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Carbon sequestration and natural longleaf pine ecosystem

Informally Refereed

Abstract

The Southeastern United States was once dominated by a longleaf pine ecosystem which ranged from Virginia to Texas and covered approximately 22 to 36 million ha. The unique fire tolerant species provided the necessary habitat for numerous plant and animal species. Different seasons of prescribed fire have various results on the ecosystem and the carbon which is stored in the trees and different vegetation classes. After analysis of the various hardwood treatments and seasons of burn, the basal area of the longleaf pine and the soil carbon amounts differ. These results show that certain seasons of prescribed fire can yield more basal area (winter) and soil carbon (winter). Vegetation classes and the amount of stored carbon are also affected by the season of burn.

Parent Publication

Citation

Thapa, Ram; Gjerstad, Dean; Kush, John; Zutter, Bruce. 2010. Carbon sequestration and natural longleaf pine ecosystem. In: Stanturf, John A., ed. 2010. Proceedings of the 14th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–121. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 9-11.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/35346