Greenhouse gas emissions and removals from forest land, woodlands, and urban trees in the United States, 1990-2019: Estimates and quantitative uncertainty for individual states

Metadata:

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

Below you will find a list and description of the files (20) included in this publication. These data are provided as a single Microsoft Excel Open XML spreadsheet file (XLSX), but also as individual comma-delimited ASCII text files (CSV).

ABBREVIATIONS USED
MMT C = million metric tons of carbon
MMT CO₂ eq. = million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
kt = kiloton

DATA IN SPREADSHEET FORMAT (1)
1. \Data\XLSX\US_GHG_emissions_removals_from_forest_woodlands_urban_trees_1990_2019.xlsx: Microsoft Excel Open XML spreadsheet file containing state-level estimates of GHG emissions and removals based on the compilation reported in the Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry chapter of the US EPA (2021) submission to the UNFCCC. This file contains 19 worksheets (tables). The worksheets (tables) containing data are also provided as individual CSV files and are described in detail below.


SUMMARY INFORMATION (2)
2. \Data\README.pdf: Portable Document Format file containing a description of the estimates package with notes pertaining to all tables.

3. \Data\Table_Contents_and_Notes.pdf: Portable Document Format file containing a table of contents which includes the table caption and table-specific notes.


DOS* (1)
4. \Data\CSV\DOS_nonCO2_CO2eq.csv: Non-CO₂ Emissions from Drained Organic Forest Soils (MMT CO₂ Eq.)

Variables included in this table:

State = name of state

Source = gases emitted from drained organic soils where CH4 = methane, N2O = nitrous oxide, and Total = the sum of emissions from each of the gasses

*YEAR* = estimate for specified YEAR (1990-2019)


FCL* AND LCF* (4)
5. \Data\CSV\FCL_flux_CO2eq.csv: Net CO₂ Flux from Forest C Pools in Forest Land Converted to Land by Land Use Change Category (MMT CO₂ Eq.)
6. \Data\CSV\FCL_flux_MMTC.csv: Net C Flux from Forest C Pools in Forest Land Converted to Land by Land Use Change Category (MMT C)
7. \Data\CSV\LCF_flux_CO2eq.csv: Net CO₂ Flux from Forest C Pools in Land Converted to Forest Land by Land Use Change Category (MMT CO₂ Eq.)
8. \Data\CSV\LCF_flux_MMTC.csv: Net C Flux from Forest C Pools in Land Converted to Forest Land by Land Use Change Category (MMT C)

Variables included in these tables:

State = name of state

Land Use Conversion and Land Use/Carbon Pool = These two columns work in tandem to define the land conversion net flux estimates. The estimate may be for a single carbon pool (as described below for the FRF* and WRW* tables) on a land use conversion category (e.g., Land Use Conversion = “Cropland Converted to Forest Land” and Land Use/Carbon Pool = “Litter”). There is also totals for each land use conversion category (e.g., Land Use Conversion = “Cropland Converted to Forest Land” and Land Use/Carbon Pool = “Total Cropland Converted to Forest Land”) and statewide totals for all conversion categories combined, both by pool (e.g., Land Use Conversion = “Totals (Pools) and Land Use/Carbon Pool = “Total Litter Flux”) and total of all pools (e.g., Land Use Conversion = “Totals (All) and Land Use/Carbon Pool = “Total Flux”).

*YEAR* = estimate for specified YEAR (1990-2019)


FIRE* (2)
9. \Data\CSV\Fire_nonCO2_CO2eq.csv: Non-CO₂ Emissions from Forest Fires (MMT CO₂ Eq.)
10. \Data\CSV\Fire_nonCO2_kt.csv: Non-CO₂ Emissions from Forest Fires (kt)

Variables included in this table:

State = name of state

Gas = name of gas, where CH4 = methane, CO = carbon monoxide, N2O = nitrous oxide, NOx = nitrogen oxide, and Total = the sum of emissions from each of the gasses

*YEAR* = estimate for specified YEAR (1990-2019)


FIRE* UNCERTAINTY (1)
11. \Data\CSV\Fire_uncertainty.csv: Quantitative Uncertainty Estimates of Non-CO₂ Emissions from Forest Fires (MMT CO₂ Eq. and Percent)

Variables included in this table:

State = name of state

Gas = name of gas, where CH4 = methane and N2O = nitrous oxide

2019 Emission Estimate (MMT CO2 Eq.) = 2019 estimate of non-CO₂ emissions from forest fires in MMT CO₂ eq.

Lower Bound (MMT CO2 Eq.) = lower bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 non-CO₂ emission estimate in MMT CO₂ eq.

Upper Bound (MMT CO2 Eq.) = upper bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 non-CO₂ emission estimate in MMT CO₂ eq.

