Carbon sequestration and substitution potential of subtropical mountain Sugi plantation forests in central Taiwan

Forests are the most important terrestrial carbon source and sink, with forest biomass and productivity influencing the level of carbon storage in the ecosystem. In this study, the carbon sequestration of Sugi (Japanese cedar) was estimated according to 25-year plantation forest inventory data in the Experimental Forest, National Taiwan University, Nantou County, Taiwan. The total biomass, trunk biomass, and shoot biomass were used to calculate the carbon sequestration potential of Sugi plantation forests for 8995 acres. Additionally, the potential for bioethanol production from the shoot biomass was also estimated after 25 years of plantation. The results show that the total aboveground biomass accumulation is 935,231 m3, with an average areal biomass accumulation of 838.17 m3/ha. Total trunk volume is tallied at 562,274 m3, with stem volume accumulation at 243,285 m3/ha. Carbon sequestration is estimated at 274,571 tons. Shoot biomass could be converted to 58,194 tons of bioethanol. Substitution of steel and aluminum by overall Sugi trunk volume could reduce CO2 emissions by 72,9498 and 4,994,253 tons, respectively. Compared with other building materials, the consumption of wood board is relatively low. The greater use of wood products as building materials could thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have a lower environmental loading than other building materials. The long-term carbon sequestration and substitution potential of subtropical mountain Sugi plantation forests are identified by this study for the first time.