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Table 1 Carbon density (metric tons C/hectare, tC/ha) by region and age class. Estimates are for aboveground live tree carbon. SEM = standard error of the mean

From: Aboveground live tree carbon stock and change in forests of conterminous United States: influence of stand age

Region

Age class

Mean C density (tC/ha)

SEM

Forest area

(kha)

% of area

(forestland)

Northeast

0–20

15.5

0.8

1,361

4

 

21–40

34.8

0.6

3,513

10

 

41–60

59

0.6

6,437

19

 

61–80

77.1

0.5

10,445

31

 

81–120

88.4

0.5

11,464

34

 

121+

88.6

2.1

783

2

 

Overall

70.9

0.3

  

Northern Lake States

0–20

11.5

0.3

2,704

12

 

21–40

29.1

0.4

3,219

15

 

41–60

42

0.5

4,576

21

 

61–80

52.4

0.4

5,977

27

 

81–120

60.6

0.5

5,167

23

 

121+

58

1.9

535

2

 

Overall

43.9

0.2

  

South Central

0–20

22.4

0.3

14,935

27

 

21–40

54.1

0.4

13,040

23

 

41–60

61.8

0.4

12,060

22

 

61–80

74.3

0.5

11,994

21

 

81–120

85

1

3,723

7

 

121+

92.5

8.5

47

< 1

 

Overall

53.7

0.2

  

Southeast

0–20

22.1

0.3

10,075

28

 

21–40

57.4

0.5

9,325

26

 

41–60

69

0.7

5,911

16

 

61–80

85.9

0.7

5,931

16

 

81–120

97.4

0.9

4,525

13

 

121+

99.2

3.2

295

1

 

Overall

59.5

0.3

  

Central States

0–20

14.1

0.9

697

5

 

21–40

36.9

0.8

1,473

10

 

41–60

54.4

0.6

3,881

27

 

61–80

63.1

0.6

4,769

33

 

81–120

70.9

0.8

3,350

23

 

121+

76.7

3.6

258

2

 

Overall

57.7

0.4

  

Great Plains

0–20

2.1

0.1

10,789

22

 

21–40

8.4

0.1

13,554

28

 

41–60

14.2

0.2

14,562

30

 

61–80

21.8

0.4

7,135

15

 

81–120

27.2

0.8

1,930

4

 

121–160

25.2

2.5

176

< 1

 

161–300

37.7

8.7

33

< 1

 

300+

3.4

6

< 1

 

Overall

11.6

0.1

  

Rocky Mountain-North

0–20

5.5

0.2

4,511

23

 

21–40

15.5

0.5

1,231

6

 

41–60

30.4

1

1,219

6

 

61–80

47.4

1.4

2,016

10

 

81–120

56.7

0.9

5,386

28

 

121–160

58.6

1.2

2,762

14

 

161–300

61.8

1.4

1,988

10

 

300+

47.9

4.1

141

1

 

Overall

40.2

0.4

  

Rocky Mountain-South

0–20

3.8

0.1

6,456

15

 

21–40

7.4

0.3

1,860

4

 

41–60

10.1

0.5

1,626

4

 

61–80

17.2

0.5

3,538

8

 

81–120

26.8

0.4

11,268

26

 

121–160

25.6

0.4

8,114

19

 

161–300

23.8

0.4

9,139

21

 

300+

22.6

1.4

543

1

 

Overall

20.1

0.2

  

Pacific Northwest - East

0–20

5.4

0.3

1,161

12

 

21–40

20.7

0.6

816

8

 

41–60

32.1

1.2

978

10

 

61–80

41.9

1

1,743

18

 

81–120

54.6

1

3,223

33

 

121–160

69

2.1

1,005

10

 

161–300

85.9

3.1

804

8

 

300+

92

10.1

147

1

 

Overall

46.1

0.6

  

Pacific Northwest - West

0–20

17.3

0.8

2,032

18

 

21–40

84.4

1.4

2,528

23

 

41–60

135.1

2.5

1,661

15

 

61–80

157.5

3.8

1,114

10

 

81–120

176.7

4

1,288

12

 

121–160

212.5

5.8

704

6

 

161–300

234.2

4.2

1,099

10

 

300+

248.9

7

610

6

 

Overall

130.0

1.2

  

Pacific Southwest

0–20

8.1

0.8

991

8

 

21–40

49.8

2.8

689

5

 

41–60

84.7

3.1

1,217

9

 

61–80

77.1

2.5

1,625

13

 

81–120

91.4

2

3,043

24

 

121–160

110.7

3.8

1,273

10

 

161–300

117.9

3.9

1,397

11

 

300+

49.2

2.9

2,584

20

 

Overall

76.6

1