Old-growth forests as global carbon sinks

Sebastiaan Luyssaert (), E. -Detlef Schulze, Annett Börner, Alexander Knohl, Dominik Hessenmöller, Beverly E. Law, Philippe Ciais and John Grace
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Sebastiaan Luyssaert: University of Antwerp
E. -Detlef Schulze: Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Annett Börner: Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Alexander Knohl: ETH Zürich, Institute of Plant Sciences
Dominik Hessenmöller: Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry
Beverly E. Law: College of Forestry, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-5752, USA
Philippe Ciais: Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL-LSCE, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France
John Grace: School of GeoSciences, The University of Edinburgh

Nature, 2008, vol. 455, issue 7210, 213-215

Abstract: Don't cut into old wood It has long been assumed that ageing forests cease to accumulate carbon, and become carbon neutral. They are therefore not recognized for 'forest credits' in treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol. Now an extensive literature and database search for forest carbon-flux estimates shows that the net carbon balance of ageing forests is usually positive. The findings suggest that old-growth forests can continue to accumulate carbon, and that they contribute at least 10% of global net ecosystem productivity. Much of this carbon, even soil carbon, will move back to the atmosphere if these forests are disturbed, so it would make sense for carbon accounting rules to give credit for leaving old forests intact.

Date: 2008
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DOI: 10.1038/nature07276

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