Structurally complex forests better at carbon sequestration

Forests in the eastern United States that are structurally complex—meaning the arrangement of vegetation is highly varied—sequester more carbon, according to a new study led by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University. The study demonstrates for the first time that a forest’s structural complexity is a better predictor of carbon sequestration potential than tree species diversity. The discovery may hold implications for the mitigation of climate change. Read the article in full here.