Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological Conditions
Hardwood floodplain (HF) forests can store a considerable amount of carbon (C), and floodplains may be good candidates for reforestation to provide natural C sinks. In this study, we use nondestructive inventory methods to estimate the C stocks of different tree species and C pools within HF forests...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/5/670 |
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| author | Heather A. Shupe Timo Hartmann Mathias Scholz Kai Jensen Kristin Ludewig |
| author_facet | Heather A. Shupe Timo Hartmann Mathias Scholz Kai Jensen Kristin Ludewig |
| author_sort | Heather A. Shupe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hardwood floodplain (HF) forests can store a considerable amount of carbon (C), and floodplains may be good candidates for reforestation to provide natural C sinks. In this study, we use nondestructive inventory methods to estimate the C stocks of different tree species and C pools within HF forests of varying age and structure and located at sites differing in hydrological conditions (low and high active floodplain, seepage water zone, tributaries). The study was carried out along the Elbe river (Germany). Average C stocks for young plantations in the active floodplain were significantly lower (50.2 ± 10.8 SE Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) than those of old dense (140.6 ± 11.6 SE Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) and old sparse forests (180.4 ± 26.6 SE Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) with comparable hydrological conditions. C stocks of old dense forests did not significantly vary from old sparse forests. Additionally, C stocks of old forests did not significantly vary according to hydrological conditions. The highest amount of C was stored in <i>Quercus robur</i> for all hydrological conditions. <i>Ulmus laevis</i> stored the second-highest amount of C on the active floodplain. We conclude that sparse and dense forests as well as forests under different hydrological conditions provide the same C storage function. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:03:02Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:03:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
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| spelling | doaj.art-22b0d4cd7e324b1795d7e4b3304654332023-12-03T12:07:14ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-03-0113567010.3390/w13050670Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological ConditionsHeather A. Shupe0Timo Hartmann1Mathias Scholz2Kai Jensen3Kristin Ludewig4Applied Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststraße 18, 22609 Hamburg, GermanyHelmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Conservation Biology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanyHelmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Department of Conservation Biology, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, GermanyApplied Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststraße 18, 22609 Hamburg, GermanyApplied Plant Ecology, Institute of Plant Sciences and Microbiology, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststraße 18, 22609 Hamburg, GermanyHardwood floodplain (HF) forests can store a considerable amount of carbon (C), and floodplains may be good candidates for reforestation to provide natural C sinks. In this study, we use nondestructive inventory methods to estimate the C stocks of different tree species and C pools within HF forests of varying age and structure and located at sites differing in hydrological conditions (low and high active floodplain, seepage water zone, tributaries). The study was carried out along the Elbe river (Germany). Average C stocks for young plantations in the active floodplain were significantly lower (50.2 ± 10.8 SE Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) than those of old dense (140.6 ± 11.6 SE Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) and old sparse forests (180.4 ± 26.6 SE Mg ha<sup>−1</sup>) with comparable hydrological conditions. C stocks of old dense forests did not significantly vary from old sparse forests. Additionally, C stocks of old forests did not significantly vary according to hydrological conditions. The highest amount of C was stored in <i>Quercus robur</i> for all hydrological conditions. <i>Ulmus laevis</i> stored the second-highest amount of C on the active floodplain. We conclude that sparse and dense forests as well as forests under different hydrological conditions provide the same C storage function.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/5/670carbon stockshardwood floodplain foresthydrological conditionsfloodplain ecology |
| spellingShingle | Heather A. Shupe Timo Hartmann Mathias Scholz Kai Jensen Kristin Ludewig Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological Conditions Water carbon stocks hardwood floodplain forest hydrological conditions floodplain ecology |
| title | Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological Conditions |
| title_full | Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological Conditions |
| title_short | Carbon Stocks of Hardwood Floodplain Forests along the Middle Elbe: The Influence of Forest Age, Structure, Species, and Hydrological Conditions |
| title_sort | carbon stocks of hardwood floodplain forests along the middle elbe the influence of forest age structure species and hydrological conditions |
| topic | carbon stocks hardwood floodplain forest hydrological conditions floodplain ecology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/5/670 |
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