A MODEL FOR CALCULATING THE IMPACT OF FORESTS ON THE BALANCE OF C-CO2 IN THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE

Abstract

A new three-stage method for assessing the CO2 balance in plant communities was formulated. The methodology includes not only taking into account the absorption of C-CO2 during plantation vegetation, but also the processes occuring when using wood. In managed forests, when calculating the carbon balance, it is necessary to take into account the release of CO2 not only at direct, but also at indirect consumption of technical energy for laying plantations, caring for them, and felling for final use. As a model, the consumption of technical energy in cultivating natural and genetically modified forms of aspen Populus tremula L. was calculated. The large role of indirect expenditure of technical energy in the C-CO2 balance in forest plantations is shown. The use of a genetically modified clone of aspen significantly increases the productivity of plantations and CO2 absorption from the atmosphere compared to its natural form. On a long time scale the final amount of CO2 runoff from the atmosphere depends not only on the area of forests and their productivity, but also on the way of using wood. There is a highly effective way of using forest plantations to regulate the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere, which is currently little paid attention, namely, the so-called substitution effect. Replacing energy-intensive materials (reinforced concrete, plastic, metal, and brick) with wood may be one of the main ways for the positive impact of forests on the CO2 content in the atmosphere. The use of wood biomass from thinning, wood processing wastes, short-rotation forests for heat and power generation is a great reserve for replacing fossil hydrocarbons. The forest area needs to be expanded to increase wood production to replace energy-intensive building materials and generate biofuels.