Disturbance Dynamics and Its Effects on Carbon in Human-Impacted Mountain Forests in Northwestern Yunnan, China.

ABSTRACT: Human activities alter disturbance regimes, influencing forest structure and ecosystem carbon. Identifying and quantifying natural and anthropogenic disturbances at fine spatial scales are critical to assessing the role of forests in climate change mitigation. This study investigated disturbance history and carbon storage in human-impacted forests and open ecosystems at elevations of 2000-4200 m in northwestern Yunnan, China. We established 50 sampling plots along the four due orientations of a mountain peak. Using tree rings, fire scars, satellite imagery, official records, and interviews, we reconstructed historical disturbances and identified fires, logging events, landslides, and icy precipitation since the 1950s. We analyzed the impact of disturbance history and topography on ecosyste

SUBMITTER: Cheng Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12434075 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature