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muriel_volestrangler

(101,154 posts)
Tue Jun 23, 2020, 05:57 AM Jun 2020

Planting new forests is part of but not the whole solution to climate change

The title is from their press release; I think the important finding is that planting trees helps on carbon-poor soil, but at best does no good at all on rich soil, and can even decrease carbon density, and it also decreases species diversity - so the "plant billions of trees" ideas are far too simplistic.

But a new study led by a Colorado State University biology researcher finds that the carbon-capture potential of afforestation may be overestimated. The study, published online June 22 in Nature Sustainability, contends that ratios of soil organic carbon underneath afforested areas vary greatly across different ecosystems and climates, and these variations depend on factors like tree species, land-use history and soil type.

These results, based on over 11,000 soil samples taken across control and afforested plots in northern China, indicate that natural climate solutions alone are not enough to meet global climate mitigation goals.
...
The researchers found that in carbon-poor soils, afforestation did increase soil organic carbon density. But in soils already rich in carbon, they found that carbon density decreased. Their findings concluded that fixed biomass-to-soil organic carbon ratios assumed in previous studies might be overestimating the overall soil organic carbon enhancement features of afforestation practices in general.

The results have implications for forest managers and policymakers. For example, a site that's already above a certain threshold of soil organic carbon underground may be best left alone for natural forest regeneration rather than planted with trees, Chen said.

https://phys.org/news/2020-06-forests-solution-climate.html

Link to study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0557-y
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Planting new forests is part of but not the whole solution to climate change (Original Post) muriel_volestrangler Jun 2020 OP
The only thing I will add to that is True Blue American Jun 2020 #1
That makes sense CatLady78 Jun 2020 #2

True Blue American

(17,972 posts)
1. The only thing I will add to that is
Tue Jun 23, 2020, 07:12 AM
Jun 2020

The seedlings I watched the CCC plant in Southeast Ohio from the back seat of my Dad’s car as a small child are the forests so many enjoy today at all the Lakes and Parks.

Lake Jackson, Hocking Hills, etc.

I am now reading,” “ The Pioneers,” by David McCullough. The settling of the Ohio River. The massive forests, Wild life and Native Americans.

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