Lower Bound (Percent) = lower bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 non-CO₂ emission estimate in percent

Upper Bound (Percent) = upper bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 non-CO₂ emission estimate in percent


FRF* AND WRW* (6)
12. \Data\CSV\FRF_flux_CO2eq.csv: Net CO₂ Flux from Forest Pools in Forest Land Remaining Forest Land (MMT CO₂ Eq.)
13. \Data\CSV\FRF_flux_MMTC.csv: Net C Flux from Forest Pools in Forest Land Remaining Forest Land (MMT C)
14. \Data\CSV\FRF_stock_MMTC.csv: C Stocks in Forest Land Remaining Forest Land (MMT C)
15. \Data\CSV\WRW_flux_CO2eq.csv: Net CO₂ Flux from Woodland Pools in Woodlands Remaining Woodlands (MMT CO₂ Eq.)
16. \Data\CSV\WRW_flux_MMTC.csv: Net C Flux from Woodland Pools in Woodlands Remaining Woodlands (MMT C)
17. \Data\CSV\WRW_stock_MMTC.csv: C Stocks in Woodlands Remaining Woodlands (MMT C)

Variables included in these tables:

State = name of state

Carbon Pools = Forest ecosystem storage pools as defined by IPCC (2006):
Total Forest/Woodland Ecosystem – the sum of all individual pools listed below.
Aboveground biomass – all living biomass above the soil including stem, stump, branches, bark, seeds, and foliage. This pool includes live understory.
Belowground biomass – all living biomass of coarse roots with diameters greater than 2 millimeters.
Dead wood – all nonliving woody biomass either standing, lying on the ground (but not including litter), or in the soil.
Litter – all duff, humus, and fine woody debris above the mineral soil, including woody fragments with diameters of up to 7.5 centimeters.
Soil organic carbon (SOC) – all organic material in soil to a depth of 1 meter but excluding the coarse roots of the belowground pool. This pool is split into “Soil (Mineral),” “Soil (Organic),” and for FRF flux tables only, “Drained Organic Soil.” Organic soils are differentiated from mineral soils based on the thickness of the organic horizon and percent organic matter. Organic soils are assumed to be wet, and drained organic soils are further differentiated by drainage or the process of artificially lowering the soil water table which exposes the organic material to drying.

*YEAR* = estimate for specified YEAR (1990-2019 [net flux] or 1990-2020 [stocks])


FRF* UNCERTAINTY (1)
18. \Data\CSV\FRF_flux_CO2eq_uncertainty.csv: Quantitative Uncertainty Estimates for Net CO₂ Flux from Forest Land Remaining Forest Land (MMT CO₂ Eq. and Percent)

Variables included in this table:

State = name of state

Source = Forest Ecosystem C Pools (i.e., the sum total of all the forest ecosystem carbon storage pools)

2019 Flux Estimate (MMT CO2 Eq.) = 2019 net carbon flux estimate in MMT CO₂ eq.

Lower Bound (MMT CO2 Eq.) = lower bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 net carbon flux estimate in MMT CO₂ eq.

Upper Bound (MMT CO2 Eq.) = upper bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 net carbon flux estimate in MMT CO₂ eq.

Lower Bound (Percent) = lower bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 net carbon flux estimate in percent

Upper Bound (Percent) = upper bound of the 95% confidence interval around the 2019 net carbon flux estimate in percent


LULUC AREA (1)
19. \Data\CSV\LULUC_area.csv: Land Use and Land-Use Change for the Managed Land Base (Thousands of Hectares)

Variables included in this table:

State = name of state

Land Use & Land Use Change Categories = The abbreviations are F for Forest Land, C for Cropland, G for Grassland, O for Other Lands, S for Settlements, and W for Wetlands. Lands remaining in the same land-use category are identified with the land-use abbreviation given twice.
Total Forest Land = the sum of Forest Land Remaining Forest Land and Land Converted to Forest Land

FF = Forest Land Remaining Forest Land

Total Land Converted to Forest Land = the sum of all the land use change categories that convert land to forest land

CF = Cropland Converted to Forest Land

GF = Grassland Converted to Forest Land

OF = Other Lands Converted to Forest Land

SF = Settlements Converted to Forest Land

WF = Wetland Converted to Forest Land

Total Forest Land Converted to Land = the sum of all the land use change categories that convert forest land to land

FC = Forest Land Converted to Cropland

FG = Forest Land Converted to Grassland

FO = Forest Land Converted to Other Lands

FS = Forest Land Converted to Settlements

FW = Forest Land Converted to Wetland

Total Woodlands Remaining Woodlands = area of woodlands remaining woodlands

*YEAR* = estimate for specified YEAR (1990-2019)


SETTLEMENT TREES (1)
20. \Data\CSV\Settlement_trees.csv: Net Flux from Settlement Trees in Settlements Remaining Settlements (MMT CO₂ Eq. and MMT C)

Variables included in this table:

State = name of state

Net Flux = units of the net flux estimate ("MMT CO2 Eq." or "MMT C")

*YEAR* = estimate for specified YEAR (1990-2019)

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:

Domke, Grant M.; Walters, Brian F.; Nowak, David J.; Smith, James, E.; Nichols, Michael C.; Ogle, Stephen M.; Coulston, J.W.; Wirth, T.C. 2021. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals from forest land, woodlands, and urban trees in the United States, 1990-2019. Resource Update FS-RU-307. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 5 p. [plus 2 appendices]. https://doi.org/10.2737/FS-RU-307

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20210415

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program

Contact_Person: Brian Walters

Contact_Position: Forester

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 1992 Folwell Ave.

City: St. Paul

State_or_Province: MN

Postal_Code: 55108

Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 651-649-5135

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: brian.f.walters@usda.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001.1-1999