The role of agroforestry areas of the province of Bari in the absortion of carbon dioxide

Agroforestry areas have a significant and recognized productive, socio – economic, environmental and landscape role. An important ecological function performed by these areas is the net absorption of considerable quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The scientific knowledge of the CO₂ assimilation capacity of agroforestry ecosystems in a territory, is a useful and innovative means to support territorial planning. In the interests of environmental sustainability, emissions from human activities carried out in a specific local context, must be adapted by the simultaneous capacity of CO₂ sequestration. For the protection of environmental quality, the choice of land use should therefore optimize the circuit of interaction between emissions and absorption. This work takes into account the agroforestry areas of the Province of Bari to estimate the potential capacity to absorb CO₂ and compare it, with the current emission levels.