Estimation of carbon stocks in a beech forest (Fougères Forest – W. France): extrapolation from the plots to the whole forest

Abstract

The Kyoto Conference identified the need to establish an accurate inventory of carbon stocks in forests. Carbon stocks were estimated in a beech forest (Fougeres forest - France) using a combination of in situ field samples with existing soil and vegetation maps. Soil, humus and vegetation stocks were measured at 100 sampling points distributed throughout representative classes within the entire forest massif. Carbon levels in the soil and humus were determined in the laboratory; models predicting the biomass were used to estimate the stocks in the vegetation. From the statistical analyses and existing maps these point data were extrapolated to the whole forest using two changes of scale. The total carbon stock was estimated to lie in a range between 442 200 and 505 105 tC (a difference of 15%). Half of the carbon stock was found in the soil, 45% in the vegetation and 5% in the humus. To evaluate the accuracy of this estimate, possible sources of error were examined and quantified. The carbon stocks in the vegetation were the most variable. Nevertheless, the results are likely to be integrated into future forest management plans and generalised in other contexts to evaluate carbon stocks at a regional scale.