Effects of Forest Tending Works on Carbon Storage in a Pinus densiflora Stand

Abstract

We conducted research to determine the effects of forest tending works (FTW) on forest carbon(C) storage in Korean red pine forests by estimating changes in the quantity and distribution of stored organic C in an approximately 40-year-old red pine stand after FTW. We measured organic C storage (above- and belowground biomass C, forest floor C, and soil C at 50 cm depth) in the Hwangmaesan Soopkakkugi model trees/ha to 367 trees/ha. The total C stored in tree biomass was 69.5 Mg C/ha before FTW and 38.6 Mg C/ha after FTW. The change in total C storage in tree biomass primarily resulted from the loss of 19.9 Mg C/ha stored in stem biomass after FTW. The total C pool in this red pine stand was 276 Mg C/ha before FTW and 245.1 Mg C/ha after FTW. Prior to FTW, 71.5% of the total C pool was stored in mineral soil, 25.2% in tree biomass, and 3.3% in the forest floor, where as after FTW 80.5% of the total C pool was stored in mineral soil, 15.7% in tree biomass and 3.7% in the forest flor. These results suggest that the development of site-specific tending techniques may be required to minimize the loss of tree biomass C storage capacity in red pine stands from FTW.