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Sequestration
Robert B. Jackson, et al.
Science 310, 1944 (2005);
DOI: 10.1126/science.1119282
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REPORTS
important, 13% of streams dried up complete-
Trading Water for Carbon with ly for at least 1 year (Fig. 1C), with eucalypts
more likely to dry up streams than pines.
Afforestation in drier regions EG1000 mm
Biological Carbon Sequestration mean annual precipitation (MAP)^ was more
likely to eliminate stream flow completely
Robert B. Jackson,1* Esteban G. Jobbagy,1,2 Roni Avissar,3 than in wetter regions. Mean annual re-
Somnath Baidya Roy,3 Damian J. Barrett,4 Charles W. Cook,1 newable water (percentage of annual pre-
Kathleen A. Farley,1 David C. le Maitre,5 cipitation lost as runoff) decreased 20%
Bruce A. McCarl,6 Brian C. Murray7 with afforestation (Fig. 1D) (P G 0.0001).
For many nations with total annual renew-
Carbon sequestration strategies highlight tree plantations without considering able freshwater G30% of precipitation (Fig.
their full environmental consequences. We combined field research, synthesis of 1B), afforestation is likely to have large
more than 600 observations, and climate and economic modeling to document impacts on water resources.
substantial losses in stream flow, and increased soil salinization and acidification, Climate feedbacks at regional scales could
with afforestation. Plantations decreased stream flow by 227 millimeters per potentially offset some of these water losses
year globally (52%), with 13% of streams drying completely for at least 1 year. through increased transpiration and convective
Regional modeling of U.S. plantation scenarios suggests that climate feedbacks rainfall (1417), depending on site location,
are unlikely to offset such water losses and could exacerbate them. Plantations climate, and biophysical characteristics. To as-
can help control groundwater recharge and upwelling but reduce stream flow and sess potential climate feedbacks, we first used
-1.0 0.9 60
is attributed to increased groundwater recharge
0.6 40 and rising water tables after the conversion of
woodlands to agriculture. Afforestation and re-
-1.5 0.3 20 forestation in southwestern Australia therefore
have the dual environmental benefits of carbon
0 0
Control Plantation Control Plantation sequestration and increased water use, reducing
n=42; p=0.007 n=26; p=0.002 recharge, lowering water tables, and reversing
-2.0
dryland salinization associated with agriculture
Fig. 3. The effects of plantations on soil pH and chemical properties (mean T SE). We analyzed (25). Widespread conversion of croplands to
data from 52 published studies (13) that compared soil chemistry in grasslands or shrublands with forest in the central U.S. farm belt may also im-
that in adjacent plantation plots. Comparisons were made for soil pH (main panel), base saturation
(%), and exchangeable soil Na concentrations (cmol kgj1). prove regional water quality as nutrient, pesti-
cide, and erosion runoff from crop production is
reduced (26).
Distance from Plantation Edge (m) General trends in water use and soil
.8
.6
2
25
20
15
10
12
3.
5
4
3
8
0
Depth (m)
20
40
field work must be adjusted to include local
A
60 Apparent Resistivity (Ohm/m) factors, including site history, soil texture,
grassland plantation transect A 80
and the availability and quality of ground-
N
0 slan
gras ture
s
d a 0.79
EC (dS/m)
water. In regions such as southern Australia
20 & pa
lture
40 plan
ta tio n 8.58 and the African Sahel, plantations are being
agricu
B 60 0.79
used successfully to keep saline groundwater
Depth (m)
Euca
Euca
Euca
Euca
Euca
Eugl
Eugl
Ceta
Piha
Pipi
Pipi
Pita
Pipi