Aboveground Carbon Accumulation Research Articles

Early Dynamics of Carbon Accumulation as Influenced by Spacing of a Populus deltoides Planting

The fast-growing tree, eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), currently is being planted to catalyze native forest restoration on degraded agricultural sites in the southeastern United States. Many of these restoration sites are appropriate for short rotation woody crop (SRWC) culture that addresses climate mitigation objectives, but information needed to optimize climate mitigation objectives through such plantings is limited. Therefore, we established a 10-year experiment on degraded agricultural land located in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA, aiming to quantify the dynamics of aboveground carbon (AGC) accumulation in a cottonwood planting of four replicated spacing levels (3.7 × 3.7 m, 2.7 × 1.8 m, 2.1 × 0.8 m, and (0.8 + 1.8) × 0.8 m) aligned with SRWC systems targeting various ecosystem services. Annual sampling revealed a substantial range in increments of AGC and year 10 carbon stocks among stands of different densities. Mean annual increments for AGC (MAIAGC) were similar for the two tightest spacing levels, peaking higher than for the other two spacings at about 7.5 Mg ha−1 y−1 in year 7. Year 10 AGC ranged between 22.3 Mg ha−1 for stands spaced 3.7 × 3.7 m and 70.1 Mg ha−1 for stands of the two tightest spacings, leading us to conclude that a spacing between 2.1 × 0.8 m and 2.7 × 1.8 m would maximize aboveground carbon stocks through year 10 on sites of similar agricultural degradation. Increments and accumulation of AGC on the degraded site trended lower than values reported from more productive sites but illustrate that quick and substantial transformation of the carbon stock status of degraded agricultural sites can be achieved with the application of SRWCs to restore forests for climate mitigation and other compatible ecosystem services.

Assessment of aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation in natural cenoses on the terraces of the northern slope of Khoysko‐the Makazhoy (Cheberloy) basin

Carbon exists as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and makes up about 0.04% of the atmosphere. In the recent past, it has attracted a lot of attention as a greenhouse gas because it can influence the climate model of the world. Anthropogenic activities such as industrialization, deforestation, forest degradation and the burning of fossil fuels have caused an increase in atmospheric carbon levels and disrupted the global carbon cycle. The Climate Change Expert Group has identified five carbon pools of the terrestrial ecosystem that include biomass, namely aboveground biomass, underground biomass, debris, woody debris and soil organic matter. Among all carbon pools, aboveground biomass constitutes the major part of the carbon pool.

Aboveground carbon sequestration of Cunninghamia lanceolata forests: Magnitude and drivers

Understanding the spatial variation, temporal changes, and their underlying driving forces of carbon sequestration in various forests is of great importance for understanding the carbon cycle and carbon management options. How carbon density and sequestration in various Cunninghamia lanceolata forests, extensively cultivated for timber production in subtropical China, vary with biodiversity, forest structure, environment, and cultural factors remain poorly explored, presenting a critical knowledge gap for realizing carbon sequestration supply potential through management. Based on a large-scale database of 449 permanent forest inventory plots, we quantified the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of aboveground carbon densities and carbon accumulation rates in Cunninghamia lanceolate forests in Hunan Province, China, and attributed the contributions of stand structure, environmental, and management factors to the heterogeneity using quantile age-sequence analysis, partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM), and hot-spot analysis. The results showed lower values of carbon density and sequestration on average, in comparison with other forests in the same climate zone (i.e., subtropics), with pronounced spatial and temporal variability. Specifically, quantile regression analysis using carbon accumulation rates along an age sequence showed large differences in carbon sequestration rates among underperformed and outperformed forests (0.50 and 1.80 ​Mg⋅​ha−1·yr−1). PLS-PM demonstrated that maximum DBH and stand density were the main crucial drivers of aboveground carbon density from young to mature forests. Furthermore, species diversity and geo-topographic factors were the significant factors causing the large discrepancy in aboveground carbon density change between low- and high-carbon-bearing forests. Hotspot analysis revealed the importance of culture attributes in shaping the geospatial patterns of carbon sequestration. Our work highlighted that retaining large-sized DBH trees and increasing shade-tolerant tree species were important to enhance carbon sequestration in C. lanceolate forests.

