Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/w13050670
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Carbon stocks of hardwood floodplain forests along the Middle Elbe: The influence of forest age, structure, species, and hydrological conditions
Author Shupe, H.A.; Hartmann, T.; Scholz, M. ORCID logo ; Jensen, K.; Ludewig, K.
Source Titel Water
Year 2021
Department NSF
Volume 13
Issue 5
Page From art. 670
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Keywords carbon stocks; hardwood floodplain forest; hydrological conditions; floodplain ecology
Abstract

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−1) than those of old dense (140.6 ± 11.6 SE Mg ha−1) and old sparse forests (180.4 ± 26.6 SE Mg ha−1) 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 Quercus robur for all hydrological conditions. Ulmus laevis 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.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=24333
Shupe, H.A., Hartmann, T., Scholz, M., Jensen, K., Ludewig, K. (2021):
Carbon stocks of hardwood floodplain forests along the Middle Elbe: The influence of forest age, structure, species, and hydrological conditions
Water 13 (5), art. 670 10.3390/w13050670