Dr. Kang Ronghua, who recently directed such a study, emphasizes the important promise of enhanced rock weathering. Such a process would have major implications for carbon sequestration in temperate forests. Out of these studied over two years, researchers conducted in-depth studies on larch plantation ecosystems in the Changbai Mountain region of northeastern China. To improve soil carbon dynamics, they applied finely ground silicate minerals.
The experiment was conducted on a Larix gmelinii (Rupr.), Dahurian larch, plantation. To explore a more functional approach, Dr. Ronghua and his research team experimented with wollastonite powder – a calcium silicate mineral. They measured how it impacted both soil CO2 emissions and tree growth. They used a uniform 0-5-10-ton-per-hectare application rate across plots, so they applied the wollastonite at those varying rates on different plots.
During the two-year incubation study, the scientists regularly assessed soil CO2 fluxes, soil carbon composition, and tree growth indicators. Their results showed significant increases in soil CO2 emissions over the course of the study. During the establishment year, applying wollastonite reduced soil CO2 emissions by 40%. This represented a reduction of ∼16% compared with control plots that were untreated. While this is a small reduction, it indicates that enhanced rock weathering could be a powerful climate solution by slowing carbon release from soils.
In the analysis of year two’s results, we saw some new emerging trends. The team predicted an overall net increase of 5% in soil CO2 fluxes. This increase, a sign of disturbed ecology, happened in the treated plots versus the control. This unanticipated increase highlights the complexity of carbon dynamics when terrestrial mineral amendments are implemented. It further advocates for more research to determine how these practices improve soil health and increase carbon sequestration over time.
The research highlighted the need for continued long-term soil carbon dynamics monitoring, especially as climate conditions change in the coming decades. Indications of tree growth and soil CO2 emissions were analyzed by Dr. Ronghua’s team. In doing so, their objective was to understand what these treatments do to our forest’s ecosystems.
Forest Ecology and Management was the journal that published the research. It provides a wealth of information about responsible forest stewardship and what it can truly accomplish in the fight against climate change. The study’s DOI is 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123135.