How Much Carbon Could They Hold?

(Megatons C/year)

Newly planted and regrowing forests*197 to 584
Deforestation-1788
Better management of:
Croplands (no-till, erosion control, etc.)125
Grazing land240
Forests (fertilization, species choices, etc.)170
Changes in land use:
Agroforestry (grow crop trees, such as orange or apple, on unproductive grassland and cropland)390
Cropland to grassland38
Other42

*At rate of current activities using IPCC definitions.




Reference

Kaiser, J., 2000:Panel Estimates Possible Carbon 'Sinks'. Science, 288, 942-943.