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  Old-growth forests as global carbon sinks

Luyssaert, S., Schulze, E. D., Börner, A., Knohl, A., Hessenmöller, D., Law, B. E., et al. (2008). Old-growth forests as global carbon sinks. Nature, 455(7210), 213-215. doi:10.1038/nature07276.

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Luyssaert, S., Author
Schulze, E. D.1, Author           
Börner, A.1, Author           
Knohl, A., Author
Hessenmöller, D.1, Author           
Law, B. E., Author
Ciais, P., Author
Grace, J., Author
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1Department Biogeochemical Processes, Prof. E.-D. Schulze, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Society, ou_1497751              

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Free keywords: Net primary production Ponderosa pine Storage Boreal Age Temperate Exchange Dioxide Decline Biomass
 Abstract: Old- growth forests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere(1,2) at rates that vary with climate and nitrogen deposition(3). The sequestered carbon dioxide is stored in live woody tissues and slowly decomposing organic matter in litter and soil(4). Old- growth forests therefore serve as a global carbon dioxide sink, but they are not protected by international treaties, because it is generally thought that ageing forests cease to accumulate carbon(5,6). Here we report a search of literature and databases for forest carbon- flux estimates. We find that in forests between 15 and 800 years of age, net ecosystem productivity ( the net carbon balance of the forest including soils) is usually positive. Our results demonstrate that old- growth forests can continue to accumulate carbon, contrary to the long-standing view that they are carbon neutral. Over 30 per cent of the global forest area is unmanaged primary forest, and this area contains the remaining old- growth forests(7). Half of the primary forests (6 x 10(8) hectares) are located in the boreal and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. On the basis of our analysis, these forests alone sequester about 1.3 +/- 0.5 gigatonnes of carbon per year. Thus, our findings suggest that 15 per cent of the global forest area, which is currently not considered when offsetting increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, provides at least 10 per cent of the global net ecosystem productivity(8). Old- growth forests accumulate carbon for centuries and contain large quantities of it. We expect, however, that much of this carbon, even soil carbon(9), will move back to the atmosphere if these forests are disturbed. [References: 29]

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 Dates: 2008
 Publication Status: Issued
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 Identifiers: DOI: 10.1038/nature07276
Other: BGC1150
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Title: Nature
Source Genre: Journal
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Publ. Info: London : Nature Publishing Group
Pages: - Volume / Issue: 455 (7210) Sequence Number: - Start / End Page: 213 - 215 Identifier: CoNE: https://pure.mpg.de/cone/journals/resource/954925427238
ISSN: 0028-0836