Effects of planting density on the distribution of biomass in a douglas-fir plantation in southern Italy

Marziliano, Pasquale A.; Coletta, Vittoria; Menguzzato, Giuliano; Nicolaci, Antonino; Pellicone, Gaetano; Veltri, Antonella

doi:10.3832/ifor1078-007

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Estimating belowground biomass is therefore a complex process which requires much effort in terms of time and cost for collecting data (Niiyama et al 2010;Ruiz-Peinado et al 2013;Marziliano et al 2014). Although the research conducted on this topic is extensive, quantitative knowledge on belowground biomass distribution in forest ecosystems still remains scarce (Cairns et al 1997;Brunner and Godbold 2007;Litton et al 2007).…”

Section: Handling Editor: Shuqing Zhaomentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio of Phillyrea latifolia L. in the Mediterranean forest landscapes

Marziliano

Lafortezza

Medicamento

et al. 2015

Annals of Forest Science

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& Key message This study developed and tested models to predict the belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio using aboveground field measures. The predictive power of such indirect measurement is useful for a rapid and reliable assessment of the biomass of the Mediterranean species. & Context Forest biomass estimation has been simplified by the availability of indirect methodologies for automatic measuring. However, most of the information on forest root systems is largely unexplored due to the difficulty in estimating belowground biomass (BGB) at large scale. A plausible approach to investigating forest BGB is to establish a relationship between a number of dendrometric parameters related to the aboveground vegetation (AGB) (e.g., tree diameter and height) and the belowground component of the total biomass. & Aims This work presents findings for indirect measurements of BGB in the typical Mediterranean landscapes focusing on sclerophyllous vegetation, specifically Phillyrea latifolia L. The purpose of the present study is twofold: (a) to develop a model explaining the BGB distribution of P. latifolia based on field data for dendrometric parameters, and (b) to understand how the ratio between BGB and AGB varies according to stem diameter as a proxy of plant growth. & Methods A total of 50 P. latifolia plants were randomly selected in the study areas and considered for excavation. Individual plants were analyzed to determine AGB and BGB development. A number of models were developed and tested to predict the BGB and root/shoot ratio using aboveground field measures. Allometric equations were employed to predict the AGB and BGB and relative partitioning in the Phillyrea community. & Results Models for P. latifolia AGB and BGB estimation that include crown diameter and stem height measures augment the models' predictive power. When used alone, the predictive power of the root collar diameter appears to be overestimated, while its effect is stronger for a subset of observations with larger crown diameter and stem height. The root/shoot ratio values of plant species typically related to the Mediterranean context seem to be largely superior to the ratio values of trees and forests. & Conclusions The model is ideally suited to incorporate indirectly measured tree height for a rapid and reliable assessment of the biomass of single Mediterranean species. Further research might include replication of the same studies in different geographic areas of the Mediterranean and in-depth analyses of AGB.

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Section: Handling Editor: Shuqing Zhaomentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio of Phillyrea latifolia L. in the Mediterranean forest landscapes

Marziliano

Lafortezza

Medicamento

et al. 2015

Annals of Forest Science

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“…Information on the effects of planting density and thinning on C sequestration by multipurpose tree species is scarce (Jandl et al, 2007) but on conifers particularly in Europe are available (Marziliano et al, 2015;Coletta et al, 2016); similarly, thinning and pruning interaction may influence growth and development of tree by affecting resources availability (Beadle et al, 2007). However, information on the impact of various cutting management levels in combination with high density plantation (HDP) on the biomass and carbon stock of woody perennial based land use systems is still unavailable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cutting Management Versus Biomass and Carbon Stock of Oak Under High Density Plantation in Central Himalaya, India

