Carbon Storage of Woody Debris of Evergreen Broadleaf Forests in Mid-Subtropical Region of China

Abstract

To better understand the effect of forest succession on carbon storage of woody debris (WD), carbon stock and allocation of evergreen broadleaf forest, a major zonal forest in subtropical China was investigated. Three forest types were sampled, pine (Pinus massoniana) forest (PF), pine and broadleaf mixed forest (MF) and evergreen broadleaf forest (BF). The amount of woody debris (WD) biomass was between 1.26–8.82 Mg · hm–2, under the following order: PF < MF < BF, showed a trend of increase gradually with the succession. Coarse woody debris (CWD) carbon content varies with tree species and its decomposition level, with the improvement of CWD decomposition level, gradually reduce its carbon content. The woody debris carbon storage of PF, MF, and BF were 0.62 Mg · hm–2, 1.75 Mg · hm–2 and 3.78 Mg · hm–2, respectively, corresponded to the tree carbon storage 0.73%, 1.83% and 2.92%.