Development of Technology to Enhance Carbon Sequestration in Forests

Increased carbon sequestration by forests is an important element of a comprehensive strategy to reduce net emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. United States forests currently remove 200 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year, offsetting 10% of emissions from fossil fuels. There is an opportunity to develop and apply forest management technology that is designed to maintain and potentially enhance the role of forests as carbon sinks. Scientists in the Northern Research Station are working with states and the private sector to identify land management practices that are compatible with other forest values, have the potential to provide additional income to forest landowners from sale of carbon credits, and can reduce atmospheric greenhouse gasses. We are also developing decision-support tools that will make it easier for land managers to determine the impacts of their management practices on ecosystem carbon balance, leading to a selection of alternatives that contribute to solving the greenhouse gas problem.

Selected Research Studies

Advanced Tree Gene Discovery for Carbon Sequestration
We are studying physiogical traits, including gas exchange properties and growth analysis parameters, of clones of the poplar backcross population sequenced by DOE.

Northern Institute of Applied Carbon Science
The Northern Institute of Applied Carbon Science (NIACS) is a collaborative effort of the Forest Service, universities, and forest industry to provide ecological, economic and social information that can be used to manage forests for the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. Forests store and/or retain carbon while simultaneously producing sustainable supplies of renewable energy and materials that help society. There are significant uncertainties, however, about how forest systems might respond to future climate change and how forest management could be used to ameliorate any negative effects.

Breeding and Selecting Poplar for Biofuels, Bioenergy, and Bioproducts
Hybridization of poplars occurs naturally among certain taxonomic sections, as well as from planned breeding efforts. Given that most of the variability of poplars is at the species level, both intra- and inter-specific hybridization have been vital tools for producing progeny that outperform either or both parents for biologically and economically important traits. It is important to refine breeding, testing, and selection protocols so that new, superior poplar genotypes can replace their underperforming counterparts.

Genetics and Genotype × Environment Interactions Affecting Adventitious Rooting and Early Establishment of Poplar Energy Crops
Gaining knowledge about the genetics and genotype × environment interactions affecting adventitious rooting is important for energy crop production. First, rapid and extensive rooting reduces establishment costs by permitting the use of unrooted cuttings as commercial stock rather than rooted cuttings. Second, assuming concomitant and well-balanced shoot development, rapid and extensive rooting promotes early growth, reducing vegetation management costs and the time period to crown closure. Third, rapid and extensive rooting that is stable in the face of varying environmental conditions can increase the period of time during which successful planting can occur, increasing operational flexibility.  

Using Low Energy X-ray Radiography to Evaluate Adventitious Rooting of Poplar Energy Crops
Adventitious roots of poplars have been studied less than aboveground tissues. However, there is an overwhelming need to evaluate root initiation and growth in order to understand the genetics and physiology of rooting, along with genotype × environment interactions. The Plant Root Visualization and Characterization System (PRVCS; Phenotype Screening Corporation, Seymour, TN, USA) is a novel imaging technique for non-destructive rooting studies using low energy x-rays to characterize roots as the plants develop.

Sustainable Production of Woody Energy Crops with Associated Environmental Benefits
Increasing human population levels at regional, national, and global scales have heightened the need for proper management of residential and industrial waste. Contaminants from this waste stream have polluted water, air, and soil much faster than traditional technologies could remediate the problem. Therefore, we are combining intensive forestry and waste management methods to increase the potential for producing woody crops for energy and fiber, along with decreasing the environmental degradation associated with waste disposal and subsequent waste water production.

Salt Tolerance and Salinity Thresholds of Woody Energy Crops Irrigated with High-salinity Waste Waters
There is a need for environmental practices that merge intensive forestry with waste management. Producing short rotation woody crops for energy, fiber, and environmental benefits requires adequate irrigation and fertilization, which can be supplied via waste waters including landfill leachate. Yet, leachate often contains elevated levels of salts such as chloride and sodium that cause leaf chlorosis and necrosis, decreased biomass accumulation, and increased mortality. Therefore, there is a pressing need to learn about the response of poplar energy crops when salts are taken up into root, leaf, and woody (stem + branch) tissues, as well as identifying thresholds of salt concentrations and salinity that can be recommended for these crops in both field testing and production plantations.

Global Change Research
The goal of global change research is to establish a sound scientific basis for making regional, national, and international resource management and policy decisions in the context of global change issues. The Northern Global Change Research Program currently emphasizes scientific inquiry into the effects of multiple air pollutants and climate changes on forest ecosystems. As the program matures, the impacts of prospective changes on interactions between forest ecosystems and social and economic processes will be evaluated, as will policy options for mitigating or adapting to predicted changes.