How does the potential to sequester carbon via short rotation forestry vary with species?
- 1University of Exeter, Department of Geography, Exeter, UK
- 2Forest Research, Alice Holt, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, UK
- 3Forest Research, Northern Research Station, Roslin, UK
- 4The National Trust, Swindon, UK
- 5Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
Conversion of land to short rotation forestry (fast growing, densely planted trees, harvested within 15 years) has increased in recent years. The wood produced is primarily used in short lived products (e.g. paper) or as biomass for renewable energy production, quickly returning carbon to the atmosphere.
We ask, how much potential is there to sequester carbon via short rotation forestry and how does it differ between species when soil type and meteorological conditions are the same?
We present preliminary results from a species field trial nearing maturity (planted in 2010), comparing soil carbon stocks (pre-planting to the present day); woody biomass; total and heterotrophic below-ground respiration; soil methane fluxes and leaf area index assessments between six commonly used short rotation forestry species (silver birch, common alder, sycamore, sweet chestnut, aspen and red alder).
How to cite: Gatis, N., Galstaun, L., Luscombe, D., Vanguelova, E., Hill, T., Xenakis, G., Wilkinson, M., Heard, M., Anderson, K., Morrison, J., and Brazier, R.: How does the potential to sequester carbon via short rotation forestry vary with species?, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-5407, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-5407, 2023.
