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Relationship of Aboveground Biomass Production Site Index and Soil Characteristics in a Loblolly Pine Stand

Informally Refereed

Abstract

As a part of the continuing studies of the Cooperative Research in Sustainable Silviculture and Soil Productivity (CRiSSSP), 24 experimental plots in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stand have recently been installed near Natchitoches, LA. The plots were uniformly assigned to 3 blocks based on topography (i.e., up slope, midslope, and down slope). Trees and understory vegetation were sampled to determine total biomass production and nutrient content. Soil carbon, macronutrients, and mineralizable nitrogen were also analyzed. Stem analysis indicated that up-slope and midslope blocks had similar site indexes, 19 m and 18 m at base 25 years, respectively, and both had significantly higher site indexes than that of down-slope block (15 m). Major soil nutrients (N, K, Ca, and Mg) covaried with overall biomass production in the stand but not with the site index. However, mineralizable N was significantly and positively correlated with the site index (R2 = 0.24, p < 0.02). Our results suggest that overall, soil nutrients alone are not a strong indicator of site quality. Mineralizable N, in contrast, may be a better measurement of overall quality of the stand on this particular soil.

Parent Publication

Citation

Zhou, Minyi; Dean, Thomas J. 2004. Relationship of Aboveground Biomass Production Site Index and Soil Characteristics in a Loblolly Pine Stand. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–71. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pp. 368-371
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/6690