Carbon sequestration and storage capacity of Chinese fir at different stand ages

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2023-12, Vol.904, p.166962-166962, Article 166962
• Main Authors: Li, Xu, Ramos Aguila, Luis Carlos, Wu, Donghai, Lie, Zhiyang, Xu, Wenfang, Tang, Xuli, Liu, Juxiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: afforestation; Atmospheric CO2; carbon sequestration; Carbon sink; carbon sinks; China; Climate change; conifers; Cunninghamia lanceolata; ecosystems; environment; Forest age; forest land; forests; soil; Soil carbon storage; stand age; tree age; understory
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166962

In southern China, Chinese fir Cunninghamia lanceolata is one of the most important native conifer trees, widely used in afforestation programs. This area has the largest forestland atmospheric carbon sink, and a relatively young stand age characterizes these forests. However, how C. lanceolata forests evolved regarding their ability to sequester carbon remains unclear. Here we present data on carbon storage and sequestration capacity of C. lanceolata at six stand ages (5−, 10−, 15−, 20−, 30− and 60 − year−old stands). Results show that the carbon stock in trees, understory, vegetation, litter, soil, and ecosystem significantly increased with forest age. The total ecosystem carbon stock increased from 129.11 to 348.43 Mg ha−1 in the 5− and 60 − year−old stands. The carbon sequestration rate of C. lanceolata shows an overall increase in the first two stand intervals (5–10 and 10–15), peaks in the 15–20 stand intervals, and then decreases in the 20–30 and 30–60 stand intervals. Our result revealed that carbon sequestration rate is a matter of tree age, with the highest sequestration rates occurring in the middle age forest (15–20 − year−old). Therefore, this information may be useful for national climate change mitigation actions and afforestation programs, since forests are primarily planted for this purpose. [Display omitted] •Carbon sequestration rate in C. lanceolata is a matter of tree age.•Middle age 15–20 − year and young 5–10 − year forest sequester more carbon than mature 30–60 − year forests•Forest age plays a significant role in global decarbonization.