N concentration of old leaves and twigs is more sensitive to stand density than that of young ones in Chinese fir plantations： a case study in subtropical China

Young leaves are conventionally used in the analysis to study the nutrient status of evergreen plants and their responses to environmental changes, but the role of old leaves remains poorly understood. We selected two stand types in 31-year-old Chinese fir（Cunninghamia lanceolata） plantations with similar soil conditions but different stand densities, to test the hypothesis that nitrogen（N） concentration of old leaves and twigs is more sensitive to stand density than that of young ones. Leaves and twigs were sampled and sorted into young（one-year-old） and old（two-and three-year-old） groups. Significant differences in N concentration and carbon： nitrogen ratio between the low-density stand and high-density stand were only found in the old leaves and twigs but not in the young ones.Although the N resorption efficiency did not vary significantly with stand density, the annual N resorption rates were increased in old leaves and relatively young twigs at high stand density. These results show the potential use of old tissues in the nutrient analysis in Chinese fir plantations. Testing the generality of these results could improve the use of foliar analysis as an indicator of nutrient status and environmental changes in evergreen tree species.

Effects of stand density on soil respiration and labile organic carbon in different aged Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations

Background:The carbon pools of forest soils play a vital role in global carbon sequestration and emissions.Forest management can regulate the sequestration and output of forest soil carbon pools to a certain extent;however,the kinetics of the effects of forest density on soil carbon pools require further investigation.Methods:We established sample plots with stand density gradients in three different aged Larix principis-rupprechtii plantations and quantified the soil respiration,soil organic carbon(SOC),soil dissolved organic carbon(DOC),microbial biomass carbon(MBC),light fraction organic carbon(LFOC),and readily oxidized carbon(ROC).Results and conclusions:During the growth and development of plantations,stand density is an essential factor that impacts soil respiration and its associated elements.Moderate density was observed to promote both the soil and heterotrophic respiration rates and the sequestration of MBC and LFOC,whereas it inhibited the sequestration of ROC.The soil,heterotrophic,and autotrophic respiration rates of older forest stands were relatively rapid,whereas the contents of SOC,MBC,LFOC,DOC,and ROC were higher and more sensitive to changes in stand density.The MBC,LFOC,and ROC in soil labile organic carbon were closely related to both the soil and heterotrophic respiration,but not the SOC.Among them,the LFOC and MBC played the roles of“warehouse”and“tool”and were significantly correlated with soil and heterotrophic respiration.The ROC,as a“raw material”,exhibited a significantly negative correlation with the soil and heterotrophic respiration.When the soil and heterotrophic respiration rates were rapid,the ROC content in the soil maintained the low level of a“dynamically stabilized”state.The stand density regulated heterotrophic respiration by affecting the soil labile organic carbon,which provided an essential path for the stand density to regulate soil respiration.

The coppice-with-standards silvicultural system as applied to Eucalyptus plantations-a review

We review the management of Eucalyptus species under a coppice-with-standards （CWS） silvicultural system. CWS management results in product diversification, permitting production of small and large scale timber from the same stand. Eucalyptus species are suitable candidates for CWS management because： there are large worldwide plantation areas, sprouting capacity is high, and eucalypts are multipur- pose species. We discuss （1） short rotation Eucalyptus coppice manage- ment for energy and pulping and （2） Eucalyptus seedling management for solid wood products. We review the literature and discuss experi- ences with Eucalyptus managed under the CWS system. We also assess projects dealing with Eucalyptus coppice management, stand density regulation, pruning, and stand and wood quality. The growth environ- ment of the standard trees （heavy competition up to the first harvest, free growth afterwards） coupled with long rotations （〉20 years） results in high quality logs for solid wood products. Early pruning should be ap- plied to enhance wood quality. We propose a system for the silvicultural management of Eucalyptus under the CWS system, elaborating on the consequences of initial planting density, site productivity, and standard tree densities as well as timing of basic silvicultural applications.

