Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Land use change and carbon exchange in the tropics: I. Detailed estimates for Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, and Bolivia

  • Research
  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Our group, composed of modelers working in conjunction with tropical ecologists, 3 has produced a simulation model that quantifies the net carbon exchange between tropical vegetation and the atmosphere due to land use change. The model calculates this net exchange by combining estimates of land use change with several estimates of the carbon stored in tropical vegetation and general assumptions about the fate of cleared vegetation. In this report, we use estimates of land use and carbon storage organized into sixlife zone (sensu Holdridge) categories to calculate the exchange between the atmosphere and the vegetation of four tropical countries. Our analyses of these countries indicate that this life zone approach has several advantages because (a) the carbon content of vegetation varies significantly among life zones, (b) much of the land use change occurs in life zones of only moderate carbon storage, and (c) the fate of cleared vegetation varies among life zones. Our analyses also emphasize the importance of distinguishing between temporary and permanent land use change, as the recovery of vegetation on abandoned areas decreases the net release of carbon due to clearing. We include sensitivity analysis of those factors that we found to be important but are difficult to quantify at present.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Armentano, T. V., and C. W. Ralston. 1980. The role of temperate zone forests in the global carbon cycle.Canadian Journal of Forest Research 10:53–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacastow, R. B., and C. D. Keeling. 1973. Atmospheric carbon dioxide and radiocarbon in the natural carbon cycle. II. Changes from A.D. 1700 to 2070 as deduced from a geochemical model. Pages 86–135in G. M. Woodwell and E. V. Pecan (eds.), Carbon and the biosphere. USAEC, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bacastow, R. B., and C. D. Keeling. 1981. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and the observed airborne fraction. Pages 103–1121in B. Bolin (ed.), SCOPE 16: carbon cycle modelling. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolin, B. 1977. Changes of land biota and their importance for the carbon cycle.Science 196:613–615.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broecker, W. S., T. Takahashi, H. J. Simpson, and T.-H. Peng. 1979. Fate of fossil fuel carbon dioxide and the global carbon budget.Science 206:409–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S., and A. E. Lugo. 1982. The storage and productionof organic matter in tropical forests and their role in the global carbon cycle.Biotropica 14:161–187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunig, E. F. 1977. The tropical rain forest: a wasted asset or an essential biospheric resource?Ambio 6:187–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buschbacher, R. J. 1984. Changes in productivity and nutrient cycling following conversion of Amazon rainforest to pasture. PhD thesis, University of Georgia.

  • Conklin, H. C. 1961. The study of shifting cultivation.Current Anthropology 2:27–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa Rica. 1953. Direccion General de Estadistica y Censos. Censo Agropecuario de 1950. San Jose.

  • Costa Rica. 1965. Direccion General de Estadistica y Censos. Censo Agropecuario de 1963. San Jose.

  • Costa Rica. 1974. Instituto Geografico Nacional. Mapa fisicopolitico. Ed. 1974. Scale 1:500,000. San Jose.

  • Costa Rica. 1974. Censos Nacionales de 1973: vol. 3, Agropecuario. San Jose.

  • Degens, E. T. (ed.) 1982. Transport of carbon and minerals in major world rivers (part I). Metteilungen aus dem Geologisen-Palaon tologischen Institut der Universität Hamburg, vol. 52. 764 pp.

  • Detwiler, R. P., and C. A. S. Hall. 1980. Model of carbon exchange between human-impacted tropical ecosystems and the atmosphere. Pages 153–163in S. Brown and A. Lugo (eds.), Models of carbon flow in tropical ecosystems with emphasis on their role in the global carbon cycle. United States Department of Energy EV/06047-1.

