First Rotation Biomass Production and Nutrient Cycling within Short-Rotation Coppice Willow Plantations in Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

Abstract:Although numerous studies have quantified different social, economic, energetic, and environmental benefits associated with short-rotation coppice (SRC) willow plantations, comprehensive assessments of nutrient cycling are rare. The objective of this study was to examine the biomass production and attendant biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) during the initial four-year rotation of six willow varieties grown at four locations along a 500 km north-south pedoclimatic gradient within Saskatchewan, Canada. Nutrient budgets consisted of quantifying various nutrient inputs (e.g., atmospheric deposition and soil mineral weathering), outputs (e.g., fine and coarse root biomass, leaf biomass, harvested biomass, leaching, and denitrification), and transfers (e.g., soil organic matter mineralization, canopy exchange, leaf litter decomposition, and fine root turnover) associated with the plant available soil nutrient pool. Total above-and below-ground production during the rotation was approximately 40 Mg ha-1, with calculated soil nutrient budget deficits (i.e., nutrient outputs > inputs + transfers) of 17, 39, 112, 271, and 74 kg ha-1 for N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, respectively, averaged across the varieties and sites, but a soil S surplus of 60 kg ha-1. While soil nutrient budget deficits varied among sites, there were no significant differences (P >0.05) among willow varieties. Despite the relatively low nutrient-demanding nature of willow and negligible leaching or denitrification losses, nutrient export in harvested biomass over multiple rotations will require soil nutrient amendments to maintain SRC willow productivity, particularly N and P, albeit a fraction of the amount required for annual agronomic crops. Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation

Leaf Litter Decomposition and Nutrient-Release Characteristics of Several Willow Varieties Within Short-Rotation Coppice Plantations in Saskatchewan, Canada

“…(LV Biomass ), along with associated release rates (k Nutrient ) and release limits (LV Nutrient ) of nitrogen 23 (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) of leaf litter 24 from several native and exotic willow varieties during an initial four-year rotation at four sites 25 within Saskatchewan, Canada. The k Biomass , LV Biomass 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 generation bioenergy crops and other second generation herbaceous bioenergy crops (e.g., giant 23 reed grass, Miscanthus, switchgrass, etc.…”

A nutrient-based sustainability assessment of purpose-grown poplar and switchgrass biomass production systems established on marginal lands in Canada

“…Although growing biomass crops on marginal lands is supported for many reasons such as it avoids conflict with food crop production and carbon emission from land use change and land reclamation (Tilman et al 2009;Dillen et al 2013), the key focus is on biomass production for biofuels and bioproducts (Qin et al 2015). In Canada, herbaceous biomass crops are generally harvested once a year, whereas woody crops are harvested over a short rotation of 3-4 yr (Hangs et al 2014b). Woody crops are considered better than herbaceous crops due to higher energy to mass ratio and lower overall ash contents, which are important considerations for industrial-scale biomass production and easy processing (Mann 2012).…”

Life‐cycle assessment of torrefied coppice willow co‐firing with lignite coal in an existing pulverized coal boiler

“…Figure is a map of the clusters of marginal agricultural land in southern Saskatchewan. An estimated 1220 00 ha of marginal land is available within 125 km of the BD station's location . However, this study assumes that biomass could be sourced from the entire ecozone and not exclusively from within a 125‐km radius.…”

“…Although hybrid poplar is one of the primary woody crops in Canada, SRC willow ( Salix spp.) has been identified as a potential biomass source for the Prairie ecozone where most of Saskatchewan's power generation stations are located . Amichev et al .…”