Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) was the main tree species in afforestation in southern China. Evaluating the ability of carbon sequestration and conservation of water and soil of Chinese fir with different regeneration patterns was very important for scientific evaluation of forest ecosystem functions. Combining the field plot survey and laboratory chemical analysis method

Chinese fir seedling forest and sprout forest in southwest of Jiangxi were studied to reveal the carbon storage allocation characters of different stand ages and regeneration pattern

and to provide a scientific basis for the sustainable management of plantations. Our results showed that the carbon storage in tree layer of seedling plantation within different stand ages was generally higher than that of sprout forest. The carbon storage in tree layer of Chinese fir seedling forest within young

mid-mature

nearly mature

mature forest were 9.63 t/hm2

42.14 t/hm2

69.15 t/hm2 and 105.21 t/hm2

respectively

and the average annual amount of carbon sequestration were 1.69 t/hm2

2.63 t/hm2

3.01 t/hm2 and 3.39 t/hm2

and the trunk carbon storage of those accounted for 50.36%

70.60%

73.86% and 77.58% of the whole tree layer. The carbon storage in tree layer of Chinese fir sprout forest within young

mid-maturation

nearly mature

mature forest were 8.42 t/hm2

23.58 t/hm2

48.54 t/hm2

and 75.26 t/hm2

respectively

the annual average amount of carbon storage of those were 1.21 t/hm2

1.57 t/hm2

2.11 t/hm2 and 2.59 t/hm2

and the trunk carbon storage of those accounted for 54.28%

66.12%

71.92% and 73.70% of the whole tree layer. The lowest soil carbon sequestration of both Chinese fir seedling forest and sprout forest were found in young forest

and the highest of those were found in mature forest. The ranking order of soil carbon storage of Chinese fir seedling forest were mature forest (153.21 t/hm2)>nearly mature forest (138.17 t/hm2)＞young forest (128.30 t/hm2)>mid-maturation forest (113.11 t/hm2)

while that of sprout forest were mature forest (154.03 t/hm2)>nearly mature forest (138.28 t/hm2)＞young forest (130.20 t/hm2)>mid-maturation forest (117.05 t/hm2). Under the condition of the same stand density

the total carbon storage of sprout forest was lower than that of seedling forest except for young forest. There were significant difference of carbon storage within different stand ages between Chinese fir seedling forest and sprout forest (P<0.05)

however

the total carbon storage was not significantly different between the young and mid-mature forest

while significant difference was found between nearly and mature forest. Different growth rules and management caused different carbon storage allocation characters between Chinese fir seedling forest and sprout forest. In general

Chinese fir sprout forest were rich in understory species

and the ability for carbon sequestration of shrub

herb and litter layer were stronger

which were better than Chinese fir seedling forest in the aspect of soil and water conservation function.