The Effects of Forest Management on Carbon Storage in Ontario's Forests

Résumé du livre

Viewed from a biogeochemical perspective and in the context of climate change and the Kyoto protocol, the primary focus of forest management is manipulation of the forest C cycle to increase the rate of C accumulation in usable forms of biomass (i.e, stems, branches, etc.) without sacrificing long-term productivity. [...] Because of the large forest area in Ontario, even small changes in C per hectare caused by forest management can either sequester or release large amounts of C. The objective of this report is to quantify the potential consequences of a suite of forest management practices on the C balance of forests in Ontario. [...] The implications of protection from forest fire, insects, and disease on forest C storage are described in Section 4, while Section 5 assesses the impacts of forest harvesting on C storage, and includes the construction of roads, landings, and skid trails, as well the influence of rotation length. [...] The carbon cycle of managed forests The primary difference between the C cycles of natural and managed forests is the harvesting, processing, and transfer of forest C into wood products. [...] The activities associated with harvesting and the subsequent regeneration of the stand also influence the NPP, NEP, and C storage of managed forest ecosystems dependent on the frequency and intensity of these human-caused disturbances.