Forest Management and CO2

A selective, commercial harvest adjacent to Harvard Forest provides a unique opportunity to monitor changes in the distribution and amount of Carbon sequestration in a managed forest. The suite of ecological measurements used in the tower footprint was duplicated in 6 additional plots randomly spaced through the harvested site.  Additional measurements on these plots include soil moisture (TDR method) and extended soil respiration. Following the harvest, measurements in the plots will continue, documenting changes in rates of respiration, tree growth, and other biological processes affecting carbon balance.  To complete the picture of the effects of harvest on carbon balance, the fate of saleable wood C will be tracked and compared to other harvests in the Northeastern region.

The harvest was initiated in January 2001 and is expected to be finished in the spring to late summer, depending on weather conditions

For more information, contact David BryantElizabeth Hammond Pyle or Lucy Hutyra.

See also: Harvard Forest