Contrasting carbon storage with timber production in managed and unmanaged Oak forests in Austria based on simulations and observations

Oaks (Quercus sp.) are common tree species growing under subtropical to (hemi-)boreal climates and are expected to become more widespread due to climate change and related adaptation management decisions. Due to their high wood density, valuable timber, resistance towards drought and long-life expectations, oaks can be promising candidates for future tree species for maintaining in-situ carbon storage in European forests as well as provisioning long-lived wood products. Forest structure is important for forest growth and forest value and is the legacy of historic forest management (or its absence), site conditions and tree species presence. Mechanistic modelling tools, such as the hybrid patch model PICUS, allow exploring possible trajectories of forest development and quantifying the effects of climate, stand density and management.Here we report on a case study in the project “OptFor-EU” in Oak-Hornbeam forests in Austria, that are already subject to water-limitations. We tested state-of-the-art stand establishment methods against naturally regenerated stands and found that large-dimension timber can be produced within less than 100 years, with appropriate intensive management routines. We demonstrate, by comparing simulations with observations, that intensified management will likely lead to reduced carbon storage and increased carbon uptake, indicating trade-offs between timber production and carbon storage. We expect that adaptive forest management alternatives can help balance forest ecosystem services and support knowledge-based decision support.

References

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