Short Effect of Thinning on the Growth and Carbon Storage of Cunninghamia lanceolata Plantation

To accurately clarify the impact of short-term thinning on ecosystem carbon storage in 19-year-old Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation, the growth and ecosystem C storage of C.lanceolata plantation under high intensity thinning, moderate intensity thinning, light intensity thinning and non-thinning (CK.) were studied in the next 7 years.The findings indicated that the diameter at breast height (DBH), height and biomass of remaining C.lanceolata plantation were all increased with the increasing of thinning intensity.The annual growth rate of DBH was high intensity thinning ((0.51 ± 0.03) cm/a)> moderate intensity thinning ((0.41 ± 0.04) cm/a)> light intensity thinning ((0.34 ± 0.05) cm/a)> non-thinning ((0.31 ± 0.02) cm/a); The annual growth rate of height was high intensity thinning ((0.46 ± 0.02) m/a)> moderate intensity thinning ((0.45 ± 0.03) m/a)> light intensity thinning ((0.31 ± 0.05) m/a)> non-thinning ((0.29 ± 0.05) m/a); The annual growth rate of individual biomass was high intensity thinning ((5.07 ± 0.24) kg/a)> moderate intensity thinning ((3.95 ± 0.77) kg/a)> light intensity thinning ((2.80 ± 0.18) kg/a)> non-thinning ((2.29 ± 0.59) kg/a.The total C storage of stands under different thinning intensity was light intensity thinning ((174.94 ± 35.01) t/hm²)> non-thinning ((154.47 ± 24.88) t/hm²)> moderate intensity thinning ((153.74 ± 15.26) t/hm²)> high intensity thinning ((133.93 ± 24.73) t/hm²).LIT significantly increased ecosystem C storage significantly by 13.25% due to the increased C pools in shrub, herb, litter and soil, whereas MIT and HIT had no significant effects on ecosystem C storage.