Estimation of the above-ground biomass of the herb layer in forest communities

Kubíček, F.; Jurko, Anton

doi:10.1007/bf02852853

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The amounts of understorey biomass may vary significantly in different plant communities at the same time. This is confirmed, for example, by the work of Kubiček and Jurko (1975), who determined the understorey biomass in August 1973 in Little Carpathians in Slovakia in five different forest communities varying in terms of trophic and moisture conditions. In Luzulo-Fagetum association, herbaceous biomass amounted to 41 kg/ha (excluding mosses), in Dentario-Fagetum -364 kg/ha, in Aceri-Carpinetum -476 kg/ha, in Carici pilosae-Carpinetum -691 kg/ha, while in Stellario-Alnetum -1364 kg/ha.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 56%

Seasonal changes in the understorey biomass of an oak-hornbeam forest Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum betuli

Jagodziński¹,

Pietrusiak²,

Rawlik³

et al. 2013

Forest Research Papers

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Abstract. We studied seasonal changes in the understorey biomass of an oak-hornbeam forest association Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum betuli. Samples were collected weekly during the most dynamic period of herbaceous layer development (April-May 2010), and every two weeks for the remainder of the growing season (June-October). Samples were collected from 10 randomly selected localities of 0.36 m 2 within the plant community. The plants harvested were separated by species, then oven-dried and weighed. There were statistically significant differences in aboveground understorey biomass during the time between harvests. For example, the lowest plant biomass (produced in 2010 and previous years) was found on April 3rd (37.2 kg/ha), whereas the two highest were on May 1 st (308.1 kg/ha) and June 12 th (337.6 kg/ha). The lowest biomass of plants produced in 2010 was on April 3 rd (13.0 kg/ha) and the highest was on May 1 st (259.8 kg/ha). When biomass of particular herbaceous plant species were analyzed, there was no one clearly dominant species. For example, from March 20 th to May 22 nd the biomass of Ficaria verna was the highest at ca. 36% of the total herbaceous layer plant biomass (range: 14.5-51.0%). During the next harvesting period (June-October), there were a few dominant herbaceous plant species, e.g. Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Impatiens parviflora, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris carthusiana, Dryopteris filix-mas, and Maianthemum bifolium.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 56%

Seasonal changes in the understorey biomass of an oak-hornbeam forest Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum betuli

Jagodziński¹,

Pietrusiak²,

Rawlik³

et al. 2013

Forest Research Papers

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“…Few studies integrated mosses in temperate forest areas (contrary to boreal forests), when studying forest functioning or quantifying biomass stocks. It was found to vary considerably and accounted for 13 to 85% of understorey biomass (Den Ouden and Alaback, 1996;Kubicek and Jurko, 1975;Popiolek, 1978;Telfer, 1972;Tremblay and Larocque, 2001). At the northern limits of temperate zones, it was indeed found to account for 25% of understorey biomass in a temperate Tsuga heterophylla/ Picea sitchensis forest in Alaska (Den Ouden and Alaback, 1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using cover measurements to estimate aboveground understorey biomass in Maritime pine stands

Porté¹,

Samalens

Dulhoste

et al. 2009

Ann. For. Sci.

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Abstract• Understorey plays a major role in forest fluxes and stocks balances, however this compartment is generally poorly quantified. Our objectives were to establish models to estimate understorey biomass using vegetation cover measurements and to investigate upscaling methodologies from stand to regional level.• Understorey aboveground biomass measurements were undertaken in Maritime pine stands of mesohygric, mesic and dry moorlands in South West France.• Average biomass stock in this compartment was estimated to 3.50 t DM ha −1 . The more abundant species groups varied with moorland types, with a higher relative contribution of herbaceous species (23.3%), bracken (59.2%) and mosses (31.6%) for mesohygric, mesic and dry moorlands, respectively. For each species group, we established significant relationships to estimate biomass using a volumetric index, based on cover and height measurements. No relationship between stand characteristics and understorey biomass was founded. We investigated the upscaling of these estimations to a several thousands hectare area using understorey cover measurements done along a regular spatial grid. The only significant correlation linked one satellite vegetation index to understorey biomass.• We successfully developed empirical relationships to estimate the understorey biomass at the stand level. Further investigations could focus on the analysis of understorey variability over a finer space grid and the potential use of satellite vegetation indexes. Mots-clés :biomasse / sous-bois / modèle allométrique / Pinus pinaster / changement d'échelle Résumé -Estimation de la biomasse aérienne du sous-bois de peuplements de pin maritime à l'aide de mesures de recouvrement.• Le sous-bois est un compartiment non négligeable dans les études de stocks et de flux des forêts ; cependant il est encore mal quantifié. Les objectifs de notre étude étaient d'établir des relations permettant d'estimer la biomasse du sous-bois de peuplements et d'analyser les possibilités d'extrapolation à l'échelle du massif.• Des mesures de biomasse aérienne de sous-bois ont été réalisées sur une série de peuplements de pin maritime en Landes mésohygrophile, mésophile et sèche dans le Sud-Ouest de la France.• Nous avons estimé le stock moyen de biomasse dans ce compartiment à 3.50 t MS ha −1 . Le groupe d'espèces le plus abondant diffère selon le type de landes : herbacées (23.3 %), fougères (59.2 %) et mousses (31.6 %) en landes mésohygrophile, mésophile et sèche, respectivement. Pour chaque groupe d'espèces, des relations significatives ont été mises en évidence entre un indice volumique et la biomasse de sous-bois. Aucune relation n'a été mise en évidence entre les caractéristiques du peuplement et la biomasse du sous-bois. Nous avons envisagé le calcul à l'échelle d'une zone atelier de plusieurs milliers d'hectares en utilisant une grille spatialisée de relevés de recouvrements. Seul un indice satellite de végétation a présenté une corrélation positive avec la biomasse du sous-bois.• Les relations que nous a...

