Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus Institute has produced the island’s first inventory of tree biomass and carbon stocks, providing data to assess the effects of droughts and forest fires and support climate adaptation strategies.
The study found that Cyprus’ forests increased the amount of carbon they stored as they grew over the past seven years, although recurring droughts and fires offset some of those gains.
New monitoring capability
“For the first time, we have the ability to monitor the trees of Cyprus with a precision that was not possible until now,” said PhD researcher Anna Zenonos.
Zenonos said reliable data is increasingly important for understanding ecosystem changes and managing natural resources as climate change pressure intensifies in the eastern Mediterranean.
Fire and drought losses
The study estimated that more than 360,000 trees were affected by fire in recent years, resulting in losses of more than 300,000 tonnes of biomass and 140,000 tonnes of stored carbon.
Mapping method
Researchers at the Cyprus Institute carried out the mapping using a new artificial intelligence computational model and field data collected by the forestry department.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide and store it in their biomass, helping to mitigate climate change and cool local microclimates. Biomass refers to organic material from plants or animals.