  • Delcourt, H. R., and W. F. Harris. 1980. Carbon budget of the southeastern U.S. biota: analysis of historical change in trend from source to sink.Science 201:321–322.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewel, J., C. Berish, B. Brown, N. Price, and J. Raich. 1981. Slash and burn impacts on a Costa Rican wet forest site.Ecology 62:816–829.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahnestock, G. R. 1979. Carbon input to the atmosphere from forest fires.Science 192:209–210.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO. 1970. Shifting agriculture in tropical forests. Pages 12–25in FAO committee on forest development in the tropics. Report of the 2nd session, Rome, 21–24 October 1969. Forestry paper FO:FDT-69/2. FAO, Rome.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodland, R. J. A., and H. S. Irwin. 1974. An ecological discussion of the environmental impact of the highway construction program in the Amazon Basin.Landscape Planning 1:123–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goudriaan, J., and G. L. Ajtay. 1979. The possible effects of increased CO2 on photosynthesis. Pages 237–250in B. Bolin, E. T. Degens, S. Kempe, and P. Ketner (eds.), The global carbon cycle. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, C. A. S., C. A. Ekdahl, and D. E. Wartenberg. 1975. A fifteen-year record of biotic metabolism in the Northern Hemisphere.Nature 255:136–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, L. S. 1976. Tropical rain forest use and preservation: a study of problems and practices in Venezuela. Office of International Affairs, Sierra Club, International Series no. 4.

  • Hampicke, U. 1979. Net transfer of carbon between the land biota and the atmosphere, induced by man. Pages 219–236in B. Bolin, E. T. Degens, S. Kempe, and P. Ketner (eds.), The global carbon cycle. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hauck, S. W. 1974. Shifting cultivation and soil conservation in Africa. Soils Bulletin no. 24. FAO, Rome.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hecht, S. B. 1982. Cattle ranching in the Brazilian Amazon: evaluation of a development strategy. PhD dissertation, University of California, Berkeley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holdridge, L. R. 1947. Determination of world plant formation from simple climatic data.Science 105:367–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holdridge, L. R. 1967. Life zone ecology, rev. edn. Tropical Science Center, San Jose, Costa Rica. 206 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holdridge, L. R. 1980. A new look at atmospheric carbon dioxide in tropical forest ecosystems. Pages 19–29in S. Brown, A. E. Lugo, and B. Liegel (eds.), The role of tropical forests on the world carbon cycle. CONF-800350. US Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holdridge, L. R., W. C. Grenke, W. H. Hatheway, T. Liang, and J. A. Tosi. 1971. Forest environments in tropical life zones: a pilot study. Pergamon Press, New York. 747 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, R. A., J. E. Hobbie, J. M. Melillo, B. Moore, B. J. Peterson, G. R. Shaver, and G. M. Woodwell. 1983. Changes in the carbon content of terrestrial biota and soils between 1860 and 1980: a net release of CO2 to the atmosphere.Ecological Monographs 53:235–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, R. A. 1983. The carbon cycle and climate warming.Seience 222:1107–1108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lal, R., and D. J. Cummings. 1979. Clearing a tropical forest. I. Effects on soil and micro-climate.Field Crops Research 2:91–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, G. E., and D. H. Knight. 1979. Decay rates for boles of tropical trees in Panama.Biotropica 11:316–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lanly, J. P. 1982. Tropical forest resources. United Nations 32/6. 1301-78-04, technical report 4. FAO, Rome.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lanly, J. P., and J. Clement. 1981. Los Recursos Forestales de la America Tropical. United Nations 32/6. 1301-78-04, informe tecnico 1; Forest resources of tropical Asia. United National 32/6. 1301-78-04, technical report 2; Forest resources of tropical Africa parts 1 and 2. United Nations 32/6. 1301-78-04, technical report 3. FAO, Rome.

  • Manshard, W. 1974. Tropical agriculture. Longham, London. 226 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, N. 1980. Conversion of tropical moist forests. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. 205 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, N. 1981. The hamburger connection: how Central America's forests become North America's hamburgers.Ambio 10:2–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, M. 1973. The development of tropical land: policy issues in Latin America. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 306 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nye, P. H., and D. J. Greenland. 1960. The soil under shifting cultivation. Technical communication 51. Commonwealth Bureau of Soils, Harpenden, London. 156 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odum, H. T. 1970. Summary: an emerging view of the ecological system at El Verde. Pages I-191–281in H. T. Odum and R. F. Pigeon (eds.), A tropical rain forest. USAEC Technical Information Center, Oak Ridge, TN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oeschger, H., U. Siegenthaler, U. Schotterer, and A. Gugelmann. 1975. A box diffusion model to study the carbon dioxide exchange in nature.Tellus 27:168–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, J. S., J. A. Watts, and L. J. Allison. 1983. Carbon in live vegetation of major world ecosystems. USDOE Carbon Dioxide Program. DOE/NBB-0037.

