Soil and biomass carbon storage is much higher in Central American than Andean montane forests

Prada, Cecilia M.; Heineman, Katherine D.; Pardo, María J.; Piponiot, Camille; Dalling, James W.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3615-2025

Articles | Volume 22, issue 14

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3615-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3615-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 22, issue 14

Research article

|

29 Jul 2025

Research article |

| 29 Jul 2025

Soil and biomass carbon storage is much higher in Central American than Andean montane forests

Cecilia M. Prada, Katherine D. Heineman, María J. Pardo, Camille Piponiot, and James W. Dalling

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3615-2025-supplement

Data sets

Data for ``Soil and Biomass Carbon Storage is Much Higher in Central American than Andean Montane Forests'' J. W. Dalling https://doi.org/10.13012/B2IDB-7962588_V1

Model code and software

Data for ``Soil and Biomass Carbon Storage is Much Higher in Central American than Andean Montane Forests'' J. W. Dalling https://doi.org/10.13012/B2IDB-7962588_V1

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Short summary

Tropical montane forests (TMFs) are crucial for carbon sequestration and climate regulation. This study assessed carbon stocks in a Panamanian TMF across an elevation gradient (880–2920 m). Aboveground biomass, coarse wood debris, and soil C increased with elevation, with exceptionally high values at upper elevations. Elevation, rather than nutrient availability or ectomycorrhizal-tree dominance, drove C storage. Findings suggest prior lidar estimates may vastly underestimate regional C stocks.