Carbon cycle in a forest with forest harvesting in Zacualtipán, Hidalgo

Los bosques están bajo una gran presión debido a la deforestación. Es necesario obtener información sobre el carbono atrapado en plantaciones y el tiempo que permanecerá almacenado para impulsar estos aprovechamientos. Se estimó el carbono almacenado en dos rodales (I y IV) de un ejido y con la información sobre el destino que se le da a la madera, se estimó, de acuerdo con lo reportado en la literatura, el tiempo que este permanecerá capturado. En ambos rodales se aprovecharon anualmente 1.09 hectáreas que contenían 133.3 y 150.6 toneladas de biomasa. Se extrajeron 60 y 67.8 toneladas de carbono (rodal I y IV respectivamente) de las cuales el 55% fueron destinas como madera en rollo de largas dimensiones y alrededor del 30% como madera en rollo de cortas dimensiones; que se utilizan para la elaboración de productos cuya vida útil puede alcanzar hasta 60 años. Un bosque de Pinus patula bajo manejo silvícola puede llegar a capturar hasta 687.7 toneladas de carbono durante un ciclo de corta de diez años. Ese carbono puede permanecer almacenado por largos periodos de tiempo después de que los árboles han sido cortados (dependiendo del uso que se le dé a la madera).Forests are under great pressure due to deforestation. It is necessary to obtain information on the carbon stored in plantations and the time it will remain there to promote these activities. The carbon stored in two stands (I and IV) of an ejido was estimated and with the information on the destination of the wood, it was estimated, according to what is reported in the literature, how long it will remain captured. In both stands, 1.09 hectares containing 133.3 and 150.6 tons of biomass were harvested annually. Sixty and 67.8 tons of carbon were extracted (stands I and IV respectively) of which 55% was destined as long roundwood and about 30% as short roundwood, which is used to produce products whose useful life can reach up to 60 years. A Pinus patula forest under silvicultural management can capture up to 687.7 tons of carbon during a ten-year cutting cycle. This carbon can remain stored for long periods of time after the trees have been cut (depending on the use of the wood)

Influence of Climate on Carbon Sequestration in Conifers Growing under Contrasting Hydro-Climatic Conditions

Research Highlights: Analyzing the contrasting ecological gradients makes it easier to understand the influence of climate on carbon accumulation. Background and Objectives: The increasing climatic variability has implications for vegetation, impacting on its ecological functions, among which carbon accumulation stands out. In the present study, we used climate-dendrochronology relationships to evaluate carbon accumulation in two conifer species that grow in contrasting humidity sites: Pinus strobiformis Engelm (mesic sites) and Pinus leiophylla var. chihuahuana (Engelm.) Shaw (arid sites). Materials and Methods: Using a dendrochronological approach, we estimated the correlation of biomass and carbon accumulation of each species with some climatic variables (temperature, precipitation, and a drought index) and generated a linear mixed model. Results: The response in carbon accumulation between species with respect to climate was significantly different. P. strobiformis showed a positive correlation with the climatic variables analyzed, while in P. leiophylla the correlation was negative, except with precipitation. Conclusions: These results show that forests in both mesic and arid sites are prone to climate changes, although their responses are different, impacting the productivity and carbon cycles of forest ecosystems