Impact of land use on aboveground carbon storage in a Tropical Montane Forest in Central Andes of Peru

Tropical montane forests play a key role in carbon storage, but they face constant threats from land use change. However, the relations between land use change, vegetation structure and carbon stocks remain poorly understood. We aimed to assess aboveground carbon storage in four land use types within a montane forest in the Central Andes of Peru. We quantified carbon stocks from trees, crops, dead biomass, and herbaceous plants across 61 sample plots. We identified a gradient of carbon storage from highest to lowest across land uses: Old-growth Montane Forest (193.03 ± 68.2 t ha -1), Montane Forest in Regeneration (87.52 ± 50.29 t ha -1), Agroforestry (48.67 ± 24.05 t ha -1), and Croplands (12.46 ± 9.75 t ha -1). Vegetation structure variables (tree height, DBH, basal area, and tree density, canopy cover) showed a significant positive correlation with aboveground carbon stocks (r2 ranging from 0.63 to 0.91). In contrast, soil physical properties (textural class (% sand, silt, and clay) and soil bulk density) did not correlate with aboveground carbon stocks. Our estimations indicate that trees are a great carbon pool and the presence of trees with DBH ≥ 30 often indicates conservation status. This study proves that there is a loss of carbon storage and vegetation structural characteristics as land use intensifies. Restoration of degraded forests and adoption of an agroforestry approach offer promising alternatives to preserve ecosystem functions and mitigate climate change.