Yadav¹

2016

Appl Ecol Env Res

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Abstract. Tree growth and productivity are influenced by silvicultural strategies such as tree density and cutting management, which determine the potential of tree species to store carbon in the vegetation. A field experiment was conducted at Vivekananda Institute of Hill Agriculture, Almora, India in a 30-yearold Quercus leucotrichophora to evaluate the changes in vegetation carbon pools as a function of four cutting management (1m, 2m, local practice, and above 1/3 rd part undisturbed), under high density plantation (1.0m × 1.0m). Tree cutting management significantly (<0.01) influenced the carbon stocks of Q. leucotrichophora trees. Total vegetation (aboveground + below ground) carbon stock was highest for the above 1/3 rd part undisturbed (356.9 Mg ha -1 ) and lowest in the cutting at 1m (86.7 Mg ha -1 ). Overall, less disturbance to stands promote carbon storage, but intense cutting management (e.g., cutting at 1m) may adversely affect tree growth and productivity, reducing vegetation carbon pools. Cutting management effects are very much visible on carbon stock of Q. leucotrichophora under high density plantation. By extension, stand cutting exerts negative or positive feedbacks on biomass accretion, which may also influence the amount of carbon sequestered by the trees.

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“…In Italy a BCEF value of 1.4 Mg m -3 for exotic conifer plantations C-reporting is suggested by the INFC (National Forest and Carbon Inventory, 2005). It was shown though that BCEF changes with age in Douglas-fir plantations in southern Italy (Marziliano et al, 2015a), therefore using the constant value as reported by INFC leads to an underestimation of biomass for the younger stands and an overestimation of biomass for the older stands (Marziliano et al, 2015b). In specific studies, prediction models for BCEFs have been proposed to better reflect stand characteristics comparatively to the use of a constant and unique (average value) for the species (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomass conversion and expansion factors in Douglas-fir stands of different planting density: variation according to individual growth and prediction equations

et al. 2017

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Aim of study: We built biomass expansion factors (BCEFs) from Douglas-fir felled trees planted with different planting densities to evaluate the differences according tree size and planting density.Area of study: The Douglas-fir plantation under study is located on the northern coastal chain of Calabria (Tyrrhenian side) south Italy. Materials and methods:We derived tree level BCEFs, relative to crown (BCEF c ), to stem (BCEF st = basic density, BD) and total above-ground (BCEF t ) from destructive measurements carried out in a Douglas-fir plantation where four study plots were selected according to different planting densities (from 833 to 2500 trees per hectare). The measured BCEFs were regressed against diameter at breast height and total height, planting density, site productivity (SP) and their interactions to test the variation of BCEFs. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the post hoc Tukey comparison test were used to test differences in BCEF t , BCEF c and in BD between plots with different planting density.Main results: BCEFs decreased with increasing total height and DBH, but large dispersion measures were obtained for any of the compartments in the analysis. An increasing trend with planting density was found for all the analyzed BCEFs, but together with planting density, BCEFs also resulted dependent upon site productivity. BCEF t average values ranged between 1.40 Mg m -3 in planting density with 833 trees/ha (PD833) to 2.09 Mg m -3 in planting density with 2500 trees/ha (PD2500), which are in the range of IPCC prescribed values for Douglas-fir trees.Research highlights: Our results showed that the application of BCEF to estimate forest biomass in stands with different planting densities should explicitly account for the effect of planting density and site productivity.Keywords: biomass; biomass expansion factor; planting density; Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco.Correspondence should be addressed to Pasquale Antonio Marziliano: pasquale.marziliano@unirc.it

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Effects of planting density on the distribution of biomass in a douglas-fir plantation in southern Italy

Cited by 24 publications

References 23 publications

Estimating belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio of Phillyrea latifolia L. in the Mediterranean forest landscapes

Estimating belowground biomass and root/shoot ratio of Phillyrea latifolia L. in the Mediterranean forest landscapes

Cutting Management Versus Biomass and Carbon Stock of Oak Under High Density Plantation in Central Himalaya, India

Biomass conversion and expansion factors in Douglas-fir stands of different planting density: variation according to individual growth and prediction equations

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