Abstract
Afforestation in low-carbon-density areas has been proposed for mitigating climate change,
because it leads to a reduction in the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. However, afforestation can be conducted for numerous purposes, and the complexity of tree species
may render accurate estimation of the carbon (C) sequestration potential difficult. In this
study, 22 cropland afforested plantations among 12 tree species and 4 study sites were
investigated. We investigated stand development and aboveground biomass C accumulation
of cropland afforestation in Taiwan, and examined how tree species and site conditions
affected stand growth and yields. Results showed that average values of the mean diameter
at breast height, tree height, stand density, and aboveground biomass C stocks for all studied plantation at 8~10 yr after planting were 12.1 cm, 8.5 m, 1272 trees ha-1, and 32.1 Mg C ha-1, respectively. The results also revealed that fast-growing tree species such as Swietenia
macrophylla and Melia azedarach attained the highest growth rates and accumulated the
most biomass C stocks, whereas slow-growing tree species such as Zelkova serrata exhibited
the lowest growth rate and C accumulation potential. Trees grown at sites with deep soils outperformed those grown at sites with shallow and rocky soils. Overall, current cropland
afforestation in Taiwan can enhance C sequestration, and also generate economic and
ecological benefits.