Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31298/sl.141.5-6.3
Forest floor fuel loads and carbon stocks in aleppo pine forests on island of Mljet
Nera Bakšić
; Šumarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Darko Bakšić
orcid.org/0000-0003-3190-8321
; Šumarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
From the aspect of forest fires, the forest floor is considered a potential fuel: however, in the context of current global climate change it plays an exceptionally important role in the exchange of matter and energy and of carbon in particular. For this reason, forest floor data are traditionally used in forest fire danger rating and in fire behavior and spread models. More recently they have also been used to estimate emissions of carbon and other gasses and to gasses and to quantify carbon stocks. The main objectives of this study are to a) determine the depth, bulk density and fuel load for each forest floor horizon with the associated carbon stock in Aleppo pine stands and b) develop regression models that relate forest floor depth to forest floor fuel load and forest floor depth to forest floor carbon stock, for horizons and for the entire forest floor. Forest floor sampling was carried out in Aleppo pine stands situated in Mljet National Park, per 0-50 cm, 100-150 cm and 200-250 cm circumference classes. Each forest floor horizon was sampled separately, and fuel load and organic carbon content were determined for each horizon. Our results suggest that Aleppo pine stands contain significant carbon stocks in the forest floor, but relations and processes that influence these stocks have not been sufficiently studied. This is supported by significantly greater forest floor depths and fuel loads in Aleppo pine stands than previously reported. Thus, the mean depth of forest floor of 9.0 cm, fuel load of 94.3 Mg ha-1, and carbon stock of 37 Mg
C ha–1 were determined under trees with a 200-250 cm circumference class. Regression analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between depth and fuel load and between depth and carbon stock. Regression models were given for the OL horizon, the OF1,OF2 and OH horizons, as well as for the entire forest floor. Our results have practical value as they will allow reliable quantifications of forest floor fuel loads and carbon stocks in Aleppo pine stands by using easily measurable fuel characteristic, which can then be applied in the aforementioned models. The forest fuel inventory provides the basis for parameterization and operational use of a number of forest resource management applications in Croatia.
Keywords
Aleppo pine; forest floor; fuel load; carbon stocks
Hrčak ID:
183232
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2017.
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