week 10

Question 1

How much of emitted CO2 is absorbed by terrestrial biosphere?

Answer 1

30% of emitted CO2

Question 2

How much of deforestation is accounted for by land clearing?

Answer 2

7% of Australia’s net emissions

Question 3

What are Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM)?

Answer 3

are developed to assess the role of the

terrestrial biosphere in the global carbon cycle

Question 4

What is Root/Shoot Biomass Ratio?

Answer 4

One of the most common descriptors of the relationship between root and the
(easier to measure) shoot biomass

Question 5

What is the typical Root/Shoot Biomass Ratio?

Answer 5

Generally around 40%

Question 6

What is Coarse Woody Debris (CWD)?

Answer 6

Dead woody material substantially detached from the parent tree and in contact with the ground, and which is ≥ 10 cm in diameter in both of two perpendicular directions (hence comprises large branches and logs)

Question 7

What is Surface litter?

Answer 7

dead leaves, twigs, branches, insect detritus, animal scats, charcoal and other comminuted organic matter situated on the soil surface

Question 8

What is Full Carbon Accounting Model (FullCAM)?

Answer 8

is the calculation engine which supports

the estimation of carbon stock change on forest and agricultural systems

Question 9

What does the size of Australia’s land sector mean for measuring emissions?

Answer 9

it is not economically feasible or logistically
practical to measure emissions and removals of greenhouse gases over such a large area with the use of direct emissions estimation methods alone

Question 10

Typical values of biomass for areas of re-cleared land are?

Answer 10

22 tonnes per hectare in woodlands (88% of clearing);
49 tonnes per hectare in open forest (10% of clearing);
64 tonnes per hectare of biomass in closed forests (2% of clearing)

Question 11

What is Mineralisation?

Answer 11

is the process that converts these organic carbon pools back to CO2

Question 12

What is the effect of terrain on solar radiation?

Answer 12

results in differing amounts of solar radiation(north slope has more)

Question 13

What is the Fuel load?

Answer 13

The amount and arrangement of fuel available for burning

Question 14

What are Understorey fuels?

Answer 14

leaf and twig litter and downed dead wood on surface, near-surface suspended litter, herbaceous plants and low shrubs, and elevated shrubs

Question 15

What are Overstorey fuels?

Answer 15

tree foliage, fine dead twigs and bark

Question 16

What is a Fire regime?

Answer 16

• Fuel pattern and dynamics
• Fire return interval
• Season
• Intensity
• Human alteration of the natural cycle of
fire (build-up of fuel, sparking fires)

Question 17

Where do the highest fire frequencies occur?

Answer 17

generally occurs midway along the moisture gradient

Question 18

What are dry ecosystems fire frequency?

Answer 18

fires are generally infrequent and of relatively low intensity due to low productivity

Question 19

What are wet ecosystems fire frequency?

Answer 19

fires are also predicted to be infrequent but of high intensity, due to high productivity