Hurricanes impact carbon sequestration ...( not immediately change the state of ca...)

not immediately change the state of carbon in a downed tree, a large amount of accumulated forest carbon is lost in the years following a major storm. For economic reasons, most of the wood from hurricanes is not salvaged. Not only is carbon lost as trees decompose, but the downed wood becomes fuel for wild fires that can kill surviving vegetation and release additional carbon dioxide. If increased carbon sequestration is going to be one of the mechanisms used to reduce net emissions of carbon dioxide in the United States, said McNulty, "incentives to increase post-hurricane timber salvage need to be addressed.

Hurricanes remove the most mature trees, allowing the younger trees in the forest understory more active in absorbing and converting carbon to biomass to take over. Forests fill in the gaps, though former density may not return for generations. Short-term increases in forest productivity do not compensate for the loss in numbers of trees and the 15 to 20 years needed to recover the leaf area of mature forests, said McNulty. Hurricanes must be considered a significant factor in reducing long-term carbon storage in US forests.

'"/>

Contact: Zo Hoyle
zhoyle@green.gov
828-257-4388
Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service
22-Mar-2002

Page: 1 2
Related biology news :

1. The impact of genetic variations on the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis
2. Evidence for the impact of climate change on deep-sea biodiversity
3. Study shows impact of emotionally healthy fathers when mothers poor mental health affects children
4. Ocean scientists assess impact of seismic pulses in effort to protect whales
5. Joslin Diabetes Center releases new low impact exercise video
6. Noisy genes can have big impact
7. Trial found no impact of Malarone(TM) on performance and alertness tasks
8. Citizens asked to monitor impact of invasive bird species
9. Conservation International & SC Johnson invest in Ecuadors rainforest to offset climate impacts
10. Plant pathologists: Rust disease impacting ornamental plant production
11. K-State professor to give paper on potential impact of ag bioterrorism