Updated estimation of forest biomass carbon pools in China, 1977–2018

Abstract. China is one of the major forest countries in world, and accurate estimation its biomass carbon (C) pool critical for evaluating country's C budget ecosystem services forests. Although several studies have estimated China's using national inventory data, most them were limited to period 2004–2008. In this study, we extended our recent 2014–2018. Using datasets eight periods from 1977 2018 continuous expansion factor method, that total average density Chinese forests increased 4717 Tg (1 = 1012 g) 1977–1981 7975 2014–2018 38.2 Mg ha−1 45.8 106 g), respectively, with a net increase 3258 an annual sink 88.0 yr−1. Over 10 years (2009–2018), 44.6 154.8 yr−1, much larger than those 39.6 63.3 yr−1 1977–2008. These pronounced increases largely attributed afforestation practices, growth, environmental changes. Our results documented importance ecological restoration provided essential basis assessing services, helped achieve neutrality target.