Carbon Flux to the Atmosphere from Land-Use Changes 1850-2005 (NDP-050)

The methods used to derive this time series of flux estimates are described fully in Houghton (1999) and other publications (Houghton et al. 1983, 1987; Houghton and Hackler 1995, 1999). In summary, this database provides estimates of regional and global net carbon fluxes, on a year-by-year basis from 1850 through 1990, resulting from changes in land use (such as harvesting of forest products and clearing for agriculture), taking into account not only the initial removal and oxidation of the carbon in the vegetation, but also subsequent regrowth and changes in soil carbon. The net flux of carbon to the atmosphere from changes in land use from 1850 to 1990 was modeled as a function of documented land-use change and changes in aboveground and belowground carbon following changes in land use. The changes in carbon, with time, following land-use change are specified by region and ecosystem type.