  • Panama. 1954a. Direccion de Estadistica y Censo 1954. Censos Nacionales de 1950: Primer Censo Agropecuario, 10 December 1950, vol. I, Produccion. Panama City.

  • Panama. 1954b. Direccion de Estadistica y Censo 1954. Censos Nacionales de 1954: Quinto Censo de Poblacion, vol. I, Caracteristicas Generales. Panama City.

  • Panama. 1963. Direccion de Estadistica y Censo 1960: Segundo Censo Agropecuario, 16 April 1961, vol. I, Produccion Agricola. Panama City.

  • Panama. 1971. Direccion de Estadistica y Censo 1971: Tercer Censo Agropecuario, 16 May 1971, vol. I, Produccion Agricola. Panama City.

  • Peng, T-H., W. S. Broecker, H. D. Freyer, and S. Trumbore. 1983. A deconvolution of the tree ring based on the δ13 C record.Journal of Geophysical Research 88(C6):3609–3620.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peru. 1965. Direccion Nacional de Estadistica y Censos. Primer Censo Nacional Agropecuario, 2 July 1961. Resultados Finales de Primera Prioridad. Lima. 146 pp.

  • Peru. 1975–1976. Oficina Nacional de Estadistica y Censos (ONEC). Resultados Definitivos Departamentales del II Censo Nacional Agropecuario, 4–24 September 1972, vols. 1–25. Lima.

  • Petriceks, J. 1968. Shifting cultivation in Venezuela. PhD dissertation, Syracuse University, Syracuse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Revelle, R., and W. Munk. 1977. The carbon dioxide cycle and the biosphere. Pages 140–158in Energy and climate. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotty, R. M. 1981. Distribution and changes in industrial carbon dioxide production.In Analysis and interpretation of atmospheric carbon dioxide data. Papers presented at WHO/ISCO UNEP Conference, September 1981. Preprint.

  • Ruthenberg, H. 1976. Farming systems in the tropics, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 313 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanford, R. L., J. W. Saldarriga, K. E. Clark, C. Uhl, and R. Herrera. 1985. Amazon rainforest fires.Science 227:53–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seiler, W., and P. J. Crutzen. 1980. Estimates of gross and net fluxes of carbon between the biosphere and the atmosphere from biomass burning.Climatic Change 2:207–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shneour, E. A. 1966. Oxidation of graphitic carbon in certain soils.Science 151:991–992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegenthaler, U., and H. Oeschger. 1978. Predicting future atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.Science 199:388–395.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva, L. F. 1978. Influencia do manejo de um ecossistema nas propriedades edaficas dos oxisols de ‘Tabuleiro’. Resumende Ponencias X Reunion ALCA, Acapulco, Mexico.

