Thinning, Fertilization, and Carbon Sequestration

As regenerating forests grow, they sequester carbon from the atmosphere during photosynthesis and store it in biomass above (stem, branches, and leaves) and below (roots) ground. From a forest ecosystem perspective, positive biomass responses of understory vegetation are associated with thinned and fertilized stands. This project was designed to measure tree and stand growth, yield, biomass, and carbon sequestration 25 years after thinning and repeated fertilization. Four milestones for the first year of the project included: (1) sampling of understory vegetation and coniferous stand structure, (2) sampling of tree and stand growth, yield, and crown dimensions, (3) data management and analysis, and (4) a final report outlining the influence of stand thinning and fertilization on carbon sequestration in managed forests.