The boundless carbon cycle in boreal forests

Friday seminar by Mikael Ohlson.

Abstract

Huge amounts of carbon (C) are stored in the boreal forest, which is second largest terrestrial biome on Earth. Actually, boreal forests hold about 25 % of the global terrestrial C pool and they play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. Most of the C in the boreal forest is stored below-ground in the soil. A delicate balance between below-ground community respiration and photosynthetic sequestration of CO2 determines if the forest will function as a sink or source as regard the flux of C between the atmosphere and the forest. However, it is becoming clearer and clearer that inland waters process large amounts of C and in my talk I will highlight the importance of water bodies in the boreal forest C cycling. There is a myriad of small fresh-water bodies in the boreal forest.
 
Professor Mikael Ohlson
The Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management (INA)
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB)

Published Feb. 3, 2012 3:54 PM - Last modified Nov. 23, 2017 10:11 AM