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Carbon in vegetation of Russian forests: Methods to estimate storage and geographical distribution

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Abstract

Estimates of carbon (C) storage for the forest vegetation of Russia vary to a considerable extent. In this paper we describe methods of estimating C storage of forest ecosystems and present estimates of C storage in the forest vegetation of administrative territories and ecoregions of Russia. Estimates of C storage are based on National Forest Inventory data, estimates of the phytomass of trees and other vegetation of different forest ecosystems in various ecoregions of Russia, and mapped data for natural ecoregions. The forest ecosystems of Russia (771.1 Mha) have 118.8 Pg of C with 23.6% of the total in forest vegetation, 14.1% in the mortmass, and 62.3% in the soils. The estimates from this study are comparable to the estimates from other countries with temperate and boreal forest ecosystems.

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Alexeyev, V., Birdsey, R., Stakanov, V. et al. Carbon in vegetation of Russian forests: Methods to estimate storage and geographical distribution. Water Air Soil Pollut 82, 271–282 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01182840

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