Deep soil carbon loss offsets rapid aboveground carbon accumulation after reforestation

Carbon (C) sequestration following land restoration is an efficient measure of climate change mitigation. However, most studies including the international “4 per 1000″ Initiative focus on topsoil C only. Here, we studied the response of deep soil C to different land restoration approaches. Samples were taken from rural sites in the Atlantic Forest Biome (Brazil), using a paired site design with triplicates of different 16-to-19-year-old restoration approaches of former arable land: reforestation, natural regeneration, and agroforestry sites. Adjacent arable land and a > 25-year-old secondary forest served as references. We determined aboveground and belowground C pools, including deep soil until 3 m depth. We did not find statistical differences among the three restoration methods for the C sequestration in the whole ecosystem. However, the C stock in the aboveground living biomass in the reforestation site was 85 ± 15 Mg ha−1, significantly exceeding the respective aboveground C in natural regeneration (40 ± 13 Mg ha−1) and agroforestry system (25 ± 5 Mg ha−1), respectively. This order, however, was reversed in soil, where reforestation caused a loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) by 27 Mg ha−1 below 40 cm depth, whereas SOC stocks in the agroforestry system and natural regeneration site increased by 41 and 25 Mg C/ha, respectively, compared to arable land. We thus conclude that deep soil carbon losses can negate aboveground carbon accrual after land restoration, which emphasizes the importance of including this pool in C sequestration studies.

Climate and socioeconomic impacts on Maine's forests under alternative future pathways

This study investigates the combined effects of climate and socioeconomic change on fiber supply and forest carbon in Maine, USA, for broad alternative futures. We conduct an econometric analysis to project forest resource use over the next 80 years under a range of shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) and representative concentration pathways (RCPs). Results show that continued forest successional dynamics – without any harvesting – contribute the most to Maine's aboveground carbon (AGC) accumulation, with 2100 AGC potentially increasing by 140% compared to 2020. On this basis, climate change could result in 2.44–2.64 times greater AGC in 2100 compared to today. Harvest activities are major drivers of forest C dynamics, resulting in 2100 AGC being only 16% >2020. Socioeconomic factors (SSPs) had much larger effects on total harvest and carbon stocks than climate change (RCPs). Harvest volume were projected to increase by 9–29% between 2020 and 2100 for favorable socioeconomic development scenarios (SSP1/SSP2/SSP5) and decrease by 3–29% for unfavorable socioeconomic development scenarios (SSP3/SSP4). Overall, Maine's forest C pools were projected to increase by end-century for RCPs x SSP1/SSP2. This study offers valuable insight on possible methods for region-specific socioeconomic and climate change assessments, particularly in areas with extensive and diverse working forests with mixed ownership.

Determinants of growth and carbon accumulation of common plantation tree species in the three northern regions, China: Responses to climate and management strategies

The Three-North (Northwest, North and Northeast) Shelter Forests Program (TNSFP) in China has effectively promoted vegetation growth and carbon sink in the temperate semi-humid and semi-arid regions. To compare the afforestation benefits of commonly used tree species in the area and explore the effect of environment on growth and carbon accumulation in plantations, backpack LiDAR was used to acquire 3 dimensional lidar point clouds of forests from a total of 480 pure plantation patches consisting of Pinus sylvestris (P.s.), Pinus tabuliformis (P.t.), Populus spp. (Pop.), and Robinia pseudoacacia (R.p.). Then, diameter at breast height (DBH), forest height, canopy coverage, and aboveground carbon accumulation were calculated for each plantation patches, which ranged from 7.0 to 37.3 cm, 1.5–14.5 m, 10–99 % and 4.2–205.9 Mg/ha, respectively. Generalized linear mixed-effect models and ANOVA were applied to account for the environmental constraints on the variations of forest parameters. Results showed that precipitation had a stronger effect on all the above parameters of plantations than temperature, and P.t. was more sensitive to climate than other three species. With regard to forest management in Pop. plantations, thinning could improve afforestation efficiency because carbon accumulation would reduce after the age exceeds 30 years. In contrast, P.s. populations maintained a continuous increase in carbon accumulation at least before 40 years old, while the radial growth of canopy became saturated after 12 years of age. The optimal planting density for P.s. and Pop. are about 1000 trees/ha, beyond which the increase in carbon accumulation will slow down or change rate of canopy coverage will be insignificant. Within the TNSFP area, P.t. and R.p. plantations would be more suitable in southern regions, while P.s. and Pop. plantations grow better in the northeastern regions. Meanwhile, mountains along the “Hu Line” showed high potential for growth and carbon accumulation for all tree species examined.

