Summary
Published in Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 39(2): 101-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2024.2305186
Uncertainties remain regarding the carbon (C) loss due to scarification in afforested lichen woodlands (LW), which originate from regeneration failures of closed-crown black spruce- feathermoss stands due to compounded disturbances. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize the C stock changes in the forest floor of scarified, unharvested LWs. Ten afforestation trials were established from 1999 to 2014 in LWs in the managed boreal forest of Québec. Ground surface layers were sampled in 2017 for different microsites. From 3 to 18 years after treatment, scarified floors exhibited ≈ 2 Mg ha−1 C loss, due to opposite trends in the furrow and ridge microsites. Both gradually approached the undisturbed C density level of forest floor between furrow pairs and between skidder trails microsites without reaching it after 18 years. This suggests that microsite C density continued to evolve afterward, and that losses due to scarification might be recovered, due to a higher potential gain in the furrow microsites combined with a lower expected loss in the ridge microsites. Carbon managers should use a permanent 2 Mg ha−1 C loss in the forest floor due to scarification in LWs, acknowledging that this is offset by the growth of planted trees.
Sector(s):
Forests
Categorie(s):
Scientific Article
Theme(s):
Forestry Research, Forests, Silviculture
Departmental author(s):
Author(s)
DUFOUR, Boris, François HÉBERT and Jean-François BOUCHER
Year of publication :
2024
How to get the publication :
Keywords :
article scientifique, scientific article, sylviculture et rendement des plantations, silviculture and yield of plantations, afforestation, plantation, Picea mariana, climate warming, disc trenching, boisement, plantation, épinette noire, réchauffement climatique, scarifiage
