Impact of deadwood decomposition on soil organic carbon sequestration in Estonian and Polish forests

Abstract

& Key message The deadwood of different tree species with different decomposition rates affects soil organic carbon sequestration in Estonian and Polish forests. In warmer conditions (Poland), the deadwood decomposition process had a higher rate than in cooler Estonian forests. Soil organic matter fractions analysis can be used to assess the stability and turnover of organic carbon between deadwood and soil in different experimental localities. & Context Deadwood is an important element of properly functioning forest ecosystem and plays a very important role in the maintenance of biodiversity, soil fertility, and carbon sequestration. & Aims The main aim was to estimate how decomposition of deadwood of different tree species with different decomposition rates affects soil organic carbon sequestration in Estonian and Polish forests. & Methods The investigation was carried out in six forests in Poland (51°N) and Estonia (58°N). The study localities differ in their mean annual air temperature (of 2°C) and the length of the growing season (of 1 month). The deadwood logs of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), common aspen (Populus tremula L.), and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) were included in the research. Logs in three stages of decomposition (III-V) were selected for the analysis. & Results There were differences in the stock of soil organic carbon in two experimental localities. There was a higher soil carbon content under logs and in their direct vicinity in Polish forests compared to those in the cooler climate of Estonia. Considerable differences in the amount of soil organic matter were found. The light fraction constituted the greatest quantitative component of organic matter of soils associated with deadwood.

Boreal tree species change as a climate mitigation strategy: impact on ecosystem C and N stocks and soil nutrient levels

“…Dead wood.-Dead wood has been found to play an important role for long-term storage of C in forests (Pukkala 2018), including carbon sequestration in forest soils (Blonska et al 2019). The mean dead wood to total forest ecosystem C stock in the current study was approximately double the estimate for European boreal forests (0.9%), and one third of the average for boreal forests (6%) (Pan et al 2011).…”

“…In both the spruce and the birch stands, however, the relative SOC to total ecosystem C stock was lower than reported by Grønlund et al (2010). The similar SOC stocks in the birch and spruce stands within the current rotation length of 45-60 yr are potentially a combined effect of a loss and a subsequent accumulation of SOC following the removal of the original birch in the spruce stands (Nave et al 2010, Blonska et al 2019, Mayer et al 2020. A prolonged rotation period may increase the soil C stocks of the spruce stands, as the suggested recovery period of the forest floor SOC stock following clear-cut in forests growing on Podzols may be up to 70 yr (Nave et al 2010).…”

Deadwood, Soil and Carabid Beetle-Based Interaction Networks—An Initial Case Study from Montane Coniferous Forests in Poland

“…Szyszko et al [15] showed a significant increase in the MIB value of epigeic carabid beetles together with an increase in the carbon content of a forest stand. Changes in soil parameters, and consequently in carabid biomass under the influence of deadwood, may have a relationship with the degree of its decomposition, determined by the form and species composition of a stand and microenvironmental conditions [16,17]. An increase humidity, decrease temperature along an altitudinal gradient may have consequences in decrease of MIB of carabid beetles [18,19].…”

Availability and Structure of Coarse Woody Debris in Hemiboreal Mature to Old-Growth Aspen Stands and Its Implications for Forest Carbon Pool

“…Deadwood is also an important carbon pool that partly acts as a carbon source to the atmosphere and partly redistributes carbon to soil [83,84]. The vast heterogeneity of deadwood (e.g., tree species, type, size, pose, level of decay) that determine the richness of saproxylic organisms [67,85] makes it complicated to assess carbon storage within it.…”