The Unrealized Potential — Below-Ground Biomass (BGB) layer quantifies the additional carbon that could be stored in root systems if the land were restored to its native vegetation state, expressed in tC/ha. Root biomass increases are closely linked to above-ground vegetation recovery, as trees and perennial plants develop extensive root networks.
BGB unrealized potential is typically proportional to AGB unrealized potential, following ecosystem-specific root:shoot ratios. Restoring below-ground biomass also provides co-benefits including improved soil stability, enhanced water infiltration, and increased soil organic carbon inputs through root turnover and exudates.
This metric helps identify areas where restoration would yield significant subsurface carbon gains, complementing the AGB potential assessment for complete living biomass carbon opportunity mapping.
Random Forest downscaling pipeline for unrealized BGB potential:
Output unit: tC/ha (additional BGB carbon achievable)
| Code | Name | Provider | Type | Coverage | Resolution | Reference Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker 2022 | Unrealized Potential (BGB) | Walker et al. / S3 | Raster (COG) | Global | ~300 m | 2016 |
COPERNICUS/S2_SR_HARMONIZED | Sentinel-2 L2A | ESA/Copernicus | Multispectral | Global | 10 m | 2017 — present |
GOOGLE/DYNAMICWORLD/V1 | Dynamic World | Google/WRI | Land cover | Global | 10 m | 2015 — present |
USGS/SRTMGL1_003 | SRTM DEM | NASA/USGS | Elevation | 60N-56S | 30 m | 2000 |
| Indicator | Unit | Range | Inverted |
|---|---|---|---|
carbon_stock_unrealized_potential_bgb | tC/ha | [0, 2, 8, 20, 40, 80] | No |
| Level | Thresholds | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| E (Very Low) | < 2 tC/ha | Near natural BGB capacity |
| D (Low) | 2-8 tC/ha | Minor root carbon gain possible |
| C (Moderate) | 8-20 tC/ha | Moderate restoration opportunity |
| B (High) | 20-40 tC/ha | Significant root biomass deficit |
| A (Very High) | > 40 tC/ha | Massive BGB restoration potential |
Il layer Potenziale Non Realizzato - BGB quantifica il carbonio aggiuntivo che potrebbe essere immagazzinato nei sistemi radicali se il terreno fosse ripristinato alla vegetazione nativa, secondo Walker et al. (2022). Il potenziale BGB e allometricamente legato a quello AGB tramite rapporti radice:parte aerea specifici per ecosistema. Il raster viene estratto e raffinato tramite Random Forest con NDVI, copertura del suolo ed elevazione. Il ripristino della biomassa radicale fornisce co-benefici: stabilizzazione del suolo, infiltrazione idrica migliorata e aumento degli apporti di carbonio organico al suolo. Output in tC/ha a ~200 m.