Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
The Greenhouse Gas Balance of Italy:
A Synthesis
Maria Vincenza Chiriacò and Riccardo Valentini
Abstract
In this chapter a comprehensive assessment of the greenhouse gases
budget of the Italian terrestrial ecosystems is provided, with particular attention
to forest, cropland and grassland ecosystems and some case studies focusing on
Italian shrublands and lands naturally or artificially converted to forests. Different
methods have been applied and compared, such as regional measurements, use of
flux networks and data-driven models within specific sectoral approaches in order
to characterize the greenhouse gases budget of terrestrial ecosystems. The results
presented respond also to the growing interest of the recent years in the role of
the carbon cycle of terrestrial ecosystems and its relevance for national policies on
mitigation and adaptation to climate changes.
1.1 Introduction
This chapter perceives the challenge to address in a comprehensive way the full
greenhouse gases budget of the Italian terrestrial ecosystems, with particular atten-
tion to forest ecosystems, cropland and grassland ecosystems with some case studies
focusing on Italian shrublands and lands naturally or artificially converted to forests.
The wealth of research information presented is mainly referred to the results
of a national project, CarboItaly, which involved a number of Italian research insti-
tutions and several researchers with the aim to produce data and information use-
ful to characterize different compartments of the greenhouse gases budget of the
Italian terrestrial ecosystems, with a special emphasis on forest, croplands, grass-
lands and natural ecosystems.
