Elevated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere: What might it mean for loblolly pine plantation forestry?

Research with loblolly pine suggests that projected increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentration will accelerate early growth and could result in shorter rotation length, reduced time until first commercial thinning, higher optimal planting desity, and possibly higher maximum stocking level in managed stands. We discuss some of the physiological processes and stand dynamics that underlie these changes, as well as silvicultural strategies that may serve to ensure sustainability of intensively managed forest systems in the face of increasing CO₂ and possible climate change.