Dr. Teresa Silverthorn, University of Liverpool

Riparian forests are important for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling, among other benefits. However, there is little research about greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in riparian forests, and how they are influenced by anthropogenic activities like forestry. Moreover, although headwater streams make up a large percentage of stream length in a given drainage network, their riparian zones are particularly vulnerable to logging, as they typically do not require a buffer zone of trees left standing. Therefore, the objective of my research is to examine how different forestry practices impact GHG emissions from riparian forest soils in the Pacific coastal temperate rainforest, a global hotspot for nutrient cycling. The results of this research will advance our knowledge of GHG dynamics in riparian soils alongside headwater streams and how they are impacted by forestry management practices. This knowledge can help inform forestry management of buffer zones for GHG balance and more accurate global GHG budgets for climate change mitigation.