Quantifying the Effect Size of Management Actions on Aboveground Carbon Stocks in Forest Plantations

Abstract

Purpose of the Review Improved forest management is a promising avenue for climate change mitigation. However, we lack synthetic understanding of how different management actions impact aboveground carbon stocks, particularly at scales relevant for designing and implementing forest-based climate solutions. Here, we quantitatively assess and review the impacts of three common practices—application of inorganic NPK fertilizer, interplanting with N-fixing species, and thinning—on aboveground carbon stocks in plantation forests. Recent Findings Site-level empirical studies show both positive and negative effects of inorganic fertilization, interplanting, and thinning on aboveground carbon stocks in plantation forests. Recent findings and the results of our analysis suggest that these effects are heavily moderated by factors such as species selection, precipitation, time since practice, soil moisture regime, and previous land use. Interplanting of N-fixing crops initially has no effect on carbon storage in main tree crops, but the effect becomes positive in older stands. Conversely, the application of NPK fertilizers increases aboveground carbon stocks, though the effect lessens with time. Moreover, increases in aboveground carbon stocks may be partially or completely offset by emissions from the application of inorganic fertilizer. Thinning results in a strong reduction of aboveground carbon stocks, though the effect lessens with time. Summary Management practices tend to have strong directional effects on aboveground carbon stocks in plantation forests but are moderated by site-specific management, climatic, and edaphic factors. The effect sizes quantified in our meta-analysis can serve as benchmarks for the design and scoping of improved forest management projects as forest-based climate solutions. Overall, management actions can enhance the climate mitigation potential of plantation forests, if performed with sufficient attention to the nuances of local conditions.

The Estimation of Forest Carbon Sink Potential and Influencing Factors in Huangshan National Forest Park in China

“…Forest carbon stock is an important indicator for studying the exchange of carbon between forest ecosystems and the atmosphere. Existing studies have explored many factors affecting forest carbon stock, including environmental factors [33,34], climatic factors [35], and artificial influences [36]. However, carbon stocks vary depending on the population composition and dominant species type [37], and a selection of carbon stock studies ignore the growth condition of forests and so cannot directly reflect the response of forest ecosystems.…”

3PG-MT-LSTM: A Hybrid Model under Biomass Compatibility Constraints for the Prediction of Long-Term Forest Growth to Support Sustainable Management

“…Accurately estimating the synergistic effect of thinning and climate on forest growth is of great significance for optimizing the utilization of forest resources and improving the ecological quality of forests [9][10][11]. In recent years, researchers have extensively explored how to estimate the response of forest biomass to thinning operations and climate change [12,13].…”

“…In the context of climate change, precisely assessing the impact of thinning on forest growth presents a viable approach to enhance forest structure, ecological quality, and service functions [12,38]. At present, we still lack the technical means to effectively and accurately understand how management behaviors affect forest production.…”