Carbon storage potential of windbreaks in the United States

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22267/rcia.1936E.111

Keywords:

Agroforestry systems, shelterbelts, biomass, windbreak designs, climate change

Abstract

In the United States of America, agriculture is performed on large farms of monocultures, affecting ecosystems and making a great contribution to climate change. The carbon storage potential for twelve field windbreak designs containing one-, two- and three-rows and nine farmstead windbreaks encompassing three- to ten-rows of mixed tree species were analyzed in nine regions: Northern Lake States (NLS), Corn Belt (CB), Southern Plains (SP), Delta States (DS), Appalachia (AP), Rocky Mountains North (RMN), Rocky Mountains South (RMS), North East (NE), y Northern Plains (NP), using the US Forest Inventory and Analysis database and allometric equations.  Carbon storage potentials for different field windbreak designs across regions ranged from 0.3 Mg C km-1 yr-1 for a single-row small-conifer windbreak in the Northeast region to 5.8 Mg C km-1 yr-1 for a three-row tall-deciduous windbreak in the Appalachia region.  Carbon storage potentials for farmstead windbreaks ranged from 0.8 Mg C 300 m-1 yr-1 for a three-row of mixed tree species windbreak in the Rocky Mountain North to 12.7 Mg C 300-1 yr-1 for a ten-row of mixed tree species windbreak in Delta States region.

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Published

2019-10-16

How to Cite

Ballesteros-Possú, W., Brandle, J. R., & Ordóñez, H. R. (2019). Carbon storage potential of windbreaks in the United States. Revista De Ciencias Agrícolas, 36(E), 108–123. https://doi.org/10.22267/rcia.1936E.111