Total Carbon

Carbon storage in biomass (biological material) is a key link in the global carbon cycle, and consequently for climate change mitigation. Forests in particular are an important carbon sink that help reduce the greenhouse effect. Together, the above-ground carbon (carbon fraction contained in the stems, barks, branches and twigs of living trees), the belowground biomass carbon (carbon fraction contained in roots of living trees) and the soil organic carbon (amount of carbon stored in the soil) provide a complete overview of the total carbon stored in forest areas (trees and soil). This map shows the total carbon stored expressed in units of dry mass (Mg) per ground area unit (km2).