Biological productivity of pine forests by type of forest growth conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33730/2310-4678.3.2025.342536Keywords:
Scots pine, phytomass, commercial forests, carbon sequestration, climate change, Paris Agreement, oxygen productivity, mathematical modelingAbstract
The study is devoted to a comprehensive assessment of the potential of artificially planted pine forests in the Ukrainian Polissia region to absorb carbon and produce oxygen under various hydro-edaphic conditions. An analysis of climate trends for the period 1961–2023 shows an increase in the average annual temperature in the Polissia region by 2°C (from 6–7°C to 9–10°C), which has led to an increase in the frequency of droughts, the spread of pests and forest fires, which, in turn, significantly reduce the productivity of forest ecosystems. The study was conducted on the basis of 300 temporary sample plots in Polissia forestries. The results of the study show that Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), which occupies 59–61% of forested areas (664.6 thousand hectares), absorbs 70.9–71.2 thousand tons of carbon annually, which is equivalent to 5.8–16.6% of regional anthropogenic emissions (4.4 million tons). The carbon absorption potential largely depends on the age of the plantations: young forests accumulate 12.5 tons/ha, middle-aged forests — 32.5 tons/ha, mature forests — up to 60 tons/ha, which is explained by the gradual accumulation of biomass and the intensification of photosynthetic processes. Oxygen productivity also varies depending on age: from 16.4–19.7 kg per tree in young plantations to 509.7 kg in mature ones, with a total regional volume of 1.1 million tons (for TFGC A1; TFGC — type of forest growing conditions) to 55.9 million tons (for TFGC B3), reflecting the impact of hydrological and soil conditions on overall productivity. Regional characteristics of carbon sequestration include: in Chernihiv Polissia — 34.0 thousand tons (1.37–2.15% of emissions), Zhytomyr Polissia — 23.5 million tons of accumulated carbon (with a maximum of 12.1 million tons in middle-aged forests), Kyiv Polissia — 16.0–21.0 thousand tons (0.3–0.7%), Volyn Polissia — 9.0–16.0 thousand tons (0.6–3.2%). The most effective were commercial forests aged 60–80 years, which account for 63% of plantations and provide peak carbon sequestration activity due to the optimal balance between biomass and metabolic processes. Optimizing the density of plantations allows for a 12–42% increase in carbon sequestration capacity (A1 — 35.8%, A2 — 42.1%, B2 — 12%, B3 — 31.6%), which is explained by reduced competition between trees and improved access to resources. Correlation analysis confirmed a strong relationship between diameter, height, and phytomass (r=0.92–0.98), indicating the reliability of taxation indicators as a basis for forecasting. The results obtained are important for environmental monitoring, sustainable forest management, and the fulfillment of Ukraine’s international climate commitments. The pine forests of Polissia play a strategic role in CO2 absorption, providing a basis for the development of adaptation strategies, emissions trading mechanisms, and further scientific research on the carbon cycle in the context of global environmental challenges.
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