Wood Decomposition

Forests serve as the largest terrestrial carbon (C) sink, storing vast amounts of C in various pools like tree stems, branches, leaves, roots, soil, and woody debris. Understanding how C is distributed among these pools allows for comparisons between forest types and the development of more accurate C budgets. Natural climate solutions, such as increasing C storage in forests, have gained attention as fossil fuel emissions continue to rise. This had led to a greater focus on both aboveground biomass and soil carbon sequestration. Woody debris plays a crucial role in C cycling, but its decomposition and abundance are influenced by forest age, management, and environmental factors. Furthermore, the decomposition of woody debris is controlled by intrinsic wood properties, which varies between gymnosperms and angiosperms. In the Southern Appalachian region, coniferous and deciduous forests create a diverse landscape that has been shaped by both natural succession and anthropogenic activities, such as logging and reforestation efforts. Our focus is to compare C pools between the two forest types to better understand variations in forest structure, woody debris presence, and overall C storage. 

Nitrogen (N) is a crucial nutrient in forest ecosystems, but its availability is becoming more variable due to increasing deposition occuring near agricultural and urban areas and a depletion occuring in isolated forests. This shift is concerning because N competition can limit plant growth, microorganism activity, and decomposition processes, therefore ultimately affecting forest C dynamics. While N enrichment has been studied as a potential solution, its effects on woody debris decomposition are debated. Some studies show an increased microbial activity and C flux, while other studies suggest the suppression of lignin degredation increases C storage. Despite existing research, gaps remain in understanding how N enrichment influences decomposition across different forest types and its long-term impact on soil C storage.