Vol. 69 No. 4 (2014):
Special section

Forest ecosystem and carbon sequestration in Italy

Anna Barbati
Dipartimento per l’Innovazione nei sistemi Biologici, Agroalimentari e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo
Barbara Ferrari
Dipartimento per l’Innovazione nei sistemi Biologici, Agroalimentari e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo
Alessandro Alivernini
Dipartimento per l’Innovazione nei sistemi Biologici, Agroalimentari e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo
Alessandro Quatrini
Dipartimento per l’Innovazione nei sistemi Biologici, Agroalimentari e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo
Paolo Merlini
Consiglio per la ricerca e la sperimentazione in agricoltura, Forestry Research Centre (CRA-SEL), viale Santa Margherita 80, I-52100 Arezzo
Nicola Puletti
Consiglio per la ricerca e la sperimentazione in agricoltura, Forestry Research Centre (CRA-SEL), viale Santa Margherita 80, I-52100 Arezzo
Piermaria Corona
Consiglio per la ricerca e la sperimentazione in agricoltura, Forestry Research Centre (CRA-SEL), viale Santa Margherita 80, I-52100 Arezzo

Published 2015-02-05

Keywords

  • carbon sinks,
  • forest management

Abstract

Forest ecosystems contain large stocks of carbon sequestered in biomass and soil, that could either increase or decrease depending on forest management practices and disturbances. This paper, starting from processes of carbon mobilization within different forest carbon pools (aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, dead wood, litter and soil), highlights, on a quantitative basis, to what extent managed forests, forest plantations and trees outside forest can play a role as carbon sinks in Italy. Practical perspectives of forest management are outlined, including prevention of disturbances, renaturalization, land restoration, and establishment of forest tree crops and trees outside forest on farmland.