Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern China

Scientifically understanding how to increase the carbon stocks of plantations under the great demand for forest carbon sinks to meet the 2.0 or 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement is attracting mounting attention. As one of the most promising plantation management regimes, it is pertinent to ask whe...

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Main Authors: Jinmei Xu, Huiling Tian, Jun Xiao, Zhaochen Li, Wenfa Xiao, Runsheng Yin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1495771/full
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author Jinmei Xu
Huiling Tian
Jun Xiao
Zhaochen Li
Wenfa Xiao
Runsheng Yin
author_facet Jinmei Xu
Huiling Tian
Jun Xiao
Zhaochen Li
Wenfa Xiao
Runsheng Yin
author_sort Jinmei Xu
collection DOAJ
description Scientifically understanding how to increase the carbon stocks of plantations under the great demand for forest carbon sinks to meet the 2.0 or 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement is attracting mounting attention. As one of the most promising plantation management regimes, it is pertinent to ask whether close-to-nature management could improve the carbon stocks of Pinus tabuliformis plantations in trees, shrubs, grasses, litter, and soil. This study investigated and analyzed the effects of close-to-nature management, in comparison with no human intervention, on the carbon stocks of P. tabuliformis plantations in three age-classes (10-, 47-, and 56-year-old stands) over 6 years in the Wangyedian Experimental Forest Farm of Chifeng, China. The results showed under close-to-nature management and no human intervention, the amounts of carbon stocks of P. tabulaeformis plantations were similarly ranked (soil > trees > litter > grasses > shrubs), and the trees, vegetation, and ecosystem carbon stocks of P. tabuliformis plantations increased significantly with stand age (p < 0.05). Close-to-nature management increased the annual increment of the tree carbon stock in 47- and 56-year-old stands, as well as that of the soil carbon stock and ecosystem carbon stock in 56-year-old stands, and also that of litter carbon stock in all stands, whereas it decreased both soil and ecosystem carbon stocks’ annual increment in 10- and 47-year-old stands. The annual increment of the ecosystem carbon stock was greater in 56-year-old (7.49 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1) than 47-year-old stands (5.82 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1) under close-to-nature management, but vice versa under no human intervention (56-year-old: 3.98 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1 vs. 47-year-old: 6.78 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1). This inverted response indicates that reasonable management measures could increase the ecosystem carbon stock of mature forest as defined by current Chinese age classification standards. Additionally, since the tree carbon stock of ca. 60-year-old P. tabuliformis stands is still growing, this suggests the plantation maturity of this pine specie can and should be extended to produce timber with larger diameters that sequester more carbon.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
spelling doaj-art-b0ed6a44d75b47039be24bfb862428f42025-01-28T06:41:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Forests and Global Change2624-893X2025-01-01710.3389/ffgc.2024.14957711495771Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern ChinaJinmei Xu0Huiling Tian1Jun Xiao2Zhaochen Li3Wenfa Xiao4Runsheng Yin5Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Forest Resource Information Techniques, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, ChinaEcological Construction Project Management Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing, ChinaResearch Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, ChinaAcademy of Forestry and Grassland Carbon Sink, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Forestry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United StatesScientifically understanding how to increase the carbon stocks of plantations under the great demand for forest carbon sinks to meet the 2.0 or 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement is attracting mounting attention. As one of the most promising plantation management regimes, it is pertinent to ask whether close-to-nature management could improve the carbon stocks of Pinus tabuliformis plantations in trees, shrubs, grasses, litter, and soil. This study investigated and analyzed the effects of close-to-nature management, in comparison with no human intervention, on the carbon stocks of P. tabuliformis plantations in three age-classes (10-, 47-, and 56-year-old stands) over 6 years in the Wangyedian Experimental Forest Farm of Chifeng, China. The results showed under close-to-nature management and no human intervention, the amounts of carbon stocks of P. tabulaeformis plantations were similarly ranked (soil > trees > litter > grasses > shrubs), and the trees, vegetation, and ecosystem carbon stocks of P. tabuliformis plantations increased significantly with stand age (p < 0.05). Close-to-nature management increased the annual increment of the tree carbon stock in 47- and 56-year-old stands, as well as that of the soil carbon stock and ecosystem carbon stock in 56-year-old stands, and also that of litter carbon stock in all stands, whereas it decreased both soil and ecosystem carbon stocks’ annual increment in 10- and 47-year-old stands. The annual increment of the ecosystem carbon stock was greater in 56-year-old (7.49 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1) than 47-year-old stands (5.82 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1) under close-to-nature management, but vice versa under no human intervention (56-year-old: 3.98 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1 vs. 47-year-old: 6.78 Mg∙hm−2∙a−1). This inverted response indicates that reasonable management measures could increase the ecosystem carbon stock of mature forest as defined by current Chinese age classification standards. Additionally, since the tree carbon stock of ca. 60-year-old P. tabuliformis stands is still growing, this suggests the plantation maturity of this pine specie can and should be extended to produce timber with larger diameters that sequester more carbon.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1495771/fullPinus tabulaeformis plantationsclose-to-nature managementcarbon stockcarbon dynamicsWangyedian Experimental Forest Farm
spellingShingle Jinmei Xu
Huiling Tian
Jun Xiao
Zhaochen Li
Wenfa Xiao
Runsheng Yin
Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern China
Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
Pinus tabulaeformis plantations
close-to-nature management
carbon stock
carbon dynamics
Wangyedian Experimental Forest Farm
title Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern China
title_full Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern China
title_fullStr Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern China
title_full_unstemmed Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern China
title_short Effects of close-to-nature forest management on carbon stocks in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern China
title_sort effects of close to nature forest management on carbon stocks in pinus tabulaeformis plantations in northern china
topic Pinus tabulaeformis plantations
close-to-nature management
carbon stock
carbon dynamics
Wangyedian Experimental Forest Farm
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1495771/full
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