Skip Navigation

Forestry 2003 76(3):299-317; doi:10.1093/forestry/76.3.299
© 2003 by Institute of Chartered Foresters
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (17)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hargreaves, K.J.
Right arrow Articles by Cannell, M.G.R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Carbon balance of afforested peatland in Scotland

K.J. Hargreaves1, R. Milne1 and M.G.R. Cannell1

1 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, Scotland

The annual net CO2 exchange over undisturbed deep peatland in Scotland was measured continuously for 22 months using eddy covariance. Annual CO2 exchanges over peatlands that had been drained, ploughed and afforested with conifers 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 26 years previously were estimated by extrapolating two to four weekly measurements, using relationships between daytime fluxes and solar radiation and night-time fluxes and air temperature. The contribution of the trees to the overall net CO2 flux was estimated using a carbon accounting model, calibrated to fit conifer volume yield data. The carbon exchange of the peat and ground vegetation was then the difference between the overall carbon flux and the amount accumulated in trees and tree litter. The undisturbed peat accumulated ~0.25 t C ha–1 a–1. Newly drained peatland (2–4 years after ploughing) emitted between 2 and 4 t C ha–1 a–1, but when ground vegetation recolonized, the peatland became a sink again, absorbing ~3 t C ha–1 a–1 4–8 years after tree planting. Thereafter, the trees dominated the budget and afforested peatlands absorbed up to 5 t C ha–1 a–1. Assuming that the trees accumulated carbon at rates commensurate with yield class 10 m3 ha–1 a–1, the peat beneath the trees after canopy closure was estimated to be decomposing at only ~1 t C ha–1 a–1 or less. This is slower than previously thought and suggested that afforested peatlands in Scotland accumulate more carbon in trees, litter, forest soil and products than is lost from the peat for 90–190 years.

Received 17 May 2001.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ForestryHome page
K. A. Byrne and R. Milne
Carbon stocks and sequestration in plantation forests in the Republic of Ireland
Forestry, October 1, 2006; 79(4): 361 - 369.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ForestryHome page
K. A. Byrne and E. P. Farrell
The effect of afforestation on soil carbon dioxide emissions in blanket peatland in Ireland
Forestry, July 1, 2005; 78(3): 217 - 227.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.