Abstract
Forest managers are interested in forest-monitoring strategies using low density Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS). However, little research has used ALS to estimate soil organic carbon (SOC) as a criterion for operational thinning. Our objective was to compare three different thinning intensities in terms of the on-site C stock after 13 years (2004–2017) and to develop models of biomass (Wt, Mg ha−1) and SOC (Mg ha−1) in Pinus halepensis forest, based on low density ALS in southern Spain. ALS was performed for the area and stand metrics were measured within 83 plots. Non-parametric kNN models were developed to estimate Wt and SOC. The overall C stock was significantly higher in plots subjected to heavy or moderate thinning (101.17 Mg ha−1 and 100.94 Mg ha−1, respectively) than in the control plots (91.83 Mg ha−1). The best Wt and SOC models provided R2 values of 0.82 (Wt, MSNPP) and 0.82 (SOC-S10, RAW). The study area will be able to stock 134,850 Mg of C under a non-intervention scenario and 157,958 Mg of C under the heavy thinning scenario. High-resolution cartography of the predicted C stock is useful for silvicultural planning and may be used for proper management to increase C sequestration in dry P. halepensis forests.
Highlights
Climate change is one of the major environmental concerns [1]
The C stock in the aboveground biomass was significantly higher for all fractions in the control than in the M and H treatments (p < 0.001), it was higher in M than in H
Our results show that the estimated variables can be modelled with good precision for the estimation of the C stocks variables of P. halepensis forests using low resolution Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS), as observed in previous studies [68]
Summary
Climate change is one of the major environmental concerns [1]. It has been related to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) by human activities, of which carbon dioxide (CO2) represents 40% [2]. The assimilation of atmospheric CO2 by forest ecosystems though photosynthesis is a key process in net primary production and in the mitigation of climate change. Soils are the major terrestrial C pool and sink for atmospheric CO2 (>71%), of which >50% occurs in the upper horizons [5,6]. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the most important soil components affecting plant growth and plant nutrients cycles [6]. It can be stored in soils for thousands of years, under adequate conditions. SOC storage can be affected by climatic conditions, aboveground biomass, forest management, land-use patterns, human activities and other factors [7]
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