Speaker
Description
Forests play a vital role in the global carbon cycle: they capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it in wood and soil. Tree growth is a crucial part of this process, as it is a way for ecosystems to fixate atmospheric carbon.
In this study, we examined wood formation (xylogenesis) in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) during the growing season in two contrasting years (2020–2021) with different moisture conditions. Using X-ray micro-computed tomography (XμCT), a technique similar to a medical scanner that allows us to look at 3D wood structures without damaging them, we measured intra-seasonal wood size growth and woody biomass accumulation.
Previous research in conifers suggested a time lag between the increase in wood size and the production of biomass. In beech, we found almost no delay. This means that stem growth measurements with dendrometers can serve as reliable indicators of seasonal carbon storage in semi-diffuse broadleaf trees such as beech in temperate ecosystems, provided early-season adjustments are made for stem swelling.
Our findings highlight the potential of XμCT as a powerful high-throughput, non-destructive method to track tree growth and carbon storage in detail. This approach is now being expanded to larger datasets including beech, oak, and pine from several ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation Systems) sites across Europe. Early data suggests that the earlier mentioned time lag between wood size growth and woody biomass production is confirmed in pine. This data will help to better understand the dynamics of wood growth and how it is influenced by climate.
| If your abstract is not accepted for an oral presentation, would you be interested in presenting it as a poster instead? | Yes |
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| If accepted by the Scientific Board, I agree to have my presentation/poster and abstract published on the Belgian Climate Centre websites and social media. | Yes |
