Reservas de carbono en un ecosistema del desierto suramericano: el caso de Lomas de Amancaes, Lima, Perú

Translated title of the contribution: Carbon storage on an ecosystem of the South American desert: The case of Lomas de Amancaes (Lima-Perú)

Victor H. Guerrero-Palomino, Diego Malca-Rodríguez, Héctor Aponte

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Carbon capture is a fundamental process in climate regulation that counteracts global warming. This study estimated the carbon stocks in Lomas de Amancaes, an ecosystem of the South American desert in Lima (Peru). Soil (0 - 20 cm deep) and aerial plant biomass samples were taken to measure the stored carbon in both compartments subsequently. The results indicated that the amount of stored carbon in this ecosystem was 8,593.97 tC (39,29 tC/ha) and it was higher in the soil (37.85 tC/ha) than in the aerial biomass (1.44 tC/ha); when comparing the storage in different altitudinal ranges (300 - 750 m.a.s.l), no significant differences were found (p>0.05). Compared with other ecosystems on the Peruvian Coast it was higher than that found in the Tillandsia areas (3.6 tC/ha) but lower than many wetland plant communities (38.47 - 305.37 tC/ha). Stored carbon amounts in the study area were similar to the reserves found in several desert ecosystems in the world (with values ranging between 0.15 and 55.99 tC/ha in African deserts, the Sahel transition zone, the Negev Desert, Chinese deserts, the Mojave Desert, La Paz watershed and Los Planes basin) with exceptions such as the temperate deserts of Central Asia, the Acacia Savannah Woodlands and Tunisia (40.40 - 159.20 tC/ha). These results represent one of the first estimates of carbon stocks in the South American Pacific desert and provide valuable data for their conservation.

Translated title of the contributionCarbon storage on an ecosystem of the South American desert: The case of Lomas de Amancaes (Lima-Perú)
Original languageSpanish
Pages (from-to)971-984
Number of pages14
JournalRevista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales
Volume46
Issue number181
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Dec 2022

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