Carbon Accumulation in An Aggrading Hardwood Forest Influenced by Acidic Deposition and Mitigation with Dolomite.

Elevated rates of nitrogen inputs from atmospheric deposition to forest ecosystems may change nutrient balances in ways that can increase or decrease forest productivity and the ability of forest biomass to sequester carbon from the atmosphere. We compared carbon accumulation in forest biomass in an aggrading 10-year-old hardwood forest at the Fernow Experiment Forest in West Virginia following three treatments: whole-tree harvest, whole-tree harvest and 3X ambient N and S deposition, and whole-tree harvest and 3X ambient deposition and dolomite addition. Aboveground woody biomass and carbon accumulation was not affected by treatments suggesting that N stimulation of growth in these young stands was non-existent or short-lived. Foliar and root biomass and carbon accumulation, and implications of treatments for current and potential future carbon sequestration will be discussed.