Abstract
Research Highlights: This study comprehensively revealed the carbon sequestration characteristics of secondary forests in the central Loess Plateau during vegetation succession. Background and Objectives: The secondary succession of Loess Plateau forests is of great significance in global climate change, but their carbon storage dynamics are poorly understood. The study objectives were to clarify the pattern of changes and contribution level of carbon stocks in various components of ecosystem during succession. Materials and Methods: We selected 18 plots for Pinus tabuliformis Carr. forest at the early stage of succession, 19 for pine-broadleaved mixed forest at the middle stage, and 12 for Quercus-broadleaved mixed forest at the climax stage to determine the tree, shrub, herb, fine root, litter, coarse wood debris (CWD), and soil carbon stocks. Results: Ecosystem carbon stocks increased from 160.73 to 231.14 Mg·ha−1 with the succession stages. Vegetation (including tree, shrub and herb) and soil were the two largest carbon pools, and carbon was mainly sequestrated in tree biomass and shallow soil (0–50 cm). In the early stage, soil contributed more carbon stocks to the ecosystem than vegetation, but with succession, the soil contribution decreased while vegetation contribution increased, finally reaching a balance (46.78% each) at the climax stage. Fine root, litter, and CWD contributed little (average 6.59%) to ecosystem carbon stocks and were mainly involved in the turnover of vegetation biomass to soil carbon. Conclusions: Our results provide direct evidence for carbon sequestration of secondary forests on the Loess Plateau. The dynamic results of carbon storage provide an important basis for forest restoration management under climate change.
Highlights
Research Highlights: This study comprehensively revealed the carbon sequestration characteristics of secondary forests in the central Loess Plateau during vegetation succession
The secondary succession of Loess Plateau forests is of great significance in global climate change, but their carbon storage dynamics are poorly understood
The increases in the tree C stocks were much greater than the decreases in the shrub and herbaceous C stocks, resulting in a significant increase in the vegetation carbon stocks throughout the development of the forests (Figure 2D)
Summary
Forest ecosystem carbon storage accounts for approximately 56% of terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage, of which forest vegetation carbon storage accounts for more than 80% of global vegetation carbon storage and the forest soil carbon pool accounts for more than 40% of the global soil carbon pool [1,2,3,4]. The distribution of carbon stocks in various components of ecosystems is one of the important characteristics of secondary succession [3]. The secondary succession of Loess Plateau forests is of great significance in global climate change, but their carbon storage dynamics are poorly understood. The study objectives were to clarify the pattern of changes and contribution level of carbon stocks in various components of ecosystem during succession. Soil contributed more carbon stocks to the ecosystem than vegetation, but with succession, the soil contribution decreased while vegetation contribution increased, reaching a balance (46.78% each) at the climax stage. The dynamic results of carbon storage provide an important basis for forest restoration management under climate change
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