Long-Term Carbon Sequestration in Pine Forests under Different Silvicultural and Climatic Regimes in Spain

Proactive silviculture treatments (e.g., thinning) may increase C sequestration contributing to climate change mitigation, although, there are still questions about this effect in Mediterranean pine forests. The aim of research was quantify the storage biomass and soil organic carbon Pinus forests along a climatic gradient from North South Iberian Peninsula. Nine experimental spp trials were selected latitudinal pre-Pyrenees southern Spain. At each location, homogeneous area used as operational scale, three thinning intensity treatments: unthinned or control (C), intermediate (LT, removal 30–40% initial basal area) heavy (HT, 50–60%) conducted. Growth per unit expressed increment-BAI), biomass, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) measured well sets environmental variables (climate, water availability chemical physical characteristics). One-way ANOVA Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) study on sequestration. Biomass growth higher than treatments, although differences only significant for P. halepensis. Radial recovered after all species, but it faster HT treatments. (SOC10, 0–10 cm depth) halepensis sylvestris, not nigra. SEM showed that stands studied species beneficed by thinning, recovering their quickly. resulting model explained 72% variation SOC10 content, 89% silvicultural condition (basal density) thinning. better related On other hand, characteristics did show influence over SOC10- latent variable with highest SOC10. This work is new contribution shows need forest managers integrate plantations.