Effects of storms on soil CO2 efflux in boreal forests
Patrik Vestin1, Anders Lindroth1, Meelis Mölder1, Leif Klemedtsson2, Ola Langvall3
1 Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Analysis, Lund University
2 Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg
3 Asa Forest Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
2 Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg
3 Asa Forest Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
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Regional carbon budgets are to some extent determined by disturbances of the ecosystems. Disturbances are believed to be partly responsible for the large inter-annual variability of the terrestrial carbon balance. When neglecting anthropogenic disturbances, forest fires have been considered the most important kind of disturbance. However, also insect outbreaks and wind-throw may be major factors in regional carbon budgets. The effects of wind-throw on CO2 fluxes in boreal forests are not well known due to lack of data. Principally, the reduced carbon sequestration capacity and severe soil perturbation following wind-throw are expected to result in increased CO2 fluxes from the forest to the atmosphere. In January 2005, the storm Gudrun hit Sweden, which resulted in approx. 66*10^6 m3 storm-felled stem wood distributed over an area of approx. 272 000 ha. Eddy covariance flux measurements on a storm-felled area started in July 2005 and data from the first months suggests increased CO2 fluxes by a factor of ca. 2.5, as compared to normal silviculture (i.e. clear-cutting and soil scarification). An important question is how long such enhanced CO2 fluxes persist. Data from 2005-2009 will be analyzed and presented at the workshop.
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