Terrestrial carbon sequestration in southeast and south-central United States

Analyses of regional carbon sources and sinks are essential technologies in mitigating the accumulation of CO2 in the for assessing the economical feasibility of various carbon sequestration atmosphere and in preventing global warming. Such an inventory is a prerequisite for the regional trading of CO2 emission. As a U.S. Department of Energy Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partner, we have estimated the state-level terrestrial carbon pools in the southeast and south-central US, and have projected the potential for terrestrial carbon sequestration in the region. This region includes： Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The total terrestrial carbon storage in southeast and south-central US （11 states） was estimated to be 21.1 Pg C. Total annual terrestrial carbon sink in the region was calculated to be 189.1 Tg C/a. Of the various carbon sinks, the annual forest carbon sink （estimated as 76 Tg C g/a） could compensate for 13% of the total annual greenhouse gas emission in the region in the early 1990s. Through proper policies and the use of best management practices, a further 9.3% of the total greenhouse gas emission could be offset by terrestrial sequestration （53.9 Tg C/a）.

Terrestrial carbon sequestration in southeast and south-central United States