Woody Detritus as a Control of Forest Carbon Budgets
Event Website
http://www.nafew2009.org/
Start Date
6-25-2009 11:30 AM
End Date
6-25-2009 11:50 AM
Description
It is becoming increasingly apparent that the role of woody detritus in forest carbon dynamics can no longer be ignored. Not only is woody detritus a major carbon store in forests, but its importance increases with disturbances. The factors controlling the production and decomposition of this material have been identified. However, how these factors interact and how the balance of these interactions changes from place to place has not been appreciated. The amount and nature of the woody detritus created and left by disturbance profoundly influences the pattern of net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) over succession. The more woody detritus left by disturbances, the longer NECB remains negative. Since there is a feedback between the accumulation in live wood versus the losses from woody detritus, the average of NECB over succession approaches zero unless the nature of the disturbance regime changes. With increasing rates of disturbance being observed in North America, it is highly likely that losses from woody detritus decomposition will cause a shift from a positive NECB (sink) to a negative NECB over the next few decades. The timing and magnitude of this shift is highly uncertain due to the stochastic nature of disturbance and our very poor understanding of woody detritus decomposition.
Woody Detritus as a Control of Forest Carbon Budgets
It is becoming increasingly apparent that the role of woody detritus in forest carbon dynamics can no longer be ignored. Not only is woody detritus a major carbon store in forests, but its importance increases with disturbances. The factors controlling the production and decomposition of this material have been identified. However, how these factors interact and how the balance of these interactions changes from place to place has not been appreciated. The amount and nature of the woody detritus created and left by disturbance profoundly influences the pattern of net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) over succession. The more woody detritus left by disturbances, the longer NECB remains negative. Since there is a feedback between the accumulation in live wood versus the losses from woody detritus, the average of NECB over succession approaches zero unless the nature of the disturbance regime changes. With increasing rates of disturbance being observed in North America, it is highly likely that losses from woody detritus decomposition will cause a shift from a positive NECB (sink) to a negative NECB over the next few decades. The timing and magnitude of this shift is highly uncertain due to the stochastic nature of disturbance and our very poor understanding of woody detritus decomposition.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/nafecology/sessions/forest_detritus/1