Forest Soils and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Natural Forest, Degraded, and Plantation Ecosystems

Abstract

AbstractThe primary greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the natural forest ecosystems are carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles. Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) are the principal gases that cycle between forests and the atmosphere; they are the leading contributors to global warming. The effect of forest soil on GHG emissions remains a critical issue with respect to C and N cycles. Various elements within the natural environment impact the physical, chemical, and biological features of forest soil; these include forest management approaches, such as natural forest and plantation ecosystems, forest properties, for instance, landforms (pit-mound and catena), species of trees, deadwoods, and canopy gaps. All these have the ultimate effect on GHG emissions from the soil into the atmosphere. Additionally, factors such as soil temperature, porosity, moisture, pH, fertility, and organic matter content impact GHG emissions through microbial activity. The soil structure (texture and drainage) directly influences emissions as they influence the properties above. The study also established that living organisms, for instance, earthworms, engineer the soil ecosystem and structure through burrowing and casting. As a result, they balance GHG balance in soils globally. The impact of organisms, such as earthworms, on GHG emissions, is expected to increase in the coming decades. This study established that soil ecosystems stimulate N and C sequestrations in soil and augment the primary GHGs. However, a debate continues to ensue on whether forests predominantly impact soils to act as the principal source of GHGs. The research addressed the role and effect of varied soil characteristics of forest ecosystems on GHG emissions.KeywordsCH4Climate changeCO2Forest propertiesN2OSoil characteristics