Long-Term Studies
Decreasing landscape carbon storage in western US forests with 2 °C of warmingBackgroundThis study investigates how a 2°C increase in global mean temperature above pre-industrial levels could alter above-ground carbon storage in forests across the western United States, a region already experiencing climate-driven tree mortality, reduced regeneration, and more frequent fire and insect outbreaks. Forest carbon density is treated as a “carbon carrying capacity” controlled by climate and disturbance regimes, and there is concern that warming and drying will shift many areas towards lower carbon forest or non-forest states, with implications for climate mitigation and carbon offset projects. Open access copy available |
Indicators to assess viable entry points for implementing landscape approachesBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Tree species that ‘live slow, die older’ enhance tropical peat swamp restoration: Evidence from a systematic reviewBackgroundHighly degraded forests often require active reforestation, which presents additional challenges with species selection for tree plantings. In tropical peat swamp forests, where harsh environmental conditions threaten seedling survival, various seedling and site treatments can enhance seedling survival and growth in restoration projects. Open access copy available |
The enduring world forest carbon sinkBackgroundForests are critical to mitigating climate change because they absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and store it in biomass and soils. In 2023, atmospheric CO₂ levels exceeded 420 ppm, intensifying the urgency to understand terrestrial carbon sinks. Forests historically lost 180 Pg of carbon through land-use change, yet they remain central to achieving global net-zero goals by 2050. While remote sensing and modeling offer insights, this study emphasizes long-term, ground-based forest inventory data as the most reliable source for assessing trends in carbon sinks across boreal, temperate, and tropical forest biomes. Open access copy available |
The weak land carbon sink hypothesisBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Warming induces unexpectedly high soil respiration in a wet tropical forestBackgroundTropical forests play a key role in regulating the global carbon cycle, exchanging more carbon dioxide with the atmosphere than any other terrestrial biome. However, limited in situ experiments constrain understanding of their response to climate warming. Understanding these responses is crucial, as even small changes in soil respiration in tropical regions can substantially influence global carbon dynamics and climate feedbacks. Open access copy available |
The changing global carbon cycle: linking plant–soil carbon dynamics to global consequencesBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Addressing critiques refines global estimates of reforestation potential for climate change mitigationBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Natural capital must be defended: green growth as neoliberal biopoliticsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Effect of Tree Shelters and Regeneration Method on Survival and Growth of Cork Oak Plantations in the Maamora Forest, MoroccoBackgroundOpen access copy available |
