The spatiotemporal evolution of carbon storage driven by land use changes in Jinan City over the period 2000–2019

Analyzing the temporal and spatial dynamics of land use change and carbon storage can advance our understanding of regional carbon cycling, facilitate the transition of carbon sources, and contribute to climate change mitigation efforts. In this study, we utilized Landsat data and the carbon density correction methodology to explore land use dynamics and carbon storage variations in Jinan City from 2000 to 2019. The results show that: (1) The main land use types in Jinan City are forest, cultivated land, and construction land, with approximately 29.57% of the land undergoing changes over the past 20 years. (2) The total carbon storage of land use types in Jinan City in 2000, 2010, and 2019 was 33,684.4 × 104 tonnes 34,807.4 × 104 tonnes, and 32,060.3 × 104 tonnes, respectively. (3) The carbon storage in Jinan shows an overall decreasing trend, mainly due to the conversion of cultivated land and forest to construction land. The findings of this study could provide a scientific basis for ecological protection and sustainable development in the local area.