The persistence of carbon in the African forest understory

Wannes Hubau; Tom  De Mil; Jan  Van den Bulcke; Oliver L. Phillips; Bhely Angoboy Ilondea; Joris Van Acker; Martin J. P. Sullivan; Laurent Nsenga; Benjamin Toirambe; Cammile Couralet; Lindsay F. Banin; Serge K. Begne; Timothy R. Baker; Nils Bourland; Eric  Chezeaux; Connie J. Clark; Murray Collins; James A. Comiskey; Aida Cuni-Sanchez; Victor Deklerck; Sofie Dierickx; Jean-Louis Doucet; Corneille E. N. Ewango; Ted R. Feldpausch; Martin Gilpin; Christelle Gonmadje; Jefferson S. Hall; David J. Harris; Oliver J.  Hardy; Marie-Noel D. Kamdem; Emmanuel Kasongo Yakusu; Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez; Jean-Remy Makana; Yadvinder Malhi; Faustin M. Mbayu; Sam Moore; Jacques  Mukinzi; Georgia Pickavance; John R. Poulsen; Jan Reitsma; Melissa Rousseau; Bonaventure Sonke; Terry  Sunderland; Hermann Taedoumg; Joey Talbot; John Tshibamba Mukendi; Peter M.  Umunay; Jason Vleminckx; Lee J. T. White; Lise  Zemagho; Simon L. Lewis; Hans Beeckman

doi:10.1038/s41477-018-0316-5

The persistence of carbon in the African forest understory

Wannes Hubau, Tom De Mil, Jan Van den Bulcke, Oliver L. Phillips, Bhely Angoboy Ilondea, Joris Van Acker, Martin J. P. Sullivan, Laurent Nsenga, Benjamin Toirambe, Cammile Couralet, Lindsay F. Banin, Serge K. Begne, Timothy R. Baker, Nils Bourland, Eric Chezeaux, Connie J. Clark, Murray Collins, James A. Comiskey, Aida Cuni-Sanchez, Victor DeklerckSofie Dierickx, Jean-Louis Doucet, Corneille E. N. Ewango, Ted R. Feldpausch, Martin Gilpin, Christelle Gonmadje, Jefferson S. Hall, David J. Harris, Oliver J. Hardy, Marie-Noel D. Kamdem, Emmanuel Kasongo Yakusu, Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez, Jean-Remy Makana, Yadvinder Malhi, Faustin M. Mbayu, Sam Moore, Jacques Mukinzi, Georgia Pickavance, John R. Poulsen, Jan Reitsma, Melissa Rousseau, Bonaventure Sonke, Terry Sunderland, Hermann Taedoumg, Joey Talbot, John Tshibamba Mukendi, Peter M. Umunay, Jason Vleminckx, Lee J. T. White, Lise Zemagho, Simon L. Lewis, Hans Beeckman

School of Geosciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

Abstract

Quantifying carbon dynamics in forests is critical for understanding their role in long-term climate regulation1,2,3,4. Yet little is known about tree longevity in tropical forests3,5,6,7,8, a factor that is vital for estimating carbon persistence3,4. Here we calculate mean carbon age (the period that carbon is fixed in trees7) in different strata of African tropical forests using (1) growth-ring records with a unique timestamp accurately demarcating 66 years of growth in one site and (2) measurements of diameter increments from the African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network (23 sites). We find that in spite of their much smaller size, in understory trees mean carbon age (74 years) is greater than in sub-canopy (54 years) and canopy (57 years) trees and similar to carbon age in emergent trees (66 years). The remarkable carbon longevity in the understory results from slow and aperiodic growth as an adaptation to limited resource availability9,10,11. Our analysis also reveals that while the understory represents a small share (11%) of the carbon stock12,13, it contributes disproportionally to the forest carbon sink (20%). We conclude that accounting for the diversity of carbon age and carbon sequestration among different forest strata is critical for effective conservation management14,15,16 and for accurate modelling of carbon cycling4.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Plants
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-018-0316-5
Publication status	Published - 21 Jan 2019

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Hubau, W., De Mil, T., Van den Bulcke, J., Phillips, O. L., Angoboy Ilondea, B., Van Acker, J., Sullivan, M. J. P., Nsenga, L., Toirambe, B., Couralet, C., Banin, L. F., Begne, S. K., Baker, T. R., Bourland, N., Chezeaux, E., Clark, C. J., Collins, M., Comiskey, J. A., Cuni-Sanchez, A., ... Beeckman, H. (2019). The persistence of carbon in the African forest understory. Nature Plants. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-018-0316-5