Comparison of carbon content between plantation and natural regeneration seedlings in Durango, Mexico.

Forest plantations and natural forests perform a relevant role in capturing CO2 and reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. The objective of this study was to compare the diameter increment, biomass and carbon accumulation in a plantation of Pinus durangensis and a naturally regenerated stand. The data were collected from 32 circular plots of 100 m2 (16 plots in the planted site and 16 in naturally regenerated area). At each plot, the diameter at the base (cm) and height (m) of all seedlings were measured using a Vernier and tape measure, and a seedling was destructively sampled collecting one cross-section at the base of the stump. The annual ring-width increment of each sampled seedling was recorded to obtain its diameter at the base and estimate annual aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation through allometric equations. The response variables were evaluated using mixed-effects ANOVA models. Results indicated that there were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) on annual tree-ring width growth, biomass and carbon accumulation. The plantation seedlings showed significantly higher growth rates, biomass and carbon accumulation at most evaluated years. After 7 years of growth the lines of current annual increment (CAI) and mean annual increment (MAI) in basal diameter for both the plantation and the natural regeneration have not yet intersected. Both forest plantations and naturally regenerated stands of the studied tree species may be suitable alternatives to promote CO2 capture and increase timber production.

Interaction Effect of Stand Age and Diversity on Aboveground Wood Carbon Accumulation in Subtropical Mixed Forests of the Zhejiang Province (China)

Aboveground wood carbon (AWC) stocks in forest ecosystems are mediated by biotic and abiotic variables. Understanding the internal regulatory mechanisms of forests is important for future forest management and global climate change mitigation. However, how these factors affect AWC in subtropical mixed forests remains poorly understood. Using a database from the National Forest Inventory (NFI) from China, we observed the effects of climate variables (temperature and precipitation), stand structure indices (stand density and DBH coefficient of variation and diversity), stand diversity indices (taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity), and stand functional indices on coniferous mixed forests (CMF), coniferous–broadleaf mixed forests (CBMF), and broadleaf mixed forests (BMF). Meanwhile, we examined the AWC based on a linear mixed model and a structural equation model for each mixed forest. We found that both stand structure and stand diversity can affect the AWC through their indirect effects on the stand function, aligning with the niche complementarity effect. Stand age is an important factor affecting AWC because it interacts with stand structure and stand diversity. Our study highlights that AWC is dependent on the regulation of stand age and structure, which can be crucial for boosting high carbon stocks in subtropical forests.

Woody plants diversity and its relationship with carbon stock in the tropical moist evergreen closed forest, Dong Nai Cultural Nature Reserve

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis of a statistically meaningful existence between woody plant diversity and aboveground carbon stock in the tropical moist evergreen closed forests at Dong Nai Cultural Nature Reserve. The result showed that, in total, 49 plant species of 30 families were recorded. Twenty-one threatened species were listed in Decree 84/2021/ND-CP of the Government, Vietnam Red Data Book (2007), and IUCN Red List (2022). The indicators reflecting the level of diversity were identified: Species richness (S) 15.44±2.69 species; Abundance (A) 51.68±3.42 trees; Margalef (d) 3.66±0.69; Pielou (J') 0.87±0.05; Simpson (Cd) 0.13±0.04; and Shannon-Wiener (H') index 2.36±0.25. The ability to carbon stock aboveground ranged from 78.67 tons/ha to 255.64 tons/ha, with an average of 161.04±54.38 tons/ha. Furthermore, the linear correlation between species richness (S), tree abundance (A), Margalef index (d), Pielou (J'), Simpson (Cd), and aboveground carbon was not found. Meanwhile, a statistically significant but very weak correlation between Shannon-Wiener (H') and aboveground carbon was detected. Thus, the original hypothesis was that woody plant diversity and aboveground carbon did not occur. Therefore, priority should be given to managing and conserving plant diversity instead of promoting the study area's aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation function.

