Examining the effect of greater plant growth associated with tree line advance on carbon storage

The PhD project aims to map the potential influence climate change may have through migrating tree lines on carbon storage in alpine regions in Oceania. Alpine regions have globally significant carbon storages, but studies examining the impacts of tree line migration on carbon storage are scarce. Results from previous studies in the northern hemisphere shows that there is a potentially significant decrease in soil carbon caused by increased presence of vascular plants, resulting in a positive climatic feedback mechanism. While increased above ground biomass has the potential to sequester more carbon dioxide, this appear not to increase at a rate which is sufficient to offset the loss of carbon from below ground.

Funding:  UQ Research Training Scholarship
Advisors:  Assoc Prof Paul Dargusch, Prof Jamie Shulmeister