RT Journal Article
T1 Influence of tree species on carbon sequestration in afforested pastures in a humid temperate region
A1 Pérez Cruzado, César
A1 Mansilla Salinero, Pablo
A1 Rodríguez Soalleiro, Roque
A1 Merino García, Agustín
K1 Eucalyptus
K1 Pinus radiata
K1 Pasture
K1 Afforestation
K1 Tree biomass
K1 Forest floor
K1 Soil organic matter
AB ObjectivesThis study examines the influence of tree species in relation to biomass and soil C dynamics in plantations established on former pasture land. Data on the C sink capacity of such plantations will provide valuable information for designing improved management strategies for afforestation programmes aimed at mitigating CO2 emissions.MethodsThe study was carried in the temperate forest of southern Europe, one of the most productive timber production systems in Europe. The study, designed to control most of the variability at regional level, involved a network of 120 paired plots (former pasture land-new plantations of different ages) established to construct three well-replicated chronosequences of the most common tree species in humid temperate systems.ResultsThe mean rates of C sequestration (biomass and soil) estimated throughout the rotation ranged between 8.7 and 14.6 Mg C ha−1 year−1 (Eucalyptus nitens>Eucalyptus globulus>Pinus radiata), and the contribution of the soil (forest floor plus mineral soil) ranged from 8 to 18% (Eucalyptus nitens>Pinus radiata>Eucalyptus globulus). The humid temperate climate and the sandy loam texture of the soils favoured large losses of SOC from the uppermost mineral soils during the 10 year after afforestation. The higher loss of SOC in the Pinus radiata soil (26% of initial SOC) than in the Eucalyptus soil (19.45% of initial SOC) was attributed to the lower transfer of organic C to the mineral soil, as a result of the lower litter decomposition rate and the lower belowground litter input from associated vegetation. The rapid development of tree biomass favoured the subsequent C sequestration in biomass and soils.ConclusionThe C sink capacity of forest plantations can be maximized by elongating the rotation length and adopting suitable management strategies for each species. This is especially important in intensive forest plantations in which the high intensity of harvesting may prevent accumulation of SOC in the long term.
PB Springer Science
SN 0032-079X
YR 2012
FD 2012
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/39293
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/39293
LA eng
NO Pérez-Cruzado, C., Mansilla-Salinero, P., Rodríguez-Soalleiro, R., & Merino, A. (2012). Influence of tree species on carbon sequestration in afforested pastures in a humid temperate region. Plant and Soil, 353, 333–353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-1035-0
NO This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-1035-0
NO The study was cofunded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and by ERDF (SUM2006-00006-00-00; AGL2009-13400-C05-04; AGL2010-22308-C02-01), and a FPU-MEC Spanish Fellowship awarded to the correspondent author (AP-2007-04367)
DS Minerva
RD 23 abr 2026