Millet (Pennisetum typhoides) yield and selected soil attributes as influenced by some tree types of the semi-arid tropics of Sudan

Two experiments were conducted in southern Kordofan State to determine the influence of Acacia senegal L., Balanites aegyptiaca L. and Azadirachta indica L. on millet (Pennisetum typhoides) yield, soil quality and to monitor decomposition and nutrients release from tree litters. Yield under A. indica (174.83 kg ha⁻¹) and B. aegyptiaca (173.09 kg ha⁻¹) were significantly higher than the control (121.43 kg ha⁻¹). The lowest yield (111.04 kg ha⁻¹) was recorded under A. senegal. Straw dry matter under B. aegyptiaca (1161.5 kg ha⁻¹) and A. indica (857.8 kg ha⁻¹) was significantly higher than both under A. senegal (321.8 kg ha⁻¹) and the control (454.8 kg ha⁻¹). Trees varied in their capacity to induce changes in soil properties whereas effects on soil N were not substantial. A. indica had a decomposition rate (0.6283 week⁻¹) 2.0 times higher than that of B. aegyptiaca (0.2057 week⁻¹) and A. senegal (0.267 week⁻¹). The highest rate of P and K release from A. indica and B. aegyptiaca litters has resulted in significant accumulation in the soil indicating these tree litters are potential sources for these elements. The capacity of trees to improve soil fertility could offer an alternative management system for improved cultivation of field crops.     

Biomass production, evapotranspiration and water use efficiency of arid rangelands in the Northern Cape, South Africa

Annual above-ground net primary production (ANPP), evapotranspiration (ET) and water use efficiency (WUE) of rangeland have the potential to provide an objective basis for establishing pricing for ecosystem services. To provide estimates of ANPP, we surveyed the biomass, estimated ET and prepared a water use efficiency for dwarf shrublands and arid savanna in the Riemvasmaak Rural Area, Northern Cape, South Africa. The annual production fraction was surveyed in 33 MODIS 1 km² pixels and the results regressed against the MODIS f_PAR product. This regression model was used to predict the standing green biomass (kg DM ha⁻¹) for 2009 (dry year). Using an approach which combines potential evapotranspiration (ET₀) and the MODIS f_PAR product, we estimated actual evapotranspiration (ET_a). These two models (greening standing biomass and ET_a) were used to calculate the annual WUE for 2009. WUE was 1.6 kg DM mm⁻¹ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. This value may be used to provide an estimate of ANPP in the absence of direct measurements of biomass and to provide a comparison of the water use efficiency of this rangeland with other rangeland types.     

Roles of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and capillary rise in salinizing a non-flooding terrace on a flow-regulated desert river

Tamarix spp. (saltcedar) secretes salts and has been considered to be a major factor contributing to the salinization of river terraces in western US riparian zones. However, salinization can also occur from the capillary rise of salts from the aquifer into the vadose zone. We investigated the roles of saltcedar and physical factors in salinizing the soil profile of a non-flooding terrace at sites on the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge on the Lower Colorado River, USA. We placed salt traps under and between saltcedar shrubs and estimated the annual deposition rate of salts from saltcedar. These were then compared to the quantities and distribution on of salts in the soil profile. Dense stands of saltcedar deposited 0.159 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹ of salts to the soil surface. If this rate was constant since seasonal flooding ceased in 1938 and all of the salts were retained in the soil profile, they could account for 11.4 kg m⁻² of salt, about 30% of total salts in the profile today. Eliminating saltcedar would not necessarily reduce salts, because vegetation reduces the upward migration of salts in bulk flow from the aquifer. The densest saltcedar stand had the lowest salt levels in the vadose zone in this study.     

The contribution of two common shrub species to aboveground and belowground carbon stock in Iberian dehesas

Shrubs play an important role in water-limited agro-silvo-pastoral systems by providing shelter and forage for livestock, for erosion control, to maintain biodiversity, diversifying the landscape, and above all, facilitating the regeneration of trees. Furthermore, the carbon sink capacity of shrubs could also help to mitigate the effects of climate change since they constitute a high proportion of total plant biomass. The contribution of two common extensive native shrub species (Cistus ladanifer L. and Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boiss.) to the carbon pool of Iberian dehesas (Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral systems) is analyzed through biomass models developed at both individual (biovolume depending) and community level (height and cover depending).The total amount of carbon stored in these shrubs, including above- and belowground biomass, ranges from 1.8 to 11.2 Mg C ha⁻¹ (mean 6.8 Mg C ha⁻¹) for communities of C. ladanifer and from 2.6 to 8.6 Mg C ha⁻¹ (mean 4.5 Mg C ha⁻¹) for R. sphaerocarpa. These quantities account for over 20–30% of the total plant biomass in the system. The potential for carbon sequestration of these shrubs in the studied system ranges 0.10–1.32 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 0.25–1.25 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the C. ladanifer and R. sphaerocarpa communities' respectively.     