@article{fb8a9215704d44eeb9098355028bec70,

title = "The persistence of carbon in the African forest understory",

abstract = "Quantifying carbon dynamics in forests is critical for understanding their role in long-term climate regulation1,2,3,4. Yet little is known about tree longevity in tropical forests3,5,6,7,8, a factor that is vital for estimating carbon persistence3,4. Here we calculate mean carbon age (the period that carbon is fixed in trees7) in different strata of African tropical forests using (1) growth-ring records with a unique timestamp accurately demarcating 66 years of growth in one site and (2) measurements of diameter increments from the African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network (23 sites). We find that in spite of their much smaller size, in understory trees mean carbon age (74 years) is greater than in sub-canopy (54 years) and canopy (57 years) trees and similar to carbon age in emergent trees (66 years). The remarkable carbon longevity in the understory results from slow and aperiodic growth as an adaptation to limited resource availability9,10,11. Our analysis also reveals that while the understory represents a small share (11%) of the carbon stock12,13, it contributes disproportionally to the forest carbon sink (20%). We conclude that accounting for the diversity of carbon age and carbon sequestration among different forest strata is critical for effective conservation management14,15,16 and for accurate modelling of carbon cycling4.",

author = "Wannes Hubau and {De Mil}, Tom and {Van den Bulcke}, Jan and Phillips, {Oliver L.} and {Angoboy Ilondea}, Bhely and {Van Acker}, Joris and Sullivan, {Martin J. P.} and Laurent Nsenga and Benjamin Toirambe and Cammile Couralet and Banin, {Lindsay F.} and Begne, {Serge K.} and Baker, {Timothy R.} and Nils Bourland and Eric Chezeaux and Clark, {Connie J.} and Murray Collins and Comiskey, {James A.} and Aida Cuni-Sanchez and Victor Deklerck and Sofie Dierickx and Jean-Louis Doucet and Ewango, {Corneille E. N.} and Feldpausch, {Ted R.} and Martin Gilpin and Christelle Gonmadje and Hall, {Jefferson S.} and Harris, {David J.} and Hardy, {Oliver J.} and Kamdem, {Marie-Noel D.} and Yakusu, {Emmanuel Kasongo} and Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez and Jean-Remy Makana and Yadvinder Malhi and Mbayu, {Faustin M.} and Sam Moore and Jacques Mukinzi and Georgia Pickavance and Poulsen, {John R.} and Jan Reitsma and Melissa Rousseau and Bonaventure Sonke and Terry Sunderland and Hermann Taedoumg and Joey Talbot and Mukendi, {John Tshibamba} and Umunay, {Peter M.} and Jason Vleminckx and White, {Lee J. T.} and Lise Zemagho and Lewis, {Simon L.} and Hans Beeckman",

note = "AAM Embargo: 6 months from the date of publication.",

year = "2019",

month = jan,

day = "21",

doi = "10.1038/s41477-018-0316-5",

language = "English",

journal = "Nature Plants",

issn = "2055-026X",

publisher = "Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.",

}

Hubau, W, De Mil, T, Van den Bulcke, J, Phillips, OL, Angoboy Ilondea, B, Van Acker, J, Sullivan, MJP, Nsenga, L, Toirambe, B, Couralet, C, Banin, LF, Begne, SK, Baker, TR, Bourland, N, Chezeaux, E, Clark, CJ, Collins, M, Comiskey, JA, Cuni-Sanchez, A, Deklerck, V, Dierickx, S, Doucet, J-L, Ewango, CEN, Feldpausch, TR, Gilpin, M, Gonmadje, C, Hall, JS, Harris, DJ, Hardy, OJ, Kamdem, M-ND, Yakusu, EK, Lopez-Gonzalez, G, Makana, J-R, Malhi, Y, Mbayu, FM, Moore, S, Mukinzi, J, Pickavance, G, Poulsen, JR, Reitsma, J, Rousseau, M, Sonke, B, Sunderland, T, Taedoumg, H, Talbot, J, Mukendi, JT, Umunay, PM, Vleminckx, J, White, LJT, Zemagho, L, Lewis, SL & Beeckman, H 2019, 'The persistence of carbon in the African forest understory', Nature Plants. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-018-0316-5

TY - JOUR

T1 - The persistence of carbon in the African forest understory

AU - Hubau, Wannes

AU - De Mil, Tom

AU - Van den Bulcke, Jan

AU - Phillips, Oliver L.

