Forest ecosystems and carbon sequestration in Italy.

Forest ecosystems contain large stocks of carbon sequestered in biomass and soil, that could either increase or decrease depending on forest management practices and disturbances. This paper, starting from processes of carbon mobilization within different forest carbon pools (aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, dead wood, litter and soil), highlights, on a quantitative basis, to what extent managed forests, forest plantations and trees outside forest can play a role as carbon sinks in Italy. Practical perspectives of forest management are outlined, including prevention of disturbances, renaturalization, land restoration, and establishment of forest tree crops and trees outside forest on farmland.