Complex mountain terrain and disturbance history drive variation in forest aboveground live carbon density in the western Oregon Cascades, USA.

•We mapped aboveground live carbon (ALC) density using lidar and field plots.•Past logging had a greater influence on landscape ALC than past wildfires.•Environmental factors describe more of the variance in ALC in young versus old forests.•Young forest ALC was influenced by stand age and larger-scale site productivity.•Older forest ALC was influenced more by finer-scale disturbance and environment.