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<p>Planted forests serve as critical carbon sinks in climate mitigation strategies, yet balancing individual growth with stand-level carbon storage through age-specific density regulation remains a key knowledge gap. By integrating dendrochronological analysis (1003 increment cores from 532 trees) with longitudinal stand development data (50 permanent plots), we quantify moisture-mediated thresholds governing carbon dynamics in <i>Larix principis-rupprechtii</i>&#xa0;plantations. Our results showed that tree biomass dominated ecosystem carbon storage, accounting for over 95% of aboveground pools, with stand development exhibiting distinct phases: a linear carbon accumulation phase persisting until 70,000 tree-years/ha, followed by a carbon saturation plateau. Optimal balance between tree growth and carbon storage occurred at 27,000 tree-years/ha under baseline conditions, increasing to 34,000 tree-years/ha during normal/wet years but showing 20–35% reductions under drought stress. Moisture availability mediated these thresholds, with drought intensity exacerbating growth-carbon tradeoffs and significantly lowering operational targets. Our findings establish age-stratified density management curves that reconcile tree-level productivity with stand-level carbon storage across moisture gradients, providing actionable guidelines for adaptive silviculture in climate-sensitive plantations. These quantitative relationships enable forest managers to optimize stand density thresholds based on both stand age and projected climate conditions, offering a framework to maximize ecological and economic benefits in water-limited environments.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

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Balancing individual growth and stand carbon dynamics: optimizing age-dependent density management for Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations in semi-humid to semiarid regions

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月21日

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  • Yuewei Wu,
  • Tim Rademacher,
  • Hongyan Liu,
  • Ruben Manzanedo,
  • Boyi Liang,
  • Shitao Yu,
  • Zhifeng Guo,
  • Mingchao Du,
  • Xianliang Zhang

摘要

Planted forests serve as critical carbon sinks in climate mitigation strategies, yet balancing individual growth with stand-level carbon storage through age-specific density regulation remains a key knowledge gap. By integrating dendrochronological analysis (1003 increment cores from 532 trees) with longitudinal stand development data (50 permanent plots), we quantify moisture-mediated thresholds governing carbon dynamics in Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations. Our results showed that tree biomass dominated ecosystem carbon storage, accounting for over 95% of aboveground pools, with stand development exhibiting distinct phases: a linear carbon accumulation phase persisting until 70,000 tree-years/ha, followed by a carbon saturation plateau. Optimal balance between tree growth and carbon storage occurred at 27,000 tree-years/ha under baseline conditions, increasing to 34,000 tree-years/ha during normal/wet years but showing 20–35% reductions under drought stress. Moisture availability mediated these thresholds, with drought intensity exacerbating growth-carbon tradeoffs and significantly lowering operational targets. Our findings establish age-stratified density management curves that reconcile tree-level productivity with stand-level carbon storage across moisture gradients, providing actionable guidelines for adaptive silviculture in climate-sensitive plantations. These quantitative relationships enable forest managers to optimize stand density thresholds based on both stand age and projected climate conditions, offering a framework to maximize ecological and economic benefits in water-limited environments.

Graphical abstract