Carbon Stock in Deadwood: The Mountain Birch (Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii) Forests in the Khibiny Mountains (Russia)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Deadwood is an important component for conserving carbon stock (C-stock) and maintaining species diversity in forests. In the last years, some studies emphasized that the estimation of deadwood C-stock is a crucial aspect to understand the role of boreal forests as potential carbon sink. The aim of the present study is to provide new data about deadwood volume and C-stock in the mountain birch forests – pure mountain birch stands and mixed stands – of the Kola Peninsula (Russia). In 28 sampling plots randomly located in the Khibiny Mountains, quantitative and qualitative data on deadwood (logs, snags, stumps) were collected and processed. The results show on average 126 logs, 127 snags, and 225 stumps per hectare of mountain birch forest. The average deadwood volume is 23.9 m3 ha−1, while the deadwood C-stock in the mountain birch forests of the Khibiny Mountains is estimated at 3.10 Mg ha−1. The pure mountain birch stands are characterized by an average deadwood volume of 18.4 m3 ha−1, while the mixed stands have an average deadwood volume of 28.6 m3 ha−1. These results highlight an important contribution of deadwood of the boreal forests as carbon storage to mitigate climate change.