In:
Earth System Science Data, Copernicus GmbH, Vol. 13, No. 9 ( 2021-08-31), p. 4263-4274
Abstract:
Abstract. As a key component of the Earth system, roots play a key
role in linking Earth's lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere.
Here we combine 10 307 field measurements of forest root biomass worldwide
with global observations of forest structure, climatic conditions,
topography, land management and soil characteristics to derive a spatially
explicit global high-resolution (∼ 1 km) root biomass dataset,
including fine and coarse roots. In total, 142 ± 25 (95 % CI) Pg of
live dry-matter biomass is stored belowground, representing a global
average root : shoot biomass ratio of 0.25 ± 0.10. Earlier studies
(Jackson et al., 1997; Robinson, 2007; Saugier et al., 2001) are
44 %–226 % larger than our estimations of the total root biomass in
tropical, temperate and boreal forests. The total global forest root biomass
from a recent estimate (Spawn et al., 2020) is 24 % larger
than this study. The smaller estimation from this study is attributable to
the updated forest area, spatially explicit aboveground biomass density
used to predict the patterns of root biomass, new root measurements and
the upscaling methodology. We show specifically that the root shoot allometry is
one underlying driver that has led to methodological overestimation of root
biomass in previous estimations. Raw datasets and global maps generated in
this study are deposited at the open-access repository Figshare (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12199637.v1; Huang et al., 2020).
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1866-3516
DOI:
10.5194/essd-13-4263-2021
DOI:
10.5194/essd-13-4263-2021-supplement
Language:
English
Publisher:
Copernicus GmbH
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2475469-9
Permalink
