Assessment of carbon sequestration by Norway spruce ecosystems after natural disturbances in Tatra national Park.

Under climate change carbon sequestration as one of the key ecosystem services might be endangered by increasing frequency and consequences of disturbing biotic and abiotic factors. This project focuses on quantification of carbon sequestration in Norway spruce ecosystems in the Tatra National Park after large scale disturbances by windfalls, fires and bark beetle outbreaks with different post-disturbance management. Ecosystem sequestration will be estimated from direct measurement of CO2 respiration and assimilation. Project consists of four phases: 1. Selection, establishment, or extension of research sites representing a) disturbing impact of key natural factors (wind, fire, bark beetle) and b) undisturbed, reference conditions., 2. Construction of automatic systems for unattended measurement of CO2 fluxes, installation of instruments and sensors, realisation of field flux measurement on soil, ground vegetation and standing trees, collection of bioclimatic and biometric data for spatial and temporal modelling of CO2 fluxes and spreading of bark beetle. Field works will include mapping of vegetation status, bark beetle damage, also experiments with increased air and soil temperature imitating projected warming in next 50 y to detect potential impact on CO2 fluxes, physiological processes in dominant tree species on disturbed sites. 3. Analysis and data interpretation, calculation of C sequestration according to the type and intensity of disturbance, assessment of factors for rehabilitation of C sequestration. 4 Report for partner organisation - State Forest TANAP describing present and potential spatial C sequestration under various scenarios of future forest development, software application for: a) handling large datasets from automatic measurements, b) C sequestration calculation from biometric and micrometeorological data, c) estimation of population density and spreading of attack by bark beetle.