A new study from southern Brazil shows that carbon storage in the Atlantic Forest depends on more than just tree biomass. Researchers measured carbon in vegetation, forest litter, and soil across an 8.3-hectare Araucaria forest fragment in Santa Catarina. They found that soil held the largest share of total carbon in most plots, averaging about 73 metric tons per hectare, while aboveground forest carbon averaged roughly 69 metric tons per hectare. The study also revealed that terrain and biodiversity play key roles. On steeper slopes, the link between forest biomass and litter carbon weakened, likely because runoff redistributes organic material. Plots with higher species evenness tended to have more soil carbon, suggesting that community structure helps stabilize carbon below ground. These findings underscore the need for climate-smart forest strategies that account for multiple carbon pools and local terrain conditions.
