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Climate change, environmental degradation, and limited resources are motivations for sustainable forest management. Forests, the most abundant renewable resource on earth, used to make a wide variety of forest-based products for human consumption. To provide a scientific measure of a product’s sustainability and environmental performance, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method is used. This article provides a comprehensive review of environmental performances of forest-based products including traditional building products, emerging (mass-timber) building products and nanomaterials using attributional LCA. Across the supply chain, the product manufacturing life-cycle stage tends to have the largest environmental impacts. However, forest management activities and logistics tend to have the greatest economic impact. In addition, environmental trade-offs exist when regulating emissions as indicated by the latest traditional wood building product LCAs. Interpretation of these LCA results can guide new product development using biomaterials, future (mass) building systems and policy-making on mitigating climate change. Key challenges include handling of uncertainties in the supply chain and complex interactions of environment, material conversion, resource use for product production and quantifying the emissions released.

To meet the increasing demands of precision agricultural and environmental management, more abundant and accurate information is needed to describe soil organic carbon (SOC) vertical variation. Based on 923 soil profiles (collected at the depths of 0–15, 15–30, 30–60, 60–90, 90–120, and 120–150 cm) in the central area of Changhua County, Taiwan, the distribution curve of the SOC content of each profile was fitted by the equal-area spline model, and it was possible to obtain the SOC content at all depths. Taking the 0–5 cm (L1), 5–10 cm (L2), and 10–15 cm (L3) sub-layers as examples, their SOC contents and stocks were compared to the mean values of the average 5-cm-thick sub-layers (Lm) derived from the value of the 0–15 cm layer. The results indicated that the SOC contents and stocks both reduced with increasing soil depths. The mean SOC contents of L1, L2, and L3 were 22.1, 21.0, and 18.7 g·kg−1, respectively, with significant variation, and the values of L2 and L3 were 5.0% and 15.4% lower than that of L1. Similarly, the mean SOC stocks were 1.29, 1.25, and 1.16 kg·m−2 of the L1, L2, and L3 layers, also with significant variation, and the values of L2 and L3 were 4.0% and 10.1% lower than that of L1. Meanwhile, it was found that the SOC content and stock of Lm were both close to the corresponding values in L2, but were significantly different to that of L1 and L3. Furthermore, the interpolation contours of the SOC contents and stocks in L1, L2, and L3 by digital soil mapping also presented regular variation with increasing soil depths, while the contours of Lm had nearly identical patterns to that of L2. The results demonstrate that the typically used mean SOC contents with certain thicknesses calculated from the sampling layer can only approximately inflect the SOC situation at intermediate depths, but the SOC content in the upper and lower parts within the sampling layer varies greatly. Therefore, the actual distribution of SOC varies gradually depending on the soil depth. This study indicates that the combination of the equal-area spline model and digital soil mapping can greatly enrich the current soil SOC database and provide more abundant and accurate SOC content and stock information for precision agricultural and environmental management based on legacy soil database.

In Cameroon, as in other countries of the Congo basin region, policy processes and activities related to climate change have been hitherto geared mostly towards mitigation and related questions, with limited concern about adaptation issues. However, the increasing vulnerability of Cameroon to climate variability and change makes adaptation significant to its national climate-change policy. Nonetheless, it remains a challenge to make both adaptation and mitigation occupy the same policy space in Cameroon. This paper builds partly on studies carried out in two community forest carbon initiatives in the southern rainforest of Cameroon. It also argues, supported by existing literature on adaptation and mitigation, that mitigation activities have the potential to produce adaptation outcomes; a situation which avoids duplication of efforts and waste of financial and technical resources, if synergetic options are anticipated and planned. However, whether such integrated approaches succeed and are subsequently reflected in national-level climate policy depends on how actors across different sectors and at different levels engage and carry out their roles. The paper discusses these roles and how they can support each other in pursuing integrated initiatives – a context which is vital for Cameroon.

Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) experiences a recurrent drought phenomenon. However, few studies have focused on drought monitoring in this region due to lack of ground observations. The newly released Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) with a long-term record and high resolution has a great potential for drought monitoring. Based on the assessment of CHIRPS for capturing precipitation and monitoring drought, this study aims to evaluate the drought condition in LMB by using satellite-based CHIRPS from January 1981 to July 2016. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) at various time scales (1–12-month) is computed to identify and describe drought events. Results suggest that CHIRPS can properly capture the drought characteristics at various time scales with the best performance at three-month time scale. Based on high-resolution long-term CHIRPS, it is found that LMB experienced four severe droughts during the last three decades with the longest one in 1991–1994 for 38 months and the driest one in 2015–2016 with drought affected area up to 75.6%. Droughts tend to occur over the north and south part of LMB with higher frequency, and Mekong Delta seems to experience more long-term and extreme drought events. Severe droughts have significant impacts on vegetation condition.

Earth’s rapidly changing climate is particularly evident in the Arctic. Outside of the Arctic, the emergence of large-sample catchment databases has transformed science from an emphasis on local case-studies towards more systematic insights into drivers of watershed functioning. Here we present an integrated pan-ARctic CAtchments summary DatabasE (ARCADE) of >40,000 catchments, including small and medium-sized watersheds, draining into the Arctic Ocean. These watersheds, delineated at a high-resolution (90 m), are provided with 103 geospatial, environmental, climatic, and physiographic catchment properties. ARCADE is the first aggregated database of pan-Arctic river catchments that includes small watersheds at a high resolution. These small catchments are experiencing the greatest climatic warming while also storing large quantities of soil carbon in landscapes that are especially prone to degradation of permafrost (i.e., ice wedge polygon terrain) and associated hydrological regime shifts. The publication of this database is a necessary step toward more integrated monitoring of the pan-Arctic watershed.

# Data from: Blue Carbon Benefits from Global Saltmarsh Restoration [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pc866t1vp](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pc866t1vp) This README file was generated on 12th September 2023 by Victoria Mason. **Title of Dataset:** Blue carbon benefits from global saltmarsh restoration. **Author information:** * Victoria G. Mason, Bangor University/Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), victoria.mason@nioz.nl (*Corresponding author*) * Annette Burden, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology * Graham Epstein, University of Exeter/University of Victoria * Lucy L. Jupe, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust * Kevin A. Wood, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust * Martin W. Skov, Bangor University **Summary of dataset:** These data include all data which were extracted or derived from relevant studies on global saltmarsh carbon storage and greenhouse gas flux. Data were obtained following screening of 29,182 peer reviewed published studies for relevant data, which were then extracted from 431 studies via text, tables and figures. We then used a meta-analysis to assess drivers of variation in global saltmarsh and greenhouse gas flux. * Date of literature search: 21st January 2022. * Date of data extraction: February - March 2022 * Literature search conducted via: Scopus + Web of Science ## Description of the data and file structure The contents of these data include: * **Full dataset (Aug2023\_GlobalCarbonReview\_FullDataset.xls):** All data extracted from 431 relevant studies and used in analysis. This includes a title page, metadata (with descriptions of column headers) and the full dataset. Response variables included: * Carbon stock * Percentage organic carbon * Bulk density * Sediment accretion rate * Carbon accumulation rate * Carbon dioxide flux * Methane flux * Nitrous oxide flux **\- Data on each included study \(Aug2023\_GlobalCarbonReview\_IncludedStudies\.xls\):** List of each study included in the final analysis, and its metadata. This includes a title page, metadata (with descriptions of column headers) and the dataset. All data include standard deviation (SD) and n (number of replicates) where provided by the original study, which were used to calculate Hedge's *g* effect sizes reported in the subsequent study. | Frequently used abbreviations: | | | ------------------------------ | --- | | C | carbon | | OC | organic carbon | | GHG | greenhouse gas | | bd | bulk density (g cm-3 dry sediment) | | Y/N | yes/no | | ref | reference | | lat | latitude | | long | longitude | | rest | restoration | | prec | precipitation | | sal | salinity | | acc | accretion | | resp | respiration | | SR | soil respiration (appears for CO2 flux) | | ER | ecosystem respiration (appears for CO2 flux) | | n | number of samples included in mean/standard deviation | | sd | standard deviation | All abbreviations used are outlined in the ‘Metadata’ worksheet of .xls files. **Data specific information for Aug2023\_GlobalCarbonReview\_FullDataset.xls:** Number of variables: 88 Number of cases/rows: 2055 Variables included: See 'Metadata' sheet **Data specific information for** **Aug2023\_GlobalCarbonReview\_IncludedStudies.xls:** Number of variables: 47 Number of cases/rows: 431 Variables included: See 'Metadata' sheet **Empty cells:** Cells are empty where data on that variable were not provided by the original study from which they were extracted. For example, where a study provided data on carbon stock variables, but not greenhouse gas flux. For further details, see the 'Metadata' sheets of each file. ## Sharing/Access information These data are available via Dryad, and described in ‘Blue Carbon Benefits from Global Saltmarsh Restoration’, in Global Change Biology. **DOI:** 10.1111/gcb.16943 Data were extracted from 431 published peer reviewed articles, the details of which can be found in the attached datasheets. Coastal saltmarshes are found globally, yet are 25–50% reduced compared to their historical cover. Restoration is incentivised by the promise that marshes are efficient storers of ‘blue’ carbon, although the claim lacks substantiation across global contexts. We synthesised data from 431 studies to quantify the benefits of saltmarsh restoration to carbon accumulation and greenhouse gas uptake. The results showed global marshes store approximately 1.41–2.44 Pg carbon. Restored marshes had very low greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes and rapid carbon accumulation, resulting in a mean net accumulation rate of 64.70 t CO2e ha-1 y-1. Using this estimate and potential restoration rates, we find saltmarsh regeneration could result in 12.93–207.03 Mt CO2e accumulation per year, offsetting the equivalent of up to 0.51% global-energy-related CO2 emissions – a substantial amount, considering marshes represent <1% of Earth’s surface. Carbon accumulation rates and GHG fluxes varied contextually with temperature, rainfall and dominant vegetation, with the eastern costs of the USA and Australia being particular hotspots for carbon storage. Whilst the study reveals paucity of data for some variables and continents, suggesting a need for further research, the potential for saltmarsh restoration to offset carbon emissions is clear. The ability to facilitate natural carbon accumulation by saltmarshes now rests principally on the action of the management-policy community and on financial opportunities for supporting restoration.

