Metla Project 7084
Removal of nutrients with biomass in Norway spruce stans
Duration: 2001-2003
Keywords: Norway spruce, biomass, nutrient status, whole tree harvesting
Objectives
In the Nordic countries, an increasing part of the forest biomass (branches, needles and stem tops usually left on the ground) is utilized for wood chip production. As nutrient concentrations are high in these biomass parts, it has been questioned if this management practice is sustainable in the long-term. To predict if whole-tree harvesting is likely to be sustainable at a specific site, it is necessary to draw up nutrient budgets and therefore to model the nutrient content of trees.
The SNS (the Nordic Forest Research Co-operation Committee) project “Removal of nutrients with biomass in Norway spruce stands” will make use of existing biomass and nutrient concentration data in Norway spruce in the Nordic countries. On the basis of these data a Nordic biomass database (NORDBIO) will be compiled. This database will make it possible to analyse and explain differences in nutrient concentrations and nutrient amounts in different compartments of Norway spruce trees (e.g. needles, branches, stem wood, stem bark). The question is, which variables are most important in the prediction of nutrient content in the biomass. If a good explanation can be reached with a few variables or with more variables, that are easily and cheaply obtained, it will be valuable information for future investigations aiming to estimate the nutrient contents in biomass of Norway spruce. The project aims at developing models, which require different levels of input data according to available input data or required precision. Analyses will be performed for single tree and stand levels, and focus primarily on macro nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg).
Project leader:
Helmisaari, Heljä-Sisko
Other researchers:
Kukkola, Mikko, VA (2002-03)
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Updated 12.06.2012
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