Storage and flux of carbon in live trees, snags, and logs in the Chugach and Tongass National Forests

Tara M. Barrett

"Carbon storage and flux estimates for the two national forests in Alaska are provided using inventory data from permanent plots established in 1995-2003 and remeasured in 2004-2010. Estimates of change are reported separately for growth, sapling recruitment, harvest, mortality, snag recruitment, salvage, snag falldown, and decay. Although overall aboveground carbon mass in live trees did not change in the Tongass National Forest, the Chugach National Forest showed a 4.5 percent increase. For the Tongass National Forest, results differed substantially for managed and unmanaged forest: managed lands had higher per-acre rates of sequestration through growth and recruitment, and carbon stores per acre that were higher for decomposing downed wood, and lower for live strees and snags" -- Prelim. p.