Summary Past climatic fluctuations have played a major role in shaping the current plant biodiversity. Although harbouring an exceptional biota, oceanic islands have received little attention in studies on species demographic history and past vegetation patterns. We investigated the impact of past climatic changes on the effective population size of a tree (Coffea mauritiana) that is endemic to Reunion Island, located in the south‐western Indian Ocean (SWIO). Demographic changes were inferred using summary statistics calculated from genomic data. Using ecological niche modelling and the current distribution of genetic diversity, the paleodistribution of the species was also assessed. A reduction in the effective population size of C. mauritiana during the last glaciation maximum was inferred. The distribution of the species was reduced on the western side of the island, due to low rainfall. It appeared that a major reduction in rainfall and a slight temperature decrease prevailed in the SWIO. Our findings indicated that analyses on the current patterns of intraspecific genetic variations can efficiently contribute to past climatic changes characterisation in remote islands. Identifying area with higher resilience in oceanic islands could provide guidance in forest management and conservation faced to the global climate change.

China is the largest fruit producer and consumer market in the world. Understanding the growing conditions responses to climate change is the key to predict future site suitability of main cultivation areas for certain deciduous fruit trees. In this study, we used dynamic and growing degree day models driven by downscaled daily temperatures from 22 global climate models to project the effects of climate change on growing conditions for deciduous fruit trees under two representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios over 2 future time periods (represented by central years 2050s and 2085s) in northern China. The results showed a general increase of available winter chill for all sites under RCP4.5 scenario, and the most dramatic increase in chill accumulation could reach up to 36.8% in northeast regions for RCP8.5. However, the forecasted chill will decrease by 6.4% in southeast stations under RCP8.5 by 2085s. Additionally, the increase rate of growing season heat showed spatially consistency, and the most pronounced increase was found in the RCP8.5 by 2085s. For the southwest station, median heat accumulation increased by 20.8% in the 2050s and 37.1% in the 2085s under RCP8.5. Similar increasing range could be found in the northeast station; the median growing season heat increased by 19.8% and 38.8% in the 2050s and 2085s under RCP8.5, respectively. Moreover, the date of last spring frost was expected to advance and the frequency of frost occurrences was projected to decline in the study area compared to the past. Overall, the present study improves understanding regarding site-specific characteristics of climatic suitability for deciduous fruit tree cultivation in main producing regions of northern China. The results could provide growers and decision-makers with theoretical evidence to take adaptive measure to ensure fruit production in future.