Allometry and biomass of pollarded black locust

Abstract

Climatic constraints can cause forage deficits in the summer in west-central Arkansas, necessitating expensive, supplemental hay feeding. Black locust could be used for summer browse, but the temporal distribution of foliar biomass has not been adequately tested. Our objective was to determine effects of harvest date, fertilization (0 and 600 kg P ha^-1 yr^-1), and pollard height (stems cut at 5, 50, and 100 cm above ground) on foliar and shoot allometry of black locust. The test was conducted on a naturally regenerated 2-year-old black locust stand (15,000 trees ha^-1). Basal shoot diameter and foliar yield were measured monthly in June to October 2002 and 2003. Yield (Y) of foliar and shoot dry matter was estimated from basal shoot diameter (D) by the function Y=aD^b, with regression explaining at least 95 percent of variance.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 13th Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference

Citation

Burner, David M.; Pote, Daniel H.; Ares, Adrian. 2006. Allometry and biomass of pollarded black locust. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-92. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pp. 569