Tag Archives: coarse roots

1897–1905 Ā. Jansons, A. Bārdulis, L. Ķēniņa, D. Lazdiņa, E. Džeriņš and R. Kāpostiņš
Carbon content of below–ground biomass of young Scots pines in Latvia
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Carbon content of below–ground biomass of young Scots pines in Latvia

Ā. Jansons, A. Bārdulis, L. Ķēniņa*, D. Lazdiņa, E. Džeriņš and R. Kāpostiņš

Latvia State Forest Research Institute ‘Silava’, Rigas str. 111, LV–2169, Salaspils, Latvia
*Correspondence: laura.kenina@silava.lv

Abstract:

Forest ecosystems play crucial role in global carbon cycling, therefore, increasing afforestation of agricultural land in Europe has been recognized as important contribution of carbon sequestration. In carbon reporting systems, root carbon content (CC) default value has been set to 50%. The study aimed to estimate CC in below–ground biomass and in relation to tree age in young Scots pine stands on forest and former agricultural land. The below–ground CC of young (8 to 40 years) managed Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands growing on nutrient poor mineral soils in Latvia was carried out. In total 62 sample trees (43 in forest land, 19 in former agricultural land) were randomly selected for destructive sampling to estimate the CC within below–ground biomass. Below–ground biomass weighted mean CC was 49.7 ± 0.4%, being slightly lower than the default CC value used to calculate carbon budgets. Root fractions stump, small roots (diameter 2–20 mm), coarse roots (diameter > 20 mm)) differed (p < 0.001) in their CC. Stumps (50.6 ± 0.6%) had highest (p < 0.001) CC in the below–ground biomass, followed by coarse (49.5 ± 0.4%) and small (49.1 ± 0.4%) roots, which did not differ from each other in their CC. Results demonstrated age–dependent increase of CC (p < 0.001) from 48.2 ± 0.3% to 51.7 ± 0.5%, indicating overestimation of the default value during the first two decades, but underestimation for older trees (24 to 40 years).

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277-286 A. Bārdulis, D. Lazdiņa, M. Daugaviete, A. Bārdule, U. Daugavietis andG. Rozītis
Above ground and below ground biomass in grey alder Alnus incana (L.) Moench. young stands on agricultural land in central part of Latvia
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Above ground and below ground biomass in grey alder Alnus incana (L.) Moench. young stands on agricultural land in central part of Latvia

A. Bārdulis*, D. Lazdiņa, M. Daugaviete, A. Bārdule, U. Daugavietis andG. Rozītis

Latvian State Forest Research Institute ‘Silava’, Rigas street 111, LV2169 Salaspils, Latvia; *Correspondence: andis.bardulis@silava.lv

Abstract:

Young grey alder stands under 10 years of age that are growing on abandoned agricultural lands in Central Latvian lowlands were selected for this study. In the framework of the research the biomass of the trees was studied and an equation was developed for grey alder stands on abandoned agricultural lands. An allometric equation for the different biomass fractions of grey alder was developed. Tree biomass is characterised by a power model with a single independent variable (DBH), which also indirectly substitutes for the effect of the stand age. The model is adapted to each fraction by changing its ratio values. The determination coefficient of the model is high, varying from R2 = 0.89 to R2 = 0.94, and the confidence level of the model is 95%. The biomass of particular fractions is defined by a power regression, with the tree stem diameter at the height of 1.3 m used as an argument. In young grey alder stands on abandoned agricultural lands the majority, 64%, of root fractions is composed of coarse roots, followed by the stump fraction and fine roots, 28% and 8%, respectively. For aboveground biomass the largest fraction is stem, which constitutes 75% of the total aboveground biomass, while the share of branches is 25%.

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