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Biomass, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Accumulation in 4-Year-Old Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine and Sweetgum Plantations

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Knowing the nutrient uptake potential of plantations of fast-growing species is essential to designing land-based tertiary water treatment facilities. This study was conducted to estimate the biomass of 4-year-old, intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) plantations and to estimate the N and P contained in that biomass. The cumulative effects of competition control only and competition control, irrigation, fertilization and pest control were investigated on an abandoned peanut field in Decatur County Georgia on a Lakeland sand soil. Planted at 1,157 trees/ha, loblolly pine accumulated 57.3 mg/ha dry biomass 4 years after planting and sweetgum accumulated 26.5 mg/ha dry biomass in the maximum treatment plots. Sweetgum was more responsive to the maximum treatment with a biomass increase of 388 percent compared to a 217 percent increase in loblolly pine biomass. In the maximum treatment plots, loblolly pine accumulated 330 kg N/ha and 35 kg P/ha compared to sweetgum accumulation of 137 kg N/ha and 15 kg P/ha.

Citation

Gresham, Charles A.; William, Thomas M. 2002. Biomass, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Accumulation in 4-Year-Old Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine and Sweetgum Plantations. In: Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–48. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pg. 3-6
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/4792