Rates and drivers of aboveground carbon accumulation in global monoculture plantation forests

Restoring forest cover is a key action for mitigating climate change. Although monoculture plantations dominate existing commitments to restore forest cover, we lack a synthetic view of how carbon accumulates in these systems. Here, we assemble a global database of 4756 field-plot measurements from monoculture plantations across all forested continents. With these data, we model carbon accumulation in aboveground live tree biomass and examine the biological, environmental, and human drivers that influence this growth. Our results identify four-fold variation in carbon accumulation rates across tree genera, plant functional types, and biomes, as well as the key mediators (e.g., genus of tree, endemism of species, prior land use) of variation in these rates. Our nonlinear growth models advance our understanding of carbon accumulation in forests relative to mean annual rates, particularly during the next few decades that are critical for mitigating climate change.

Aboveground Carbon Accumulation by Second‐Growth Forests After Deforestation in Hawaii

Photo 1. Arial photo taken in 1985 of the deforestation of mature lowland native Hawaiian wet forest in the Kalapana region of Hawaii Island. Piles of large trunks of Metrosideros polymorpha (Ohia) have been arranged to be pulverized in the large wood chipper at center, and were subsequently trucked to nearby sugar mill to be burned to produce energy. Photo credit: John “Jack” Lockwood. Photo 2. Second growth stands of Hawaii's dominant native tree, Metrosideros polymorpha (Ohia), that reestablished in the ~30 years since the 1985 deforestation event in the Kalapana region of Hawaii Island. Photo credit: R. Flint Hughes. These photographs illustrate the article “Aboveground carbon accumulation by second-growth forests after deforestation in Hawaii” by R. Flint Hughes, Dennis Grossman, Travis G. Sowards, Jonathan D. Marshall, and Dieter Mueller-Dombois published in Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2539

Aboveground carbon accumulation by second‐growth forests after deforestation in Hawai'i

Successional processes ultimately determine and define carbon accumulations in forested ecosystems. Although primary succession on wholly new substrate occurs across the globe, secondary succession, often following storm events or anthropogenic disturbance, is more common and is capable of globally significant accumulations of carbon (C) at a time when offsets to anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions are critically needed. In Hawai'i, prior studies have investigated ecosystem development during primary succession on lava flows, including estimates of C mass accumulation. Yet relatively little is known regarding secondary succession of Hawaii's native forests, particularly regarding C mass accumulation. Here we documented aboveground C mass accumulation by native- and nonnative-dominated second-growth forests following deforestation of mature native lowland rainforests in the Puna District of Hawai'i Island. We characterized species composition and stand structure of three distinct successional forest stand types: those dominated by the native tree, Metrosideros polymorpha ('Ōhi'a), and those dominated by invasive nonnative trees, Falcataria moluccana (albizia) and Psidium cattleianum (strawberry guava). We compared M. polymorpha-dominated and F. moluccana-dominated second-growth forests to adjacent mature M. polymorpha-dominated forests as well as young M. polymorpha-dominated forests undergoing initial stages of primary succession on 36-years-old lava fields. Aboveground carbon density (ACD) values of mature primary forest stands (171 Mg/ha) were comparable to those of mature continental tropical forests. M. polymorpha-dominated second-growth stands attained nearly 50% of ACD values of mature primary forests after less than 30 years of post-disturbance succession and exhibited aboveground carbon accumulation rates of ~3 Mg C·ha-1 ·year-1 . Such rates were comparable to those of second-growth forests in continental tropics. Rates of ACD accumulation by second-growth forests dominated by nonnative F. moluccana stands were similar, or slightly greater than, those of M. polymorpha-dominated stands. However, M. polymorpha individuals were virtually absent from stands dominated by either P. cattleianum or F. moluccana. Taken together, results demonstrated that re-establishment and rapid accumulation of C mass by M. polymorpha stands during secondary succession is certainly possible, but only where populations of nonnative species have not already colonized areas during early stages of secondary succession.

