Researchers of Siberian Federal University took part in a global project to collect, systematize and universalize data on the composition of forests in all climatic zones and on all continents of the planet.
Researchers of Siberian Federal University took part in a global project to collect, systematize and universalize data on the composition of forests in all climatic zones and on all continents of the planet.
Researchers from more than 80 scientific institutions provided detailed insights on the quantitative and species composition of world forests, distribution and correlation of its’ various components — trees, shrubs, and ground cover — using a unified methodological system and data collection protocol.„ Bringing to a common denominator“ is expected to greatly facilitate the further study of changes in forests due to global warming.
"Great work has been done. One hundred forty-three authors from leading scientific schools studying forest as the most important biological and ecological system, which life on Earth depends on, armed themselves with a unified methodology and general principles of data collection to compile a map of the distribution of phytomass over all continents where forests grow. Phytomass is everything that can be classified as plants, and even leaf and branch shedding. Knowing the volumes and approximate composition of the world phytomass, we can draw fairly accurate conclusions about carbon stocks, as well as a level of fire-hazard of any particular part of the forest, wether it is prone to certain diseases, or what natural and anthropogenic factors may threaten its well-being in the future," — said Dr Sergey Verkhovets, one of the co-authors and leading research fellow of the laboratory of biogeochemistry of ecosystems, Siberian Federal University.
Read more at Siberian Federal University
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