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Impacts of stump harvesting on carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide fluxes

Vestin, Patrik LU orcid ; Mölder, Meelis LU ; Kljun, N LU orcid ; Cai, Zhanzhang LU ; Hasan, Abdulghani LU orcid ; Holst, Jutta LU orcid ; Klemedtsson, Leif and Lindroth, Anders LU (2022) In iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry 15(3). p.148-162
Abstract

During 2010-2013, we investigated the effects of stump harvesting on greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) with the flux-gradient technique at four experimental plots in a hemiboreal forest in Sweden. All plots were clear-cut and soil scarified and two of the plots were additionally stump harvested. The two clear-cut plots served as control plots. Due to differences in topography, we had one wetter and one drier plot of each treatment. All plots exhibited substantial emissions of GHGs and we noted significant effects of wetness on CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes within treatments and significant effects of stump harvesting on... (More)

During 2010-2013, we investigated the effects of stump harvesting on greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) with the flux-gradient technique at four experimental plots in a hemiboreal forest in Sweden. All plots were clear-cut and soil scarified and two of the plots were additionally stump harvested. The two clear-cut plots served as control plots. Due to differences in topography, we had one wetter and one drier plot of each treatment. All plots exhibited substantial emissions of GHGs and we noted significant effects of wetness on CO2, CH4 and N2O fluxes within treatments and significant effects of stump harvesting on CO2 and N2O fluxes at the dry plots. The CO2 emissions were lower at the dry stump harvested plot than at the dry control, but when estimated emissions from the removed stumps were added, total CO2 emissions were higher at the stump harvested plot, indicating a small enhancement of soil respiration. In addition, we noted significant emissions of N2O at this plot. At the wet plots, CO2 emissions were higher at the stump harvested plot, also suggesting a treatment effect but differences in wetness and vegetation cover at these plots make this effect more uncertain. At the wet plots, we noted sustained periods (weeks to months) of net N2O uptake. During the year with simultaneous measurements of the abovementioned GHGs, GHG budgets were 1.224×103 and 1.442×103 gm-2 of CO2-equivalents at the wet and dry stump harvested plots, respectively, and 1.070×103 and 1.696×103 gm-2 of CO2-equivalents at the wet and dry control plots, respectively. CO2 fluxes dominated GHG budgets at all plots but N2O contributed with 17% at the dry stump harvested plot. For the full period 2010-2013, total carbon (CO2+CH4) budgets were 4.301×103 and 4.114×103 g m-2 of CO2-eqvivalents at the wet and dry stump harvest plots, respectively and 4.107×103 and 5.274×103 gm-2 of CO2-equivalents at the wet and dry control plots, respectively. Our results support recent studies suggesting that stump harvesting does not result in substantial increase in CO2 emissions but uncertainties regarding GHG fluxes (especially N2O) remain and more long-term measurements are needed before robust conclusions can be drawn.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
CH, Climate Change Mitigation, CO, Forest Management, Greenhouse Gas Budget, Hemiboreal Forest, NO, Stump Harvesting
in
iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry
volume
15
issue
3
pages
15 pages
publisher
The Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85130514610
DOI
10.3832/ifor4086-015
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
77ec1c09-18ee-4847-94d4-cd83f3de70ae
date added to LUP
2022-05-10 15:54:52
date last changed
2022-06-07 07:34:40
@article{77ec1c09-18ee-4847-94d4-cd83f3de70ae,
  abstract     = {{<p>During 2010-2013, we investigated the effects of stump harvesting on greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) with the flux-gradient technique at four experimental plots in a hemiboreal forest in Sweden. All plots were clear-cut and soil scarified and two of the plots were additionally stump harvested. The two clear-cut plots served as control plots. Due to differences in topography, we had one wetter and one drier plot of each treatment. All plots exhibited substantial emissions of GHGs and we noted significant effects of wetness on CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes within treatments and significant effects of stump harvesting on CO<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes at the dry plots. The CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were lower at the dry stump harvested plot than at the dry control, but when estimated emissions from the removed stumps were added, total CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were higher at the stump harvested plot, indicating a small enhancement of soil respiration. In addition, we noted significant emissions of N<sub>2</sub>O at this plot. At the wet plots, CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were higher at the stump harvested plot, also suggesting a treatment effect but differences in wetness and vegetation cover at these plots make this effect more uncertain. At the wet plots, we noted sustained periods (weeks to months) of net N<sub>2</sub>O uptake. During the year with simultaneous measurements of the abovementioned GHGs, GHG budgets were 1.224×10<sup>3</sup> and 1.442×10<sup>3</sup> gm<sup>-2</sup> of CO<sub>2</sub>-equivalents at the wet and dry stump harvested plots, respectively, and 1.070×10<sup>3</sup> and 1.696×10<sup>3</sup> gm<sup>-2</sup> of CO<sub>2</sub>-equivalents at the wet and dry control plots, respectively. CO<sub>2</sub> fluxes dominated GHG budgets at all plots but N<sub>2</sub>O contributed with 17% at the dry stump harvested plot. For the full period 2010-2013, total carbon (CO<sub>2</sub>+CH<sub>4</sub>) budgets were 4.301×10<sup>3</sup> and 4.114×10<sup>3</sup> g m<sup>-2</sup> of CO<sub>2</sub>-eqvivalents at the wet and dry stump harvest plots, respectively and 4.107×10<sup>3</sup> and 5.274×10<sup>3</sup> gm<sup>-2</sup> of CO<sub>2</sub>-equivalents at the wet and dry control plots, respectively. Our results support recent studies suggesting that stump harvesting does not result in substantial increase in CO<sub>2</sub> emissions but uncertainties regarding GHG fluxes (especially N<sub>2</sub>O) remain and more long-term measurements are needed before robust conclusions can be drawn.</p>}},
  author       = {{Vestin, Patrik and Mölder, Meelis and Kljun, N and Cai, Zhanzhang and Hasan, Abdulghani and Holst, Jutta and Klemedtsson, Leif and Lindroth, Anders}},
  keywords     = {{CH; Climate Change Mitigation; CO; Forest Management; Greenhouse Gas Budget; Hemiboreal Forest; NO; Stump Harvesting}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{148--162}},
  publisher    = {{The Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF)}},
  series       = {{iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry}},
  title        = {{Impacts of stump harvesting on carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide fluxes}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3832/ifor4086-015}},
  doi          = {{10.3832/ifor4086-015}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}