ABSTRACT
Positive measures are particularly required to conserve and enhance soil carbon stocks in forests. A key question is whether we can hope to maintain or even enhance removal of CO2 from the atmosphere in the immediate future by planting trees, and get credit for so doing. Because of relatively short rotations and regular management actions, there is considerable potential for carbon losses, but there is also scope for conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks through a positive management approach. Most compartments would accumulate carbon through growth of the trees unless major disturbance intervenes. Carbon losses are also coupled to the vegetation present to some extent, but somewhat less directly because some fractions of soil organic matter have very long turnover times, ranging from years to centuries. Carbon sequestration is particularly sensitive to managerial actions that affect amount and structure of the tree crowns, above and below ground microclimate, and structure and chemical composition of the forest floor and soil beneath.
