Changes in Water Retention and Carbon Sequestration in the Huangshan UNESCO Global Geopark (China) from 2000 to 2015

Between 2000 and 2015, water retention in Huangshan’s forests rose slightly (0.15 m³ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) while carbon sequestration surged (25.57 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹), both showing increased spatial uniformity. Climate factors—especially rising precipitation and temperature—drove these changes, yet tourist disturbance had a stronger negative impact on carbon sequestration than climate did. Structural equation modeling revealed that climate was the dominant driver of water retention, whereas tourist pressure overshadowed climatic influence on carbon storage. These findings clarify how geopark ecosystems respond to global change and human activity, offering actionable insights for sustainable management.

Gou, R., Li, W., Yang, Y., Bai, J., Meng, Y., Wu, J., Ding, Y., Dai, Z., Shi, Q., Song, S., & Lin, G. (2020). Changes in Water Retention and Carbon Sequestration in the Huangshan UNESCO Global Geopark (China) from 2000 to 2015. Forests, 11(11), 1152. https://doi.org/10.3390/f11111152