018, 'Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya', Applied Geography, Vuosikerta 94, Sivut 178-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2018.03.017

Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya. / Pellikka, P.K.E.; Heikinheimo, V.; Hietanen, J.; Schäfer, E.; Siljander, M.; Heiskanen, J.

julkaisussa: Applied Geography, Vuosikerta 94, 05.2018, s. 178-189.

Tutkimustuotos: Artikkelijulkaisu › Artikkeli › Tieteellinen › vertaisarvioitu

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of land cover change on aboveground carbon stocks in Afromontane landscape in Kenya

AU - Pellikka, P.K.E.

AU - Heikinheimo, V.

AU - Hietanen, J.

AU - Schäfer, E.

AU - Siljander, M.

AU - Heiskanen, J.

PY - 2018/5

Y1 - 2018/5

N2 - Land cover change takes place in sub-Saharan Africa as forests and shrublands are converted to agricultural lands in order to meet the needs of growing population. Changes in land cover also impact carbon sequestration in vegetation cover with an influence on climate on continental scale. The impact of land cover change on tree aboveground carbon stocks was studied in Taita Hills, Kenya. The land cover change between 1987 and 2011 for four points of time was assessed using SPOT satellite imagery, while the carbon density in various land cover types was assessed with field measurements, allometric biomass functions and airborne laser scanning data. Finally, the mean carbon densities of land cover types were combined with land cover maps resulting in carbon stock values for given land cover types for each point of time studied. Expansion of croplands has been taking place since 1987 and before on the cost of thickets and shrublands, especially on the foothills and lowlands. Due to the land cover changes, the carbon stock of trees was decreasing until 2003, after which there has been an increase. The findings of the research is supported by forest transition model, which emphasizes increase of awareness of forests' role in providing ecosystem services, such as habitats for pollinators, water harvesting and storage at the same time when economic reasons in making land-use choices between cropland and woodland, and governmental legislation supports trees on farms.

AB - Land cover change takes place in sub-Saharan Africa as forests and shrublands are converted to agricultural lands in order to meet the needs of growing population. Changes in land cover also impact carbon sequestration in vegetation cover with an influence on climate on continental scale. The impact of land cover change on tree aboveground carbon stocks was studied in Taita Hills, Kenya. The land cover change between 1987 and 2011 for four points of time was assessed using SPOT satellite imagery, while the carbon density in various land cover types was assessed with field measurements, allometric biomass functions and airborne laser scanning data. Finally, the mean carbon densities of land cover types were combined with land cover maps resulting in carbon stock values for given land cover types for each point of time studied. Expansion of croplands has been taking place since 1987 and before on the cost of thickets and shrublands, especially on the foothills and lowlands. Due to the land cover changes, the carbon stock of trees was decreasing until 2003, after which there has been an increase. The findings of the research is supported by forest transition model, which emphasizes increase of awareness of forests' role in providing ecosystem services, such as habitats for pollinators, water harvesting and storage at the same time when economic reasons in making land-use choices between cropland and woodland, and governmental legislation supports trees on farms.

KW - Land cover change

KW - Biomass

KW - Aboveground carbon

KW - Laser scanning

KW - Ecosystem services

KW - Forest transition

KW - Taita Hills

KW - Kenya

KW - 1171 Geosciences

U2 - 10.1016/j.apgeog.2018.03.017

DO - 10.1016/j.apgeog.2018.03.017

M3 - Article