2024 Theses Master's

Examining the Interactions Between Oak Loss and Above-Ground Carbon Storage in Northeastern Forests: A Tree Ring Study

Gelfand, Adam

Forests collectively store 45% of Earth’s terrestrial carbon, and as such are an instrumental part of the global carbon cycle. Foundational tree species are abundant and comprise large portions of the aboveground biomass, and therefore serve as the ecological cornerstones of forest ecosystems. Here I focus on the North American foundation tree species red oak (Quercus rubra), due to their capacity for biomass accrual and carbon sequestration. North American forests have been impacted by progressive loss of oak due to suppression of both naturally occurring and anthropogenic fire, among other causes and threats. Given the progressive and continued loss of foundational oaks in the eastern US, I conducted a study to assess the interactions between foundation species loss and above ground carbon sequestration in remaining tree species. I hypothesized that following a loss of dominant oak canopy, neighboring species would increase their growth rates, thus sequestering more carbon per year at the individual tree level. I found that following an abrupt loss of oak in a temperate forest, neighboring trees (such as birch, maple, and beech) exhibited increased rates of growth and carbon sequestration. However, the increase was not sustained as most trees decreased or plateaued in growth rate following the release event. Additionally, due to the loss of oak, the overall basal area of the forest is far lower than that of oak dominated plots and it remains to be seen if birch, maple, and beech stands will match the carbon sequestration rates and capacity of oak forests.

Keyword: Carbon inventory