While carbon sequestration is significant to achieve the net zero and plays an important role in climate change mitigation, urbanization-led land use land cover (LULC) changes are causing significant impacts on the carbon stocks of terrestrial ecosystems. Despite rapid urbanization in Pakistan, previous studies focus solely on localized areas without documenting the influence of urbanization on carbon stock. Hence, insights regarding the carbon storage dynamics (CSD) in response to LULC changes become essential to drive informed decisions and policies. In this context, we leverage high-resolution (30 m) remote sensing data to evaluate and map the grid-level spatial-temporal interactions between urbanization and CSD at the national scale in Pakistan during 1990–2020. To do so, multi-sensor earth observation data are retrieved and processed using the Google Earth Engine and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs models. Our findings indicate that urban areas have expanded exponentially (an increase of ∼1040%), resulting in reduced carbon storage (a decrease of ∼ − 5%). Major cities (e.g., Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad) showed less urban sprawl while emerging cities (e.g., Rawalpindi and Peshawar) demonstrated higher urban sprawl, primarily due to shifting patterns from rangeland (∼47%) and agriculture (∼35%) to built-up class. Though some afforestation projects have increased forest carbon stocks in the northern region, there is a large north-south spatial heterogeneity in carbon storage loss across Pakistan. The presented high-resolution mapping of CSD over the past three decades advances our understanding of where and how much urbanization has influenced carbon sequestration, nationally. Considering the results, this study emphasizes the need for policies and management approaches that support sustainable urbanization, which does not compromise carbon pools in the country. 

pdf/urbanization-led-land-cover-change-impacts-terrestrial-4dsl7wewyl.pdf

Urbanization-led land cover change impacts terrestrial carbon storage capacity: A high-resolution remote sensing-based nation-wide assessment in Pakistan (1990–2020)

Comparative evaluation of multi-scale spatiotemporal variability and drivers of carbon storage: An empirical study from 369 cities, China

Research on carbon sources/sinks in desert ecosystems is of great importance to understand the carbon cycle and its response to climate change. Net primary productivity (NPP) and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) are the two most important indictors for quantitatively evaluating carbon storage and can be used to indicate the response of terrestrial ecosystems to climate change. In this study, we used remote sensing data, meteorological data and vegetation type data to estimate the NPP and NEP using CASA model and soil respiration model from 2000 to 2020 in the region of Yulin, which is a typical desertification reversal region in the Mu Us Sandy Land. The spatial and temporal features of the NPP and NEP and their relationships with temperature and precipitation were determined. The results showed that both the annual NPP and NEP showed an increasing trend from 2000 to 2020 in the region of Yulin, where the terrestrial ecosystem acted as a carbon source until 2001 but turned into a sink thereafter. The carbon storage showed an increasing trend with a rate of 0.50 Tg C·a−1 from 2000 to 2020. Both the mean annual NPP and the total NEP increased from the west to the east of the region in spatial distribution. The total NEP indicated that the area with a carbon sink accounted for 89.22% of the total area, showing a carbon accumulation of 103.0 Tg C, and the carbon source area accounted for 10.78% of the total area with a carbon emission of 4.40 Tg C. The net carbon sequestration was 99.44 Tg C in the region of Yulin during the period from 2000 to 2020. Temperature had no significant effects on NPP and NEP for most areas of the region, while precipitation had a positive effect on the increasing NPP in 75.3% of areas and NEP in 30.07% of areas of the region. These results indicated that it is of utmost significance to protect terrestrial ecosystems from degradation, and ecological restoration projects are essential in combating desertification, which would be helpful for soil water conservation and could effectively increase carbon storage in desert ecosystems.

Characteristics of carbon sources and sinks and their relationships with climate factors during the desertification reversal process in Yulin, China

Unraveling Microbial Carbon Use Efficiency in Global Grassland Ecosystems: Integrating Ecoenzymatic Stoichiometry and Microbial Nutrient Limitation

ABSTRACT Desert ecosystems, once considered biologically inert, are increasingly recognized for their untapped potential in global carbon sequestration (CS). This review addresses a central research question: how do precipitation patterns, vegetation dynamics, and soil processes influence carbon cycling and storage in arid environments, and what is the role of inorganic CS mechanisms in these systems? We synthesize current knowledge on the physicochemical and hydrological processes that regulate carbon dynamics in deserts, with a focus on both organic and inorganic pathways. Key findings reveal that while deserts can function as significant carbon sinks, their CS capacity is highly modulated by sparse rainfall, episodic vegetation growth, and carbonate formation processes in soils. Furthermore, we critically evaluate advanced carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies and soil carbon enhancement techniques tailored to arid regions, identifying both their potential and limitations. Persistent challenges, such as water scarcity, nutrient limitation, and soil degradation, pose constraints but also present opportunities for innovation in CS strategies. Our synthesis highlights deserts as dynamic, if underutilized, components of the global carbon cycle. We conclude that targeted interventions and integrated land management approaches could substantially improve CS in desert ecosystems, making them valuable assets in climate change mitigation, energy transition planning, and long‐term environmental resilience. 

Desert ecosystems as carbon frontiers: innovations in sequestration and climate adaptation strategies

An evaluation of topsoil carbon storage in Chinese deserts

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An evaluation of topsoil carbon storage in Chinese deserts