Carbon storage dynamics and tree growth response to species diversity in boreal forests

Abstract

The boreal forest plays a critical role in regulating the global carbon (C) cycle. Both wildfire and harvesting affect ecosystem C. However, the long-term recovery of forest C storage with a diverse range of overstory composition following wildfire remains unclear. The uncertainties associated with long-term C storage dynamics include accurate C concentration data of woody tissues and total ecosystem C inventory, particularly for stands older than the longevity of the pioneer cohort. Moreover, despite major advances demonstrating positive relationships between species diversity and forest productivity at the community level, little is known about the responses of individual tree growth to species diversity in relation to succession, tree size, and disturbance origin. The objective of this dissertation is to improve the understanding of long-term C storage dynamics following fire and the relationship between species diversity and tree growth in relation to forest succession, size, and disturbance origin.