Ķēniņa et al. (2026): Disturbance event impact on aboveground carbon storage and vulnerability of large trees in old-growth coniferous forest stands in Latvia
Laura Ķēniņa, Didzis Elferts, Ieva Jaunslaviete and Āris Jansons, IN: Scientific Reports, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37378-1
Large, old trees store a considerable part of the total carbon in old-growth forests; however, their influence on long-term climate change mitigation capacity remains unclear. Damage caused by wind and insect outbreaks can rapidly kill trees, and these natural events are expected to increase with climate change, thereby reducing the long-term carbon storage capacity of old-growth stands. The aim was to estimate the importance of large, old trees in carbon storage at the stand level and the potential risks for the carbon stock if they die.