Variation in aboveground biomass carbon accumulation in Scots pine seed orchards progeny

Increasing growth and biomass accumulation in forest stands may positively contribute to carbon (C) sequestration and climate change mitigation. Tree improvement programs develop planting material with enhanced growth and biomass accumulation. Scots pine is commonly planted in Europe, and provides a potential for increased C accumulation in forest biomass when using improved seed origins. Our objective was to investigate variation in standing aboveground C accumulation among the progeny of Scots pine seed orchards in climatically variable environments, where we also compared the amount of accumulated C between the tested populations and commercial stands. The aboveground biomass of trees in two series of replicated common garden trials was estimated with eight allometric equations, converted into C, and expressed per unit area. For each trial site we selected reference stands matching the age, stand composition and forest site type, where the same measurements and calculations were done on sample plots. We specifically expected to find the progeny that would express better growth and greater accumulation of C in their biomass when compared to the reference stands. Significant and large variation was found among the examined seed sources and trial sites. On average, aboveground C accumulation varied among sites from 31.0 to 60.4 Mg ha-1 (age 22) and from 25.5 to 34.0 Mg ha-1 (age 17). Differences between populations at individual sites ranged from 41% to 55% (age 22), and from 29% to 54% (age 17). However, only a few of the investigated progeny had C accumulation significantly greater than the reference stands, and some had a lower C accumulation, depending on the study site. This study for the first time quantifies the amount of and variation in aboveground C accumulation among the progeny of Scots pine clonal and seedling seed orchards in Poland. It also contributes to the knowledge of the patterns of within-species variation in growth and biomass accumulation. Variation we found is promising for the potential to enhance C sequestration in forest stands through tree improvement. However, the lower C accumulation or non-significant differences between research trials and reference stands, indicate that the level of growth enhancement from phenotypic selection practiced so far in Polish forestry is limited. For increased C sequestration in planted forests, selection would need to be intensified.

Carbon and ecohydrological priorities in managing woody encroachment: UAV perspective 63 years after a control treatment

Woody encroachment, including both woody species expansion and density increase, is a globally observed phenomenon that deteriorates arid and semi-arid rangeland health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Mechanical and chemical control treatments are commonly performed to reduce woody cover and restore ecohydrologic function. While the immediate impacts of woody control treatments are well documented in short-term studies, treatment impacts at decadal scales are not commonly studied. Using a controlled herbicide treatment from 1954 in the Sierra Ancha Experimental Forest in central Arizona, USA, we quantify woody encroachment and associated aboveground carbon accumulation in treated and untreated watersheds. Woody encroachment and aboveground carbon are estimated using high resolution multispectral images and photogrammetric data from a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). We then combine the contemporary UAV image-derived estimates with historical records from immediately before and after the treatment to consider long-term trends in woody vegetation cover, aboveground carbon, water yield, and sedimentation. Our results indicate that the treatment has had a lasting impact. More than six decades later, woody cover in two treated watersheds are still significantly lower compared to two control watersheds, even though woody cover increased in all four drainages. Aboveground woody carbon in the treated watersheds is approximately one half that accumulated in the control watersheds. The historical records indicate that herbicide treatment also increased water yield and reduced annual sedimentation. Given the sustained reduction in woody cover and aboveground woody biomass in treated watersheds, we infer that the herbicide treatment has had similarly long lasting impacts on ecohydrological function. Land managers can consider legacy impacts from control treatments to better balance carbon and ecohydrological consequences of woody encroachment and treatment activities.

