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Nutrient concentration and allometric models for hybrid eucalyptus planted in France

Annals of Forest Science volume 70, pages 251–260 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Context

Short rotation coppice (SRC) of hybrid Eucalyptus has been developed in France for almost 30 years for the production of pulp and paper and, since a few years, for energy purposes. In the traditional pulp production, only the stems are harvested, whereas the whole biomass may be harvested for energy purposes. Thus, a range of different harvest scenarios need to be considered with higher plantation densities or younger age of harvest for example.

Aims

The objective of this study was to build models to estimate biomass and nutrient content of eucalyptus at different ages and so to estimate the production and the nutrient exportation of a SRC, depending on the different harvest scenarios.

Methods

Over 250 trees were sampled in 16 stands at ages from 1 to 15 years. For each tree, biomass of different compartments and nutrient contents were recorded.

Results

A complete set of equations for the four compartments (wood, bark, branches, and leaves) of aboveground biomass and for nutrient concentration was set up.

Conclusion

Biomass and its allocation to different compartments and nutrient concentrations depended on the dimension and/or the age of the tree. In particular, nutrient concentration decreased with increasing tree diameter.

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Acknowledgments

The team is grateful to all landowners who allowed the section of some trees for this study and to Fibre Excellence for its continuous support to research projects on eucalyptus in France.

Funding

This work was supported by The Tuck foundation [in the framework of the OPTIMAL project (the majority of the field data were collected in this framework)] and ADEME [convention 0501c0136 (data of year 2000)].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Direction Innovation Recherche, FCBA, 10 Avenue de Saint Mandé, 75012, Paris, France

    Alain Bouvet

  2. Station Sud-Est, Domaine Universitaire, FCBA, BP 251, 38044, Grenoble Cedex, France

    Nicolas Nguyen-The

  3. Station Sud-Ouest, FCBA, 71 Route d’Arcachon–Pierroton, 33610, Cestas, France

    Francis Melun

Authors
  1. Alain Bouvet
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  2. Nicolas Nguyen-The
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  3. Francis Melun
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alain Bouvet.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Erwin Dreyer

Contribution of the co-authors

Alain Bouvet: data analysis and writing the paper.

Nicolas Nguyen-The: coordination of the research project and writing the paper.

Francis Melun: field and biomass measurements.

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Bouvet, A., Nguyen-The, N. & Melun, F. Nutrient concentration and allometric models for hybrid eucalyptus planted in France. Annals of Forest Science 70, 251–260 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-012-0259-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-012-0259-3

Keyword

  • Eucalyptus
  • Biomass
  • Nutrient concentration
  • Allometry