Abstract Carbon storage in agricultural ecosystems is an important component of the global carbon cycle and supports the development of management practices that reduce atmospheric CO 2 . This study examines carbon storage and allocation in seminatural perennial wild blueberry ( Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) ecosystems under traditional management in Maine. The objective is to quantify carbon stocks in plant biomass and soil and to evaluate how carbon is distributed among these pools. Field measurements and laboratory analyses suggest that soil organic carbon accounted for approximately 79% of the total carbon storage, highlighting the soil as the dominant carbon reservoir. Belowground biomass (roots and rhizomes) contributes 19% of the total carbon storage, while stem and leaf biomass together represent only 2%. Weak correlations are observed between soil carbon and biomass components, whereas a strong positive relationship between stem and leaf biomass ( R 2 = 0.59) suggests coordinated aboveground carbon allocation. The total carbon stock (8.0 kgC/m 2 ) in this system is within the upper range reported for agricultural ecosystems, reflecting that management practices minimizing soil disturbance can enhance organic matter retention. These results suggest that traditionally managed seminatural perennial systems can store substantial amounts of carbon, and that reducing soil disturbance in agricultural ecosystems is important for sustaining carbon sequestration and supporting long‐term ecosystem stability.
Zhang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.