Response of Calamagrostis angustifolia to burn frequency and seasonality in the Sanjiang Plain wetlands (Northeast China)

Fire is an important disturbance in many wetlands, which are key carbon reservoirs at both regional and global scales. However, the effects of fire on wetland vegetation biomass and plant carbon dynamics are poorly understood. We carried out a burn experiment in a Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland in Sanjiang Plain (Northeast China), which is widespread wetland type in China and frequently exposed to fire. Using a series of replicated experimental annual burns over a three-year period (spring and autumn burns carried out one, two or three times over three consecutive years), together with a control unburned treatment, we assessed the effect of burn seasonality and frequency on aboveground biomass, stem density, and carbon content of aboveground plant parts and ground litter. We found that burning promoted plant growth and hence plant biomass in burned sites compared to the unburned control, with this effect being greatest after three consecutive burn years. Autumn burns promoted higher stem density and more total aboveground biomass than spring burns after three consecutive burn years. Burning increased stem density significantly, especially in twice and thrice burned plots, with stem densities in September over 2000 N/m2, which was much higher than in the control plots (987 ± 190 N/m2). Autumn burns had a larger effect than spring burns on total plant biomass and litter accumulated (e.g. 1236 ± 295 g/m2 after thrice autumn burns compared 796.2 ± 66.6 g/m2 after thrice spring burns), except after two burn treatments. With time since burning, total biomass loads increased in spring-burned plots, while autumn-burned plots showed the opposite trend, declining towards values found at unburned plots in year three. Our results suggest that, at short fire return intervals, autumn burns lead to a more pronounced increase in aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation than spring burns; however, the effects of spring burns on biomass and carbon accumulation are longer lasting than those observed for autumn burns.

Aboveground Biomass and Carbon Accumulation 19 Years Post-Windthrow and Salvage Logging

Natural disturbances shape forest ecosystem characteristics, including carbon storage and structure. Often, natural disturbances are compounded with anthropogenic disturbances, which may alter the trajectory of forest carbon stock recovery. Heterogeneous levels of disturbance severity in compound disturbance events add an additional layer of complexity. This paper examines the effect of a moderate-severity wind disturbance and subsequent salvage logging on forest biomass and carbon stock recovery over 19 years. We investigate the recovery of aboveground tree biomass following a wind disturbance and salvage logging and examine the role of wind disturbance severity on biomass accumulation rates. We use pre-disturbance, 3 years post-wind disturbance and 19 years post-wind disturbance measurements of tree biomass across two adjacent sites at Natchez Trace State Forest for Site A and Site B in east central Tennessee. We found no significant difference in the carbon storage at Site A (pre = 92 MgC/ha; 19 years post-disturbance = 83 MgC/ha) or Site B (pre = 66 MgC/ha; 19 years post-disturbance = 67) when comparing the pre-disturbance level of aboveground tree carbon storage with the 19-years post-disturbance levels. Furthermore, we found no evidence that salvage logging reduced the rate of live tree carbon accumulation. The corresponding rates of mean annual carbon accumulation (MgC/ha) are as follows: Site A Unsalvaged (1.07), Site A Salvaged (1.25) and Site B Salvaged (2.02). Contrary to our prediction, greater wind damage severity was weakly associated with higher rates of biomass accumulation (R2 = 0.17). While we found no negative effect of salvage logging on the aboveground tree carbon accumulation rate, salvage logging alters other carbon pools, including coarse woody debris. Salvage logging did not reduce the rate of carbon stock recovery, and a higher wind disturbance severity was associated with a greater rate of carbon stock recovery.

