Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, China; Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, China.
Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Processes of Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, China; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science and Technology, International Institute for Earth System Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
J Environ Manage. 2024 May;359:121061. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121061. Epub 2024 May 9.
China's commitment to attaining carbon neutrality by 2060 has galvanized research into carbon sequestration, a critical approach for mitigating climate change. Despite the rapid urbanization observed since the turn of the millennium, a comprehensive analysis of how urbanization influences urban carbon storage throughout China remains elusive. Our investigation delves into the nuanced effects of urbanization on carbon storage, dissecting both the direct and indirect influences by considering urban-suburban gradients and varying degrees of urban intensity. We particularly scrutinize the roles of climatic and anthropogenic factors in mediating the indirect effects of urbanization on carbon storage. Our findings reveal that urbanization in China has precipitated a direct reduction in carbon storage by approximately 13.89 Tg of carbon (Tg C). Remarkably, urban sprawl has led to a diminution of vegetation carbon storage by 8.65 Tg C and a decrease in soil carbon storage by 5.24 Tg C, the latter resulting from the sequestration of impervious surfaces and the elimination of organic matter inputs following vegetation removal. Meanwhile, carbon storage in urban greenspaces has exhibited an increase of 6.90 Tg C and offsetting 49.70% of the carbon loss induced by direct urbanization effects. However, the indirect effects of urbanization predominantly diminish carbon storage in urban greenspaces by an average of 5.40%. The degree of urban vegetation management emerges as a pivotal factor influencing the indirect effects of urbanization on carbon storage. To bolster urban carbon storage, curbing urban sprawl and augmenting urban green spaces are imperative strategies. Insights from this study are instrumental in steering sustainable urban planning and advancing towards the goal of carbon neutrality.
中国承诺在 2060 年前实现碳中和，这推动了碳封存研究，这是缓解气候变化的关键方法。尽管自千禧年以来观察到中国快速城市化，但对于城市化如何影响中国各地城市碳储存的全面分析仍然难以捉摸。我们的研究深入探讨了城市化对碳储存的细微影响，通过考虑城市-郊区梯度和不同程度的城市强度，分析了城市化对碳储存的直接和间接影响。我们特别研究了气候和人为因素在调节城市化对碳储存间接影响中的作用。我们的研究结果表明，中国的城市化已经导致碳储存直接减少了约 13.89 太吨碳（Tg C）。值得注意的是，城市扩张导致植被碳储存减少了 8.65 Tg C，土壤碳储存减少了 5.24 Tg C，后者是由于不透水表面的封存和植被去除后有机物质输入的减少所致。同时，城市绿地中的碳储存增加了 6.90 Tg C，抵消了直接城市化影响导致的碳损失的 49.70%。然而，城市化的间接影响主要减少了城市绿地中的碳储存，平均减少了 5.40%。城市植被管理的程度是影响城市化对碳储存间接影响的关键因素。为了增加城市碳储存，遏制城市扩张和增加城市绿地是必要的策略。本研究的结果有助于指导可持续城市规划，实现碳中和的目标。
