LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION Master’s Thesis Project Department of Landscape Architecture University of Oregon Deanna Lynn June 5, 2020
Contents 1. Background and Scope Principles 2. Principle 1: Complex Adaptive Systems 3. Principle 2: Soil Ecological Health 4. Principle 3: Climate Positive Design Part Two: Application 5. Strategies for Design 6. Strategies for Installation 7. Strategies for Management 8. Conclusion
Climate change mitigation
We need to take carbon out of the atmosphere as well as reduce emissions to mitigate climate change
Natural Climate Solutions Natural Climate Solutions are techniques to enhance natural carbon sequestration by protecting or restoring landscapes such as forests or grasslands and managing productive landscapes better.
Natural carbon sequestration is the process where plants draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis, use that carbon to construct biomass, and send the carbon belowground to the soil Natural Climate Solutions have potential to mitigate up to 21% of US emissions each year (Fargione et al. 2018).
Goals + Methodology Initial research question
1
Inform designers about the key drivers and processes of plant and soil carbon sequestration in ecosystems
Literature review on plant traits, soil life, and carbon sequestration
Interpretation of literature
2
Provide a framework of recommendations to guide design, installation, and management of landscapes for increased carbon sequestration potential.
Principles
Strategies and actions
1
2
3
Significance • Existing tools for designing for carbon sequestration only incorporate data about biomass not soil • There aren’t any resources for landscape architects to guide designing for biomass AND soil carbon sequestration based on the • that gap in knowledge
Principles Complex Adaptive Systems
Soil Ecologial Health
Climate Positive Design
Application
DESIGN
INSTALLATION
MANAGEMENT
Principle 1: Complex Adaptive Systems
Plant Functional Diversity • Functional diversity in an ecosystem the degree of variation in functional traits among organisms in a community. • Functional traits are independently measurable features of a plant that plant survives and reproduces.
Functional Diversity + Niche Complementarity • Niche Complementarity: when functionally diverse organisms occupy different roles or niches that are complementary, working together to use resources (such as light, water, nutrients) more
• Add functional diversity and the whole system can become more
Functional Diversity Facilitates Self-organization • Functionally diverse groups of organisms interact in more complex ways • Self-organization is when these interactions allow the group to function as a whole community to maintain favorable conditions or adapt to new conditions
Nonlinear feedbacks
Self-organization
Functional diversity
Complex Adaptive System
• Complex adaptive system: when the self-organization of a group of components (like organisms) allow patterns to emerge on a larger scale, that feedback to affect the functioning of the whole system, including the smaller components • The whole is more than the sum of the parts
Principle 2: Soil Ecological Health
Nonlinear feedbacks
Self-organization
Functional diversity
Complex Adaptive System
• Carbon sequestration is an emergent process arising from the complex interaction of plants and soil microbial communities acting together • Soil ecological health fundamental to facilitating carbon sequestration • Functional diversity is key
Climate Positive Design
Complex Adaptive Systems
P2 Soil Soil Ecological Ecological Health Health
Carbon sequestered in soil
Carbon sequestered in biomass
Climate Positive Design
Increased ecosystem productivity Reduced emissions from installation + management
Nonlinear Feedbacks of resources Self-organization Resiliency Functional Diversity
Carbon stored long-term
Part Two: Application
DESIGN
INSTALLATION
MANAGEMENT
Strategies for Design
1
2
3
Increase biomass
Increase biodiversity
Increase plant functional diversity
4 Design with plant life history strategies
5
Layer and cluster plants
Typical Park Landscape Lack of biodiversity leaves system vulnerable to pests, disease, or changing conditions.
Trees and lawn are similar heights, not very tall, and don’t have very deep roots, limiting carbon storage in biomass.
Lack of diversity results in spaces above and below ground without plant biomass, limiting carbon storage.
Plant community lacks complexity in space and time.
Plants are not well adapted to site, needing a lot of maintenance, contributing to carbon emissions.
Carbon Sequestering Woodland Landscape
Taller trees and plants with deeper roots store more carbon in biomass
Plants in vertical layers
Functional diversity of plants fills above and belowground niches, feeding carbon to soil ecosystem
Increased biodiversity supports system resilience
Plant community selforganizes and adapts well to site, requiring less maintenance.
Strategies for Installation
1
2
3
4
Protect existing soil from compaction
Soil amendments
Prevent soil erosion with plant cover
Reduce emissions from materials
Strategies for Management
1
Allow landscape to change
2
Apply coarse-scale management
3
Protect soil life
4
5
Reduce Improve lifecycle maintenancemanagement of related emissions trees
Conclusion: • • • •
Soil processes fundamental Design for whole system Work with and guide nature Carbon sequestration as co-benefit