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Natascha Kljun. Photo.

Natascha Kljun

Professor

Natascha Kljun. Photo.

Impacts of stump harvesting on carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide fluxes

Author

  • Patrik Vestin
  • Meelis Mölder
  • N Kljun
  • Zhanzhang Cai
  • Abdulghani Hasan
  • Jutta Holst
  • Leif Klemedtsson
  • Anders Lindroth

Summary, in English

During 2010-2013, we investigated the effects of stump harvesting on greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) with the flux-gradient technique at four experimental plots in a hemiboreal forest in Sweden. All plots were clear-cut and soil scarified and two of the plots were additionally stump harvested. The two clear-cut plots served as control plots. Due to differences in topography, we had one wetter and one drier plot of each treatment. All plots exhibited substantial emissions of GHGs and we noted significant effects of wetness on CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes within treatments and significant effects of stump harvesting on CO2 and N2O fluxes at the dry plots. The CO2 emissions were lower at the dry stump harvested plot than at the dry control, but when estimated emissions from the removed stumps were added, total CO2 emissions were higher at the stump harvested plot, indicating a small enhancement of soil respiration. In addition, we noted significant emissions of N2O at this plot. At the wet plots, CO2 emissions were higher at the stump harvested plot, also suggesting a treatment effect but differences in wetness and vegetation cover at these plots make this effect more uncertain. At the wet plots, we noted sustained periods (weeks to months) of net N2O uptake. During the year with simultaneous measurements of the abovementioned GHGs, GHG budgets were 1.224×103 and 1.442×103 gm-2 of CO2-equivalents at the wet and dry stump harvested plots, respectively, and 1.070×103 and 1.696×103 gm-2 of CO2-equivalents at the wet and dry control plots, respectively. CO2 fluxes dominated GHG budgets at all plots but N2O contributed with 17% at the dry stump harvested plot. For the full period 2010-2013, total carbon (CO2+CH4) budgets were 4.301×103 and 4.114×103 g m-2 of CO2-eqvivalents at the wet and dry stump harvest plots, respectively and 4.107×103 and 5.274×103 gm-2 of CO2-equivalents at the wet and dry control plots, respectively. Our results support recent studies suggesting that stump harvesting does not result in substantial increase in CO2 emissions but uncertainties regarding GHG fluxes (especially N2O) remain and more long-term measurements are needed before robust conclusions can be drawn.

Department/s

  • Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
  • ICOS Sweden
  • Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC)
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system

Publishing year

2022-06

Language

English

Pages

148-162

Publication/Series

iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry

Volume

15

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

The Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF)

Topic

  • Physical Geography
  • Climate Research
  • Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • CH
  • Climate Change Mitigation
  • CO
  • Forest Management
  • Greenhouse Gas Budget
  • Hemiboreal Forest
  • NO
  • Stump Harvesting

Status

Published