Current and Future Carbon Storage Capacity in a Southeastern Pennsylvania Forest

Temperate forests have a strong carbon sink capacity, although the future of this ecosystem service is uncertain in the eastern United States in light of widespread changes affecting succession. This study quantified aboveground carbon accumulation and storage in a southeastern Pennsylvania forest fragment, while assessing whether carbon storage capacity will be supported in the future. Six 0.2 ha plots were censused in 2013 and 2018 for living tree and dead wood carbon storage, as well as tree species composition. Three plots were in a 100-year-old forest, while the remainder were in a 200-year-old forest. Living tree carbon storage increased significantly over time (p 60 cm). Compositional data suggest decreased future canopy tree diversity, with the native Fagus grandifolia and nonnative Acer platanoides dominating forest understories. While there is high living tree carbon storage capacity, the dead wood pool will increase over time as many large trees die. Intervention to augment regeneration and maintain sink strength in the 200-year-old forest is needed. Action to limit the spread of A. platanoides and increase native regeneration throughout the forest will support forest resilience and long-term carbon storage capacity. Assessments of understory conditions are critical in supporting forests' carbon sink capacity into the future.

Ecosystem services in vineyard landscapes: a focus on aboveground carbon storage and accumulation

BackgroundOrganic viticulture can generate a range of ecosystem services including supporting biodiversity, reducing the use of conventional pesticides and fertilizers, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through long-term carbon (C) storage. Here we focused on aboveground C storage rates and accumulation using a one-year increment analysis applied across different winegrape varietals and different-aged vineyard blocks. This produced a chronosequence of C storage rates over what is roughly the productive lifespan of most vines (aged 2–30 years). To our knowledge, this study provides the first estimate of C storage rates in the woody biomass of vines. Additionally, we assessed C storage in wildland buffers and adjacent oak-dominated habitats over a 9-year period.ResultsCarbon storage averaged 6.5 Mg/Ha in vines. We found the average annual increase in woody C storage was 43% by mass. Variation correlated most strongly with vine age, where the younger the vine, the greater the relative increase in annual C. Decreases in C increment rates with vine age were more than offset by the greater overall biomass of older vines, such that C on the landscape continued to increase over the life of the vines at 18.5% per year on average. Varietal did not significantly affect storage rates or total C stored. Carbon storage averaged 81.7 Mg/Ha in native perennial buffer vegetation; we found an 11% increase in mass over 9 years for oak woodlands and savannas.ConclusionsDespite a decrease in the annual rate of C accumulation as vines age, we found a net increase in aboveground C in the woody biomass of vines. The results indicate the positive role that older vines play in on-farm (vineyard) C and overall aboveground accumulation rates. Additionally, we found that the conservation of native perennial vegetation as vineyard buffers and edge habitats contributes substantially to overall C stores. We recommend that future research consider longer time horizons for increment analysis, as this should improve the precision of C accumulation rate estimates, including in belowground (i.e., soil) reservoirs.

Linkages of aboveground plant carbon accumulation rate with ecosystem multifunctionality in alpine grassland, Qingzang Plateau

Linkages of aboveground plant carbon accumulation rate with ecosystem multifunctionality in alpine grassland, Qingzang Plateau

The cost of restoring carbon stocks in Brazil's Atlantic Forest

AbstractKnowing which restoration approach provides the best returns on investment for accumulating carbon is essential to foster restoration planning, financing, and implementation. Here, we explored the cost‐effectiveness and drivers of aboveground and soil carbon accumulation in restored forests across an agricultural landscape of Brazil's Atlantic Forest. The recovery of aboveground and soil carbon stocks, as well as the implementation and land opportunity costs, was assessed across chronosequences (10–60 years) of second‐growth forests and mixed‐species tree plantings and old growth, reference forest remnants. Plantations accumulated approximately 50% more aboveground carbon than second‐growth forests throughout the chronosequence. When controlling for soil clay content, soil carbon stocks were higher in reference than in restored forests, but they were comparable between plantations and second‐growth forests. After 60 years of stand development, recovery of total carbon stocks in both restoration approaches reached only half of the average stocks of reference forests. Total cost‐effectiveness for carbon accumulation, including both implementation and land opportunity costs, was on average 60% higher for second‐growth forests than for plantations (15.1 and 9.4 kgC US$−1, respectively). Although tree plantations initially showed higher rates of carbon storage than second‐growth forests, their higher implementation and land opportunity costs make them less cost‐effective for carbon farming. Our results further suggest that, at current pricing levels, carbon markets alone have a limited potential to up‐scale restoration efforts in Brazil's Atlantic Forest.