  • Smith, N. J. H. 1981. Colonization lessons from a tropical forest.Science 214:755–761.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurgeon, D. 1979. Agroforestry: new hope for subsistence farmers.Nature 280:533–534.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stocker, G. C. 1981. Regeneration of a North Queensland rain forest following felling and burning.Biotropica 13:86–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stocker, G. C., and J. J. Mott. 1981. Fire in tropical forests and woodlands of northern Australia.In A. M. Gill, R. H. Groves, and I. R. Noble (eds.), Fire and the Australian biota. Australian Scientists, Canberra.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tosi, J. 1969. Republic of Costa Rica, ecological map. Scale 1:750,000. Tropical Science Center, Costa Rica.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tosi, J. 1971. Republic of Panama, ecological map. Tropical Science Center, San Jose, Costa Rica.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tosi, J. 1980a. Vegetational cover and rates of conversion of forest and bush cover in Panama, Peru, and Bolivia with commentary on the methodology. Pages 75–106in S. Brown and A. Lugo (eds.), Models of carbon flow in tropical ecosystems with emphasis on their role in the global carbon cycle. US Department of Energy report DOE/EV/06047-1. US Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tosi, J. 1980b. Life zones, land use, and forest vegetation in the tropical and subtropical regions. Pages 44–64in S. Brown, A. E. Lugo, and B. Liegel (eds.), The role of tropical forests on the world carbon cycle. CONF-800350. US Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tosi, J., and S. Brown. 1980. Areas of life zones and land use, and organic carbon storage in ten tropical countries. Pages 107–150in S. Brown, A. E. Lugo, and B. Liegel (eds.), Models of carbon flow in tropical ecosystems with emphasis on their role in the global carbon cycle. US Department of Energy report DOE/EV/06047-1. US Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uhl, C., K. Clark, H. Clark, and P. Murphy. 1981. Early plant succession after cutting and burning in the upper Rio Negro region of the Amazon basin.Journal of Ecology 69:631–649.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uhl, C., C. Jordan, K. Clark, H. Clark, and R. Herrera. 1982a. Ecosystem recovery in Amazon Caatinga forest after cutting, cutting and burning, and bulldozer clearing treatments.Oikos 38:313–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Uhl, C., H. Clark, K. Clark, and P. Maquirino. 1982b. Successional patterns associated with slash-and-burn agriculture in the Upper Rio Negro region of the Amazon basin.Biotropica 14:249–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watters, R. F. 1971. Shifting cultivation in Latin America. FAO Forestry Development paper 17. FAO, Rome. 303 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkie, J. W., and S. Haber (eds.). 1983. Statistical abstracts of Latin America, vol. 22. UCLA Latin America Central publication, University of California, Los Angeles.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weil, T. E. 1972. Area handbook of Panama. US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC. 415 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, R. H., and G. E. Likens. 1973. Carbon in the biota. Pages 281–302in G. M. Woodwell and E. V. Pecan (eds.), Carbon and the biosphere. USAEC, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, R. H., and G. E. Likens. 1975. The biosphere and man. Pages 305–328in H. Leith and R. H. Whittaker (eds.), Carbon and the biosphere. USAEC, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, A. T. 1978. Pioneer agriculture explosion and CO2 levels in the atmosphere.Nature 273:40–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, C. S. 1978. Atmospheric input of carbon dioxide from burning wood.Science 200:197–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodwell, G. M., and R. A. Houghton. 1977. Biotic influences on the world carbon budget. Pages 61–72in W. Stumm (ed.), Global chemical cycles and their alternation by man. Dahlem Konferenzen 1977, Berlin.

  • Woodwell, G. M., R. H. Whittaker, W. A. Reiners, G. E. Likens, C. C. Delwiche, and D. B. Botkin. 1978. The biota and the world carbon budget.Science 199:141–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodwell, G. M., J. E. Hobbie, R. A. Houghton, J. M. Melillo, B. Moore, B. J. Peterson, and G. R. Shaver. 1983. Global deforestation: contribution to atmospheric carbon dioxide.Science 222:1081–1086.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Charles A. S. Hall

    Present address: University of Montana Biological Station, 59911, Big Fork, MT, USA

  2. Philip Bogdonoff

    Present address: Program on Non-Violent Sanctions, Harvard University, 605 Gund Hall, 02138, Cambridge, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecology and Systematics, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, New York, USA

    Charles A. S. Hall, R. P. Detwiler, Philip Bogdonoff & Sheila Underhill

Authors
  1. Charles A. S. Hall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. P. Detwiler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Philip Bogdonoff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sheila Underhill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hall, C.A.S., Detwiler, R.P., Bogdonoff, P. et al. Land use change and carbon exchange in the tropics: I. Detailed estimates for Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, and Bolivia. Environmental Management 9, 313–333 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01867303

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01867303

Key words

Search

Navigation