Managing Forests for Biomass Energy and Nutrient-Cycling Concerns in the Atlantic Coastal Plain

摘要

A model of nitrogen cycling for the system described by Koch (1980) predicted a nitrogen deficit for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) during the second rotation. Rates of availability fell below needs primarily due to 662 kg/ha depletion of soil organic nitrogen. The most critical assumption made in the model was the rate of soil organic nitrogen availability. Comparisons of nitrogen utilization efficiency (kg biomass/kg N) showed slow growing conifers on poor sites were the most efficient systems. Productivity efficiency (kg/ha/yr/kg N) indicated that if the amount of available land is limited, short rotations of loblolly pine or eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) should be emphasized. (ERA citation 08:014313)