NWG at MSL: The Forest Project
Trees are critical elements to both the nitrogen and carbon cycles present in forests. In addition to streams, the MSL houses over 2,000 acres of forest, including species such as loblolly pine, sassafras, tulip poplars, and various oaks and maples. Roughly 1,000 acres on the East side of the property is primarily Loblolly Pine while the other 1,000 acres on the West side is made up of a diverse range of hardwoods. The Morven Team has embarked on an ambitious project to determine how much carbon and nitrogen the trees present in this forest are currently storing, based on the lifetime of the tree, and sequestering each year. This storage is an invaluable ecosystem service which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, is present in the atmosphere.
To complete this project, the team has engaged in a rigorous sampling process. The team used GIS to identify suitable locations at which to sample the trees in the forest. These calculations resulted in 18 spots to sample in the forest, spread amongst both the East and West forests at Morven. Throughout the fall of 2024, the team trekked on numerous occasions through the forest at Morven, using a GPS to locate the desired sampling spot. From there, the team designated a 10 meter by 10 meter plot, measuring the diameter at breast height (DBH) of all the trees and identified their species as well. Later, the team used iTree to calculate the carbon sequestered in each tree and scaled up those calculations to the forest overall. Nitrogen was calculated from the carbon values, using the C:N ratio for woody species.
As calculations are finalized, the Morven team is excited to see where the Forest Project goes next. The team would like to give a special thank you to Professor Meghan Blumstein who helped tremendously with both planning and executing this study.
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For more information, reach out to the lead of this project, Maddie Morphis, at mfc6fk@virginia.edu