OPENAIRE OpenAire Sygma Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE) HAL-INSU ZENODO Crossref Europe PubMed Central Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) – Research Portal HAL-CEA European Union Open Data Portal https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gcb.16982 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16982 Global Change Biology Open Access 2023-10-30 2023-10-30 Abstract<p>Over 50￢ﾀﾉyears ago, Eugene Odum postulated that mature or climax forests reside in carbon neutrality. As climate change rose to prominence in the international environmental agenda, the neutrality hypothesis transformed from an ecological principle to a justification for using forest management in combating climate change. Despite persistent efforts, Odum's neutrality hypothesis has resisted both confirmation and refutation. In this opinion we show the limitations of past efforts to (in)validate Odum's neutrality hypothesis and propose new research directions for the community to permit a more general confirmation or refutation with current and near￢ﾀﾐfuture observations. We then demonstrate such an approach by using metabolic theory to formulate testable predictions for the total sink strength considering soil, litter, and biomass of mature or climax forests based on observations of tree biomass and individual density. In doing so, we show that ecological theory can create additional relevant, testable hypotheses to provide timely support to decision￢ﾀﾐmakers seeking to address one of the world's most pressing environmental challenges.</p [SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean Carbon Sequestration Atmosphere [SDU.OCEAN] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere forest management mature forests 577 15. Life on land Forests metabolic theory carbon sequestration [SDU.ENVI] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment Carbon Trees 13. Climate action Odum's ecological hypotheses Biomass [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces environment McGrath, Matthew Joseph, Schulte‐Frohlinde, Augustine, Luyssaert, Sebastiaan, 2023-10-30 journalpaper Abstract<p>Over 50￢ﾀﾉyears ago, Eugene Odum postulated that mature or climax forests reside in carbon neutrality. As climate change rose to prominence in the international environmental agenda, the neutrality hypothesis transformed from an ecological principle to a justification for using forest management in combating climate change. Despite persistent efforts, Odum's neutrality hypothesis has resisted both confirmation and refutation. In this opinion we show the limitations of past efforts to (in)validate Odum's neutrality hypothesis and propose new research directions for the community to permit a more general confirmation or refutation with current and near￢ﾀﾐfuture observations. We then demonstrate such an approach by using metabolic theory to formulate testable predictions for the total sink strength considering soil, litter, and biomass of mature or climax forests based on observations of tree biomass and individual density. In doing so, we show that ecological theory can create additional relevant, testable hypotheses to provide timely support to decision￢ﾀﾐmakers seeking to address one of the world's most pressing environmental challenges.</p New ways for (in)validating the forest carbon neutrality hypothesis 10.1111/gcb.16982 101000289