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“…The post-agricultural coniferous plantations are easily colonized by broadleaved plants (Wulf and Heinken 2008). Their admixture favours an increase in the understorey vascular species diversity (Kaźmierczakowa 1971;Kubiček and Jurko 1975;Barbier et al 2008;Jagodziński et al 2013) and accelerates the development of ground vegetation. The increasing moss and understorey vascular species richness and understorey vascular plant biomass correlated with the growing contribution of broadleaved trees, which was also observed in our study in the two older age-series of the Scots pine plantation (Table 2, Fig.…”

Section: Transformation Of Post-agricultural Scots Pine Forests Into mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Usually the contribution of understorey plant biomass, expressed as a percentage of the total aboveground biomass of the forest community, is at the 2% level (Yarie 1980;Muller 2003;Gilliam 2007). The total annual production of the understorey may reach 20% of the total aboveground biomass if we consider the seasonal changes in the ground vegetation composition, particularly in deciduous forests (Kaźmierczakowa 1971;Kubiček and Jurko 1975;Tremblay and Larocque 2001;Jagodziński et al 2013). The seasonal differences in the understorey cover and the species composition are much less pronounced in coniferous forests where mosses and perennial vascular plants (some of them even evergreen) dominate (Matuszkiewicz 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species diversity, biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration in the understorey of post-agricultural Scots pine forests

Woziwoda¹,

Parzych²,

Kopeć³

2014

Silva Fenn.

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Understorey plant species diversity significantly increases with the age of a Scots pine stand. • Biomass of mosses decreases by a quarter, while biomass of herbs increases several times. • Total understorey's carbon stock increases over three times. The highest amount of carbon is accumulated in understorey species like Vaccinium myrtillus and Dicranum polysetum. • The growing proportion of vascular plants in the understorey biomass results in an increase in the understorey C/N ratio. AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine how the age of a stand of post-agricultural Scots pine forests affects the species composition, biomass and the carbon stock of the forest understorey. The community structure and species composition were studied in 75 plots (100 m 2 in size), the amount of biomass, organic carbon and total nitrogen were analysed in 75 subplots (1/16 m 2 in size). The plots were located in 21 plantations with the stand age of 41-60, 61-80 and over 80-years. Results show that the understorey species diversity increased with the increasing age of Scots pine stands, and the structure and species composition of secondary forests (although managed for timber production) became similar to the fresh pine forest of the European temperate region (Leucobryo-Pinetum community). Despite the increasing species diversity, however, only six understorey vascular and moss species played an important role in the biomass accumulation and C sequestration. Due to the differences in the dominant species composition, the total amount of understorey biomass significantly differed among the forest stands. The mean moss biomass ranged from 3046 kg ha -1 in 41-60-year-old stands, trough 2686 kg ha -1 in 61-80-yearold stands to 2273 kg ha -1 in over 80-year-old stands, and the mean understorey vascular plant biomass amounted to 2 kg ha -1 , 1924 kg ha -1 and 3508 kg ha -1 , respectively. The concentration of organic C varied considerably between species; it was the highest in Vaccinium myrtillus (50.6%) and in Dicranum polysetum (49.5%). The total mass of C was nearly 800 kg ha -1 in the youngest forests, in the subsequent age series it was two times higher and 3.5 times higher in the oldest ones. Differences in the species composition and in the C/N ratio in different species (generally higher for vascular plants and lower for mosses) were expressed in an increase in the understorey C/N ratio, which was 39.5, 46.6 and 48.6, respectively.

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Estimation of the above-ground biomass of the herb layer in forest communities

Cited by 14 publications

References 4 publications

Seasonal changes in the understorey biomass of an oak-hornbeam forest Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum betuli

Seasonal changes in the understorey biomass of an oak-hornbeam forest Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum betuli

Using cover measurements to estimate aboveground understorey biomass in Maritime pine stands

Species diversity, biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration in the understorey of post-agricultural Scots pine forests

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