@article{fdi:010096526,
  title = {{R}esprouting shrubs significantly contribute to {M}editerranean forest carbon stocks with their root system},
  author = {{H}attab, {M}. and {Z}ribi, {L}. and {S}emmar, {N}. and {B}ahri, {H}. and {N}asr, {Z}. and {M}ouillot, {F}lorent and {S}adfi, {N}. and {G}harbi, {F}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}hrubs constitute an important, yet often underestimated component of forest ecosystem carbon stocks, particularly in {M}editerranean regions. {R}esprouting shrub species further strengthen this role through substantial belowground carbon reserves, a mechanism that remains insufficiently investigated. {T}his study investigated shrub biomass and carbon storage in two contrasting stand ages, a young site ({YS}) and aged site ({AS}) of a {Q}uercus suber (cork oak) forest in northwestern {T}unisia. {S}pecies-specific allometric equations were developed for dominant shrubs ({P}istacia lentiscus, {M}yrtus communis, {E}rica arborea) to estimate aboveground ({AGB}), belowground ({BGB}) and total biomass using dendrometric variables (height, basal diameter, crown diameters). {N}onlinear models provided the best predictive accuracy. {B}iomass and carbon stocks increased significantly with stand age. {T}otal shrub biomass was 9.12 {M}g ha-1 (4.96 {M}g {C} ha-1) in {YS} and 32.55 {M}g ha-1 (19.15 {M}g {C} ha-1) in {AS}, with 1.6% in belowground compartment of total forest biomass for {YS} and 6.0% for {AS}. {L}itter carbon storage was higher in {AS} (5.05 {M}g {C} ha-1) than {YS} (3.96 {M}g {C} ha-1), while soil organic carbon ({SOC}) stocks were substantial with 302.61 and 457.77 {M}g {C} ha-1 in {YS} and {AS}, respectively. {T}hese findings highlight the significant carbon sequestration potential of resprouting shrubs in {M}editerranean forests.},
  keywords = {{A}llometric equations ; {B}iomass ; {C}arbon stocks ; {R}esprouting ; {S}hrub ; {S}oil organic carbon ; {TUNISIE} ; {ZONE} {MEDITERRANEENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{E}uropean {J}ournal of {F}orest {R}esearch},
  volume = {145},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {49 [16 p.]},
  ISSN = {1612-4669},
  year = {2026},
  DOI = {10.1007/s10342-026-01881-x},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010096526},
}