Logo image
Back
Benefits of tree mixes in carbon plantings
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Benefits of tree mixes in carbon plantings

K.B. Hulvey, R.J. Hobbs, R.J. Standish, D.B. Lindenmayer, L. Lach and M.P. Perring
Nature Climate Change, Vol.3(10), pp.869-874
2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1862
url
Link to Published Version *Subscription may be requiredView

Abstract

Increasingly governments and the private sector are using planted forests to offset carbon emissions. Few studies, however, examine how tree diversity — defined here as species richness and/or stand composition — affects carbon storage in these plantings. Using aboveground tree biomass as a proxy for carbon storage, we used meta-analysis to compare carbon storage in tree mixtures with monoculture plantings. Tree mixes stored at least as much carbon as monocultures consisting of the mixture's most productive species and at times outperformed monoculture plantings. In mixed-species stands, individual species, and in particular nitrogen-fixing trees, increased stand biomass. Further motivations for incorporating tree richness into planted forests include the contribution of diversity to total forest carbon-pool development, carbon-pool stability and the provision of extra ecosystem services. Our findings suggest a two-pronged strategy for designing carbon plantings including: (1) increased tree species richness; and (2) the addition of species that contribute to carbon storage and other target functions.

Details

Metrics

70 Record Views
Logo image