Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes
The 2015 Paris Agreement encourages stakeholders to implement sustainable forest management policies to mitigate anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). The net effects of forest management on the climate and the environment are, however, still not completely understood, partially as a re...
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/9/961 |
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| author | Patrik Vestin Meelis Mölder Natascha Kljun Zhanzhang Cai Abdulghani Hasan Jutta Holst Leif Klemedtsson Anders Lindroth |
| author_facet | Patrik Vestin Meelis Mölder Natascha Kljun Zhanzhang Cai Abdulghani Hasan Jutta Holst Leif Klemedtsson Anders Lindroth |
| author_sort | Patrik Vestin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The 2015 Paris Agreement encourages stakeholders to implement sustainable forest management policies to mitigate anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). The net effects of forest management on the climate and the environment are, however, still not completely understood, partially as a result of a lack of long-term measurements of GHG fluxes in managed forests. During the period 2010–2013, we simultaneously measured carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) fluxes using the flux-gradient technique at two clear-cut plots of different degrees of wetness, located in central Sweden. The measurements started approx. one year after clear-cutting, directly following soil scarification and planting. The study focused on robust inter-plot comparisons, spatial and temporal dynamics of GHG fluxes, and the determination of the global warming potential of a clear-cut boreal forest. The clear-cutting resulted in significant emissions of GHGs at both the wet and the dry plot. The degree of wetness determined, directly or indirectly, the relative contribution of each GHG to the total budgets. Faster establishment of vegetation on the wet plot reduced total emissions of CO<sub>2</sub> as compared to the dry plot but this was partially offset by higher CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. Waterlogging following clear-cutting likely caused both plots to switch from sinks to sources of CH<sub>4</sub>. In addition, there were periods with N<sub>2</sub>O uptake at the wet plot, although both plots were net sources of N<sub>2</sub>O on an annual basis. We observed clear diel patters in CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes during the growing season at both plots, with the exception of CH<sub>4</sub> at the dry plot. The total three-year carbon budgets were 4107 gCO<sub>2</sub>-equivalent m<sup>−2</sup> and 5274 gCO<sub>2</sub>-equivalent m<sup>−2</sup> at the wet and the dry plots, respectively. CO<sub>2</sub> contributed 91.8% to the total carbon budget at the wet plot and 98.2% at the dry plot. For the only full year with N<sub>2</sub>O measurements, the total GHG budgets were 1069.9 gCO<sub>2</sub>-eqvivalents m<sup>−2</sup> and 1695.7 gCO<sub>2</sub>-eqvivalents m<sup>−2</sup> at the wet and dry plot, respectively. At the wet plot, CH<sub>4</sub> contributed 3.7%, while N<sub>2</sub>O contributed 7.3%. At the dry plot, CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O contributed 1.5% and 7.6%, respectively. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the effects of the three GHGs on the climate for any forest management policy aiming at enhancing the mitigation potential of forests. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-5a975e3c4d6e46a39e489ba9a5e5e1172023-11-20T12:14:04ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072020-09-0111996110.3390/f11090961Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide FluxesPatrik Vestin0Meelis Mölder1Natascha Kljun2Zhanzhang Cai3Abdulghani Hasan4Jutta Holst5Leif Klemedtsson6Anders Lindroth7Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenCentre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Guldhedsgatan 5A, 405 30 Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, SwedenThe 2015 Paris Agreement encourages stakeholders to implement sustainable forest management policies to mitigate anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). The net effects of forest management on the climate and the environment are, however, still not completely understood, partially as a result of a lack of long-term measurements of GHG fluxes in managed forests. During the period 2010–2013, we simultaneously measured carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) fluxes using the flux-gradient technique at two clear-cut plots of different degrees of wetness, located in central Sweden. The measurements started approx. one year after clear-cutting, directly following soil scarification and planting. The study focused on robust inter-plot comparisons, spatial and temporal dynamics of GHG fluxes, and the determination of the global warming potential of a clear-cut boreal forest. The clear-cutting resulted in significant emissions of GHGs at both the wet and the dry plot. The degree of wetness determined, directly or indirectly, the relative contribution of each GHG to the total budgets. Faster establishment of vegetation on the wet plot reduced total emissions of CO<sub>2</sub> as compared to the dry plot but this was partially offset by higher CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. Waterlogging following clear-cutting likely caused both plots to switch from sinks to sources of CH<sub>4</sub>. In addition, there were periods with N<sub>2</sub>O uptake at the wet plot, although both plots were net sources of N<sub>2</sub>O on an annual basis. We observed clear diel patters in CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes during the growing season at both plots, with the exception of CH<sub>4</sub> at the dry plot. The total three-year carbon budgets were 4107 gCO<sub>2</sub>-equivalent m<sup>−2</sup> and 5274 gCO<sub>2</sub>-equivalent m<sup>−2</sup> at the wet and the dry plots, respectively. CO<sub>2</sub> contributed 91.8% to the total carbon budget at the wet plot and 98.2% at the dry plot. For the only full year with N<sub>2</sub>O measurements, the total GHG budgets were 1069.9 gCO<sub>2</sub>-eqvivalents m<sup>−2</sup> and 1695.7 gCO<sub>2</sub>-eqvivalents m<sup>−2</sup> at the wet and dry plot, respectively. At the wet plot, CH<sub>4</sub> contributed 3.7%, while N<sub>2</sub>O contributed 7.3%. At the dry plot, CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O contributed 1.5% and 7.6%, respectively. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the effects of the three GHGs on the climate for any forest management policy aiming at enhancing the mitigation potential of forests.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/9/961CO<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>4</sub>N<sub>2</sub>Ogreenhouse gas budgetclear-cuttingboreal forest |
| spellingShingle | Patrik Vestin Meelis Mölder Natascha Kljun Zhanzhang Cai Abdulghani Hasan Jutta Holst Leif Klemedtsson Anders Lindroth Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes Forests CO<sub>2</sub> CH<sub>4</sub> N<sub>2</sub>O greenhouse gas budget clear-cutting boreal forest |
| title | Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes |
| title_full | Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes |
| title_short | Impacts of Clear-Cutting of a Boreal Forest on Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes |
| title_sort | impacts of clear cutting of a boreal forest on carbon dioxide methane and nitrous oxide fluxes |
| topic | CO<sub>2</sub> CH<sub>4</sub> N<sub>2</sub>O greenhouse gas budget clear-cutting boreal forest |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/9/961 |
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