A 1 km-resolution terrestrial carbon storage data for China from 2001 to 2020: Multi-pool integration under the IPCC accounting standard

This dataset presents a high-resolution and temporally continuous carbon storage product for China’s terrestrial ecosystems, covering the period from 2001 to 2020 at a spatial resolution of 1 km. The dataset was developed using an IPCC-consistent accounting framework that integrates four major carbon pools: aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, soil organic carbon, and dead organic matter. Multi-source remote sensing data, national land cover classifications, biomass models, and soil observations were combined to estimate annual carbon storage across five land use types, including cropland, forestland, grassland, built-up land, and unused land. Aboveground carbon was estimated based on biomass models, land use area, and land-use-specific carbon content conversion coefficients (Yang et al., 2023; Luo, 2014; Piao et al., 2004; Zhao et al., 2024). Belowground carbon was calculated using the ratio of belowground to aboveground biomass (Luo, 2014; Piao et al., 2004; Zhao et al., 2024; Mokany et al., 2006; Eggleston et al., 2006). Soil organic carbon was derived from spatially interpolated soil carbon density data combined with land use classification (Liu et al., 2021; Liu et al., 2020; Xu et al., 2019). The dead organic matter carbon pool was estimated according to land use type following IPCC guidelines, with forestland being the primary land category considered for this component. The mean carbon density parameters for different land use types derived from this dataset are provided in Table InVEST-A (Mg/ha). In addition, carbon storage datasets disaggregated by carbon pool and by land use type are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.