An integrated framework for evaluating the effects of deforestation on ecosystem services

X. P. Song, C. Huang, J. R. Townshend

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Deforestation often results in massive carbon emissions and loss of ecosystem services. The objective of this paper is to develop an integrated approach to quantitatively derive changes in forest carbon stock and changes in the economic value of forest carbon due to deforestation. Combining the best available remote sensing and socioeconomic datasets, this approach establishes a comprehensive baseline of deforestation in terms of area, carbon and monetary value change. We applied this end-to-end evaluation method in the Brazilian state of Rondonia to assess the ecological and economic effects of its recent deforestation from 2000 to 2005. Our results suggest that deforestation occurred at an average rate of 2834 km2/yr during the study period, leading to 31 TgC/yr "committed carbon emissions" from deforestation. Coupling with the social cost of carbon at $23/tC and a market discount rate at 7%, this translates to $622 million U.S. dollars/yr loss in the economic value of forest carbon.

Original languageEnglish
Article number012061
JournalIOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
Volume17
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Event35th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, ISRSE 2013 - Beijing, China
Duration: Apr 22 2013Apr 26 2013

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'An integrated framework for evaluating the effects of deforestation on ecosystem services'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this