Forest floor

Abstract: Old-growth forests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at rates that vary with climate and nitrogen deposition. The sequestered carbon dioxide is stored in live woody tissues and slowly decomposing organic matter in litter and soil. Old-growth forests therefore serve as a global carbon dioxide sink, but they are not protected by international treaties, because it is generally thought that ageing forests cease to accumulate carbon. Here we report a search of literature and databases for forest carbon-flux estimates. We find that in forests between 15 and 800 years of age, net ecosystem productivity (the net carbon balance of the forest including soils) is usually positive. Our results demonstrate that old-growth forests can continue to accumulate carbon, contrary to the long-standing view that they are carbon neutral. Over 30 per cent of the global forest area is unmanaged primary forest, and this area contains the remaining old-growth forests. Half of the primary forests (6 times 10 8 hectares) are located in the boreal and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. On the basis of our analysis, these forests alone sequester about 1.3 plusminus 0.5 gigatonnes of carbon per year. Thus, our findings suggest that 15 per cent of the global forest area, which is currently not considered when offsetting increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, provides at least 10 per cent of the global net ecosystem productivity. Old-growth forests accumulate carbon for centuries and contain large quantities of it. We expect, however, that much of this carbon, even soil carbon, will move back to the atmosphere if these forests are disturbed

Abstract: Tropical rain forests of the Far East forest structure animals in the forest the forest environment - climate seasonal cycles in plants and animals seed dispersal to seedling establishment growth of seedlings into trees the ecological basis of rain-forest silviculture growth rates, forest yields and biomass inorganic nutrients and their cycling the forest environment - soils forest formations 1 - the dry-land rain forests forest formations 2 - the wet-land rain forests monsoon forest formations animal life and forest formations conifers in the forest variation within the tropical lowland evergreen rain forests and its causes mountain rain forests man and the tropical rain forest secondary forest and shifting cultivation looking ahead. Appendix: select list of publications containing descriptions of tropical rain forest in the countries of the Far East. Bibliography, index of plant names, general index.

Abstract: Forest soils have characteristic properties that set them apart from the usual types of soils used for growing crops. Often rocky, of poor quality, and in mountainous terrain, forest soils are nevertheless the foundation of the entire forest ecosystem, supporting a diverse assemblage of plants and animals. They are often fragile soils, easily subject to erosion by road building or logging operation. A proper understanding of forest soils is an essential component of understanding forest ecology and maintaining the diversity and productivity of forested land. This new edition emphasizes the ecological aspects of forest soils. It is global in its scope, discussing soil types ranging from the tropical rainforest soils of Latin America to the boreal forest soils of Siberia. Separate chapters discuss the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of forest soils, with additional chapters on soil organic matter, roots, and biogeochemistry. It highlights the site specific factors that are important in each case and discusses practical management aspects including: nutrition management, thinning, site preparation techniques, soils for nursery and seed orchard operation, problem soils, atmospheric deposition of nutrients, soil acidity, and techniques for sustaining and improving long term soil productivity.