This paper gives an overview of the different components needed to model the carbon sequestering capacity of forest ecosystems, including living biomass and detritus. It starts from the viewpoint that global change research has to be interpreted from a broader perspective than just monitoring and prediction and should take into account the development of prophylactic and mitigating management techniques and policies. In this framework, research voncepts and methods relating to the present role of forests as a carbon sink, the changes to be expected and the possibilities of forestry to fix atmospheric carbon are discussed. Finally, it is demonstrated that the maximisation of carbon sequestration in biomass and soil fits perfectly into a concept of forest stability, considering global change as a major perturbation, including global warming and other human-induced changes such as the acidification of the biosphere and land-use changes.
111.83 (Klimaänderungen. Paläoklimatologie) 181.221 (Wärmebedarf und Temperaturverträglichkeit im allgemeinen) 161.32 (Assimilation des Kohlenstoffes. Photosynthese)