Dependence of the Plant Productivity on Optimal Food Regime and Density

It has been studied the dependence of vegetable crop yield on standing density of the plant. Field experiments have been conducted on plain Mughan of Azerbaijan Republic. For identifying the maximum value of crop yield it has been carried out approximation of the results of field works with special programs. The point of yield maximum for tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers has been calculated, and also it has been carried out the variation in the amount of nitrogen to decreasing direction in nutrition circuit and the impact of this variation on yield has been regarded. The obtained data are interpreted on the basis of two-substrate model of plant growth.

Heartwood, sapwood and bark content of teak trees grown in Karnataka, India

We evaluated heartwood, sapwood and bark content in teak trees. A total of 27 sample plots were laid out in teak plantations raised by State Forest Department in Kamataka covering different age groups （11-36 years）, density （516-2061 trees/ha） and sites. From these planta- tions, a total of 130 trees were felled for estimating the yield and bark content in relation to diameter at breast height （DBH）, age and density. Bark content ranged from 22.2%-54.3%. Heartwood and sapwood con- tent were analyzed by sampling five trees each from two different planta- tions, one 30 years old at 553 trees.ha-1 and the other 32 years old at 911 trees.ha-1. The highest heartwood proportion of stem wood volume （over-bark） was 56.3% and the lowest was 37.1%.

Effects of different land-use systems (grazing and understory cultivation) on growth and yield of semi-arid oak coppices

The present study examines the extent of negative eff ects of traditional multiple land-use systems on oak coppices,from a forest management point of view.The study area was located in approximately 10,000 ha of hilly Brant’s oak(Quercus brantii Lindl.)woodlands in the central Zagros Mountains.In the same site-quality class,three land-use systems were compared:simple coppice(Co),coppice in conjunction with small ruminant grazing(CoG),and coppice with understory rain-fed wheat cultivation plus grazing(CoCG).Data on total wood volume of trunk and major branches,and annual ring growth,were collected and analyzed from 74 stands in 15 coppiced woodland patches.The results showed the advantage of Co over CoG and CoCG land-uses by 43 and 60 m 3 of mean accumulated wood volume per hectare,respectively.The diameter growth analysis also revealed an annual increase in wood production of trees in Co land-uses over 43 years,with an exception of the recent decade,when growth coincided with a severe drought.Using a back-extrapolation method,the minimum rotation age of woodlands in Co land-use was found to be 23.6 years,5 and 7 years shorter than those of CoG and CoCG land-uses,respectively.Unlike CoCG,woodlands located in Co and CoG land-use systems demonstrated a high level of agreement with self-thinning rule of−3/2.Values for the stand density index for coppiced oak woodlands were between more than 1000 for the least disturbed(Co)and less than 400 for the most disturbed woodlands(CoCG).The structure and growth rate of the coppiced oak woodlands were irreversibly disrupted by understory tillage plus grazing and in less extent by grazing alone.It was concluded that ending undergrowth cultivation in semi-arid oak coppices should be addressed as a priority by adopting minimum regulations.

Impact of nitrogen input from biosolids application on carbon sequestration in a Pinus radiata forest

Background:Forest management practices(e.g.choice of stand density,fertilisation)are just as important in carbon(C)forestry as in other types of forestry and will affect the level of C sequestration and profitability.Because C stored in wood is approximately proportional to the product of its volume and density,it is necessary to account for both volume growth and wood density when assessing the effects of fertilisation on C sequestration in pine forests.Methods:The effects of nitrogen(N)input from biosolids application on forest C sequestration were quantified from an intensively monitored biosolids field trial in a Pinus radiata plantation on a sandy soil in New Zealand.The field trial tested the application of three biosolids rates:Control(no application),Standard(300 kg N⋅ha^(-1) applied every three years),and High(600 kg N⋅ha^(-1) applied every three years),across three levels of stand density:300,450,and 600 stems⋅ha^(-1).Carbon sequestration was estimated using the C-Change model from annual plot measurements of stand density,stem height and diameter,and annual breast height wood densities obtained from increment cores.Results:By age 24 years,N-fertilised trees had sequestered 40 t C⋅ha^(-1) more than unfertilised trees,an increase of 18%.Fertilisation increased stem volume by 23%but reduced stem wood density by 2.5%.Most of the increased C sequestration occurred between age 6 and age 17 years and the Standard rate gave the same increase in C sequestration as the High rate.On average,there was no significant difference in growth rate between fertilised and unfertilised trees after the 17th growth year,but the increased growth ceased earlier at higher stand densities,and later at lower stand densities.Conclusions:This study indicates that 2–3 applications of the Standard rate would have been sufficient to achieve the increased C sequestration,with an applied N to C conversion ratio of 43–65 kg C⋅kg^(-1) N.Our results highlight that N fertilisation will become more widespread under greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes which en-courages forest management practices that improve C sequestration in young forests in New Zealand in particular and other countries in general.

CPSDv0: a forest stand structure database for plantation forests in China

Forest stand structure is not only a crucial factor for regulating forest functioning but also an important indicator for sustainable forest management and ecosystem services.Although there exists a few national/global structure databases for natural forests,a country-wide synthetic structure database for plantation forests over China,the world’s largest player in plantation forests,has not been achieved.In this study,we built a country-wide synthetic stand structure database by surveying more than 600 peer-reviewed literature.The database covers tree species,mean stand age,mean tree height,stand density,canopy coverage,diameter at breast height,as well as the associated ancillary in-situ topographical and soil properties.A total of 594 pub-lished studies concerning diverse forest stand structure parameters were compiled for 46 tree species.This first synthesis for stand structure of plantation forests over China supports studies on the evolution/health of plantation forests in response to rapid climate change and intensified disturbances,and benefits country-wide sustainable forest management,future afforestation or reforestation planning.Potential users include those studying forest community dynamics,regional tree growth,ecosystem stability,and health,as well as those working with conservation and sustainable management.This dataset is freely acces-sible at http://www.doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.j00076.00091.

Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a Pinus densiflora forest with low and high stand densities

Aims Understanding carbon(C)and nitrogen(N)dynamics and their dependence on the stand density of an even-aged,mature forest provides knowledge that is important for forest management.This study investigated the differences in ecosystem total C and N storage and flux between a low-density stand(LD)and a high-density stand(HD)and examined the effects of stand density on aboveground net primary productivity(ANPP),total belowground C allocation(TBCA)and net ecosystem production(NEP)in a naturally regenerated,65-to 75-year-old Pinus densiflora S.et Z.forest.Methods LD(450 trees ha^(−1))and HD(842 trees ha^(−1))were established in an even-aged,mature P.densiflora forest in September 2006.The forest had been naturally regenerated following harvesting,and the stand density was naturally maintained without any artificial management such as thinning.The diameter at breast height(DBH≥5.0cm)of all live stems within the stands was measured yearly from 2007 to 2011.To compare C and N storage and fluxes in LD and HD,C and N pools in aboveground and belowground biomass,the forest floor,coarse woody debris(CWD)and soil;soil CO_(2) efflux(R_(S));autotrophic respiration(R_(A));litter production;and soil N availability were measured.Further,ANPP,TBCA and NEP were estimated from plot-based measurement data.Important Findings Ecosystem C(Mg C ha^(−1))and N(Mg N ha^(−1))storage was,respectively,173.0±7.3(mean±SE)and 4.69±0.30 for LD and 162±11.8 and 4.08±0.18 for HD.There were no significant differences in C and N storage in the ecosystem components,except for soils,between the two stands.In contrast,there were significant differences in aboveground ANPP and TBCA between the two stands(P<0.05).Litterfall,biomass increment and R_(S) were major C flux components with values of,respectively,3.89,3.74 and 9.07 Mg C ha^(−1) year^(−1) in LD and 3.15,2.94 and 7.06 Mg C ha^(−1) year^(−1) in HD.Biometric-based NEP(Mg C ha^(−1) year^(−1))was 4.18 in LD and 5.50 in HD.Although the even-aged,mature P.densiflora forest had similar C and N allocation patterns,it showed different C and N dynamics depending on stand density.The results of the current study will be useful for elucidating the effects of stand density on C and N storage and fluxes,which are important issues in managing natural mature forest ecosystems.