AU - Angoboy Ilondea, Bhely

AU - Van Acker, Joris

AU - Sullivan, Martin J. P.

AU - Nsenga, Laurent

AU - Toirambe, Benjamin

AU - Couralet, Cammile

AU - Banin, Lindsay F.

AU - Begne, Serge K.

AU - Baker, Timothy R.

AU - Bourland, Nils

AU - Chezeaux, Eric

AU - Clark, Connie J.

AU - Collins, Murray

AU - Comiskey, James A.

AU - Cuni-Sanchez, Aida

AU - Deklerck, Victor

AU - Dierickx, Sofie

AU - Doucet, Jean-Louis

AU - Ewango, Corneille E. N.

AU - Feldpausch, Ted R.

AU - Gilpin, Martin

AU - Gonmadje, Christelle

AU - Hall, Jefferson S.

AU - Harris, David J.

AU - Hardy, Oliver J.

AU - Kamdem, Marie-Noel D.

AU - Yakusu, Emmanuel Kasongo

AU - Lopez-Gonzalez, Gabriela

AU - Makana, Jean-Remy

AU - Malhi, Yadvinder

AU - Mbayu, Faustin M.

AU - Moore, Sam

AU - Mukinzi, Jacques

AU - Pickavance, Georgia

AU - Poulsen, John R.

AU - Reitsma, Jan

AU - Rousseau, Melissa

AU - Sonke, Bonaventure

AU - Sunderland, Terry

AU - Taedoumg, Hermann

AU - Talbot, Joey

AU - Mukendi, John Tshibamba

AU - Umunay, Peter M.

AU - Vleminckx, Jason

AU - White, Lee J. T.

AU - Zemagho, Lise

AU - Lewis, Simon L.

AU - Beeckman, Hans

N1 - AAM Embargo: 6 months from the date of publication.

PY - 2019/1/21

Y1 - 2019/1/21

N2 - Quantifying carbon dynamics in forests is critical for understanding their role in long-term climate regulation1,2,3,4. Yet little is known about tree longevity in tropical forests3,5,6,7,8, a factor that is vital for estimating carbon persistence3,4. Here we calculate mean carbon age (the period that carbon is fixed in trees7) in different strata of African tropical forests using (1) growth-ring records with a unique timestamp accurately demarcating 66 years of growth in one site and (2) measurements of diameter increments from the African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network (23 sites). We find that in spite of their much smaller size, in understory trees mean carbon age (74 years) is greater than in sub-canopy (54 years) and canopy (57 years) trees and similar to carbon age in emergent trees (66 years). The remarkable carbon longevity in the understory results from slow and aperiodic growth as an adaptation to limited resource availability9,10,11. Our analysis also reveals that while the understory represents a small share (11%) of the carbon stock12,13, it contributes disproportionally to the forest carbon sink (20%). We conclude that accounting for the diversity of carbon age and carbon sequestration among different forest strata is critical for effective conservation management14,15,16 and for accurate modelling of carbon cycling4.

AB - Quantifying carbon dynamics in forests is critical for understanding their role in long-term climate regulation1,2,3,4. Yet little is known about tree longevity in tropical forests3,5,6,7,8, a factor that is vital for estimating carbon persistence3,4. Here we calculate mean carbon age (the period that carbon is fixed in trees7) in different strata of African tropical forests using (1) growth-ring records with a unique timestamp accurately demarcating 66 years of growth in one site and (2) measurements of diameter increments from the African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network (23 sites). We find that in spite of their much smaller size, in understory trees mean carbon age (74 years) is greater than in sub-canopy (54 years) and canopy (57 years) trees and similar to carbon age in emergent trees (66 years). The remarkable carbon longevity in the understory results from slow and aperiodic growth as an adaptation to limited resource availability9,10,11. Our analysis also reveals that while the understory represents a small share (11%) of the carbon stock12,13, it contributes disproportionally to the forest carbon sink (20%). We conclude that accounting for the diversity of carbon age and carbon sequestration among different forest strata is critical for effective conservation management14,15,16 and for accurate modelling of carbon cycling4.

U2 - 10.1038/s41477-018-0316-5

DO - 10.1038/s41477-018-0316-5

M3 - Letter

JO - Nature Plants

JF - Nature Plants

SN - 2055-026X

ER -

The persistence of carbon in the African forest understory

Abstract

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