Long-term logging experiment reveals how protecting the forest floor helps preserve soil carbon
A 20-year study in British Columbia reveals that forest harvesting practices, specifically the removal of the forest floor, significantly impact soil carbon storage. The research highlights that protecting organic matter during logging is essential for maintaining the carbon-sequestering capacity of forest soils.
Why it matters
Understanding soil carbon loss is critical for climate change mitigation strategies, as forest soils are major global carbon sinks.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Forest soils store an estimated 40% of the world's terrestrial carbon, but estimates suggest that around 15–30% of that soil carbon is lost when a forest is harvested. Tracking such losses can be tricky: wildfires, insects, disease and past forest management can all affect forest soil carbon stores, and tree type, climate and harvesting method can all affect how much carbon is lost.
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