Short-rotation woody crop systems, atmospheric carbon dioxide and carbon management: A US case study

Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) are increasing along wit h global use of fossil fuels and worldwide rates of deforestation. These tr ends have led international panels and organizations to devise carbon manag ement strategies in an effort to curb increases in CO2. The goal of this pa per is to explore the potential role of short-rotation woody crops (SRWC) i n the U.S. as one option in a carbon-managed future economy. On a scale of 40 x 10(6) ha, and at an average productivity rate of 21 Mg oven-dry biomas s ha(-1) yr(-1) SRWC systems could account for an average of 0.30 Pg of C y r(-1) when prorated over the 50-year deployment life of a typical SRWC syst em. Most of the accounted carbon (76%) would come from fossil fuel displace ment as opposed to direct carbon sequestration. The proportion of accounted carbon associated with fossil fuel displacement increases with longer time frames due to the relatively rapid saturation of the carbon sequestration pool.