Comparing aboveground structure and aboveground carbon storage of an age series of moso bamboo forests subjected to different management strategies

The purpose of this study was to compare aboveground carbon storage capacities of different management strategies of an age series of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) forests. The study site was located in the lower mountain area of central Taiwan. Stand structure and aboveground carbon storage were compared between moso bamboo stands that were subjected to two management strategies, intensive management (IM) and extensive management (EM). The Chi squared (χ 2) test was utilized to examine the frequency distribution of culms among the age classes in each stand. All the IM stands passed the χ 2 test, while only 41.7 % of the EM stands passed the test. This result suggests that the IM stands contain culms that are homogeneously distributed within an age series, while more than one-half of the EM stands did not follow this distribution. In addition, the relative root mean square errors (RRMSEs) of carbon storage in the age classes were calculated as an indicator of the variations of carbon storage in the age classes of each stand. A non-parametric test (Wilcoxon Scores) was utilized to compare the RRMSEs of the IM and EM stands; the results indicated that the RRMSEs were significantly different between these two management strategies. The IE stands displayed a smaller RRMSE than the EM stands, suggesting that the IE stands had stable carbon storage in the age series.