Abstract
In order to evaluate the quantity of carbon sequested in the terrestrial vegetation, it is crucial to measure carbon storage precisely in situ. Carbon storage was evaluated based on systematic thorough measurement of biomass and carbon contents in each component including trees, Sasa, standing dead trees, coarse woody debris, litter, roots and soils of the cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan. The site locates at 36ﾟ08' 25" N, 137ﾟ25' 35" E on a south eastern slope of the Mount Norikura at about 1400 m above sea level. One hectare of forest (100 m× 100 m) was divided into 100 10 m by 10 m subplots. Carbon storage was calculated by summing up carbon mass, and simulated at each seven parts of ecosystem, including living trees, standing dead trees, and Sasa of floor vegetation as aboveground parts; plant litters, coarse woody debris, roots, and soils as belowground parts. The results indicate that 71.4 tC of carbon per hectare was in living trees, 5.3 tC in standing dead trees, and 2.8 tC in Sasa of floor vegetation as in aboveground parts; while 22.9 tC in roots, 15.3 tC in plant litters, 4.6 tC in coarse woody debris, and 318.3 tC in soil. So 441 tC/ha is stored as the total, out of which 334 tC is storing in soils and 107 tC is storing in plants in this cool-temperate forest ecosystem.
