Russian scientists have determined the speed of decomposition of dead wood – BBC

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Scientists from the Forest Institute of Karelian Research Centre of RAS and the St. Petersburg State Forestry Academy named after SM Kirov calculated the rate of decomposition of different types of wood, as well as different parts of the trunk and branches of the same tree. The results of work supported by a grant from the Russian Research Fund (RNF), published in the European Journal of Forest Research magazine.

«Evaluation of the rate of decomposition of large woody debris in various conditions necessary for correct calculation of the carbon balance of forests, which is especially important in an era of global climate change. Our results allow us to make recommendations for the study of the speed of biological cycles. For example, examination of the bark with wood can lead to an underestimation of the rate of decomposition of trunks “, – he explained the head of Research, Senior Researcher, Institute of Forest, Karelian Research Centre of RAS, PhD Ekaterina Shorohova.

The carbon balance of forests is estimated difference in absorption and carbon losses. Under carbon sequestration refers to the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during growth of the tree and its transformation into biomass: wood than older, the less it absorbs carbon. carbon losses occur during harvesting, forest fires, outbreaks of pests, windfalls.

«These estimates the rate of decomposition of large woody debris can predict their distribution in the ecosystem, which is especially important for many rare species of living organisms, using large wood residues as food supply or habitat. Thus, the results obtained can be used in the evaluation of ecosystem services (which are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems), boreal forests, and therefore the quality of life of people “, – says Catherine Shorohova

It is shown that. in the boreal forests of the decomposition rate of non-stem fractions of large woody debris (roots, branches and bark) depends mainly on soil moisture and tree species. The rate of decomposition of the entire tree can be modeled as a function of the natural area, tree species and diameter of the trunk. The branches are attached to the trunks decompose slower than the other factions. The average rate of weight loss of attachment of branches is 0.6% per year for the Siberian stone pine, and 2% per year for the spruce, fir, aspen and birch. The bark decomposes faster than the other factions: on average 15 and 26% per year in low and well drained (with diversion of excess water from the soil) habitats, respectively. A significant role in the loss of mass of the cortex plays its fragmentation insects. root decomposition rate is an average of 2.5 and 3.4% per year for the weak and well-drained habitats, respectively

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