Carbon dynamics in the boreal forest

Abstract

As one of the largest and most intact biomes, the boreal forest occupies a prominent place in the global carbon budget. While it contains about 13% of global terrestrial biomass, its organic-rich soils hold 43% of the world’s soil carbon. A growing body of research has attempted to measure how climate influences the processes governing carbon uptake and release, and to predict further changes due to climate change. Current research on boreal forest carbon pools and the processes that affect them suggest that this biome acts as a weak sink for atmospheric carbon. However, evidence of rapid climate change at northern latitudes has raised concern that the boreal forest could readily shift to a net carbon source if the ecophysiological processes facilitating carbon uptake are sufficiently disrupted. Changes in soil temperatures, respiration rates, and disturbance dynamics (type, extent, and frequency) brought about by climate change or other factors could switch the biome to a net source of carbon. Based on current knowledge, it appears that a warming climate will likely create the conditions for increased carbon release from boreal forests.