Global greenhouse gas implications of land conversion to biofuel crop cultivation in arid and semi-arid lands – Lessons learned from Jatropha

Biofuels are considered as a climate-friendly energy alternative. However, their environmental sustainability is increasingly debated because of land competition with food production, negative carbon balances and impacts on biodiversity. Arid and semi-arid lands have been proposed as a more sustainable alternative without such impacts. In that context this paper evaluates the carbon balance of potential land conversion to Jatropha cultivation, biofuel production and use in arid and semi-arid areas. This evaluation includes the calculation of carbon debt created by these land conversions and calculation of the minimum Jatropha yield necessary to repay the respective carbon debts within 15 or 30 years.The carbon debts caused by conversion of arid and semi-arid lands to Jatropha vary largely as a function of the biomass carbon stocks of the land use types in these regions. Based on global ecosystem carbon mapping, cultivated lands and marginal areas (sparse shrubs, herbaceous and bare areas) show to have similar biomass carbon stocks (on average 4–8 t C ha⁻¹) and together cover a total of 1.79 billion ha. Conversion of these lands might not cause a carbon debt, but still might have a negative impact on other sustainability dimensions (e.g. biodiversity or socio-economics). Jatropha establishment in shrubland (0.75 billion ha) would cause a carbon debt of 24–28 t C ha⁻¹ on average (repayable within 30 year with yield of 3.5–3.9 t seed ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Land use change in the 1.15 billion ha of forested area under arid and semi-arid climates could cause a carbon debt between 70 and 118 t C ha⁻¹. This debt requires 8.6–13.9 t seed production ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for repayment within 30 years. If repayment is required within 15 years, the necessary minimum yields almost double. Considering that 5 t seed ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ is the current maximum Jatropha yield, conversion of forests cannot be repaid within one human generation. Repayment of carbon debt from shrubland conversions in 30 years is challenging, but feasible. Repayment in 15 year is currently not attainable.Based on this analysis the paper discusses the carbon mitigation potential of biofuels in arid and semi-arid environments.     

Tree biomass and soil organic carbon densities across the Sudanese woodland savannah: A regional carbon sequestration study

Mean tree biomass and soil carbon (C) densities for 39 map sheet grids (1° lat. × 1.5° long.) covering the Acacia woodland savannah region of Sudan (10–16° N; 21–36° E) are presented. Data from the National Forest Inventory of Sudan, Harmonized World Soil Database and FAO Local Climate Estimator were used to calculate C densities, mean annual precipitation (MAP) and mean annual temperature (MAT). Above-ground biomass C and soil organic carbon (SOC, 1 m) densities averaged 112 and 5453 g C m⁻², respectively. Below-ground biomass C densities, estimated using root shoot ratios, averaged 33 g C m⁻². Biomass C densities and MAP increased southwards across the region while SOC densities were lowest in the centre of the region and increased westwards and eastwards. Both above-ground biomass C and SOC densities were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with MAP (r_s = 0.84 and r_s = 0.34, respectively) but showed non-significant correlations with MAT (r_s = −0.22 and r_s = 0.24, respectively). SOC densities were significantly correlated with biomass C densities (r_s = 0.34). The results indicated substantial under stocking of trees and depletion of SOC, and potential for C sequestration. Up-to-date regional and integrated soil and forest inventories are required for planning improved land-use management and restoration.     

Interannual and seasonal variations in energy and carbon exchanges over the larch forests on the permafrost in northeastern Mongolia

The larch forests on the permafrost in northeastern Mongolia are located at the southern limit of the Siberian taiga forest, which is one of the key regions for evaluating climate change effects and responses of the forest to climate change. We conducted long-term monitoring of seasonal and interannual variations in hydrometeorological elements, energy, and carbon exchange in a larch forest (48°15′24′′N, 106°51′3′′E, altitude: 1338 m) in northeastern Mongolia from 2010 to 2012. The annual air temperature and precipitation ranged from −0.13 °C to −1.2 °C and from 230 mm to 317 mm. The permafrost was found at a depth of 3 m. The dominant component of the energy budget was the sensible heat flux (H) from October to May (H/available energy [R_a] = 0.46; latent heat flux [LE]/R_a = 0.15), while it was the LE from June to September (H/R_a = 0.28, LE/R_a = 0.52). The annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE), gross primary production (GPP), and ecosystem respiration (RE) were −131 to −257 gC m⁻² y⁻¹, 681–703 gC m⁻² y⁻¹, and 423–571 gC m⁻² y⁻¹, respectively. There was a remarkable response of LE and NEE to both vapor pressure deficit and surface soil water content.     

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the northern Chihuahuan desert: Temporal trends and potential consequences

Rates and impacts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition are poorly understood in arid land ecosystems where soils are typically low in plant available N. To address this issue, we quantified long-term trends in N deposition and estimated its impact on plant community structure in the northern Chihuahuan desert of Central New Mexico, USA. Annual and seasonal rates of N deposition were strongly positively correlated with precipitation. When precipitation effects were removed statistically, N deposition increased at an annual rate of 0.049 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ between 1989 and 2004. Based on two independent fertilization studies at our desert grassland field site, continued atmospheric inputs are likely to increase grass cover, decrease legume abundance, and may favor blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) at the expense of the current dominant species, black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda). We conclude that, although arid lands have low rates of N deposition and are primarily water limited, observed trends in N deposition rates may lead to significant changes in plant community structure.     

Quantifying the variability and allocation patterns of aboveground carbon stocks across plantation forest types,structural attributes and age in sub-tropical coastal region of KwaZulu Natal,South Africa using remote sensing

Quantifying the variability and allocation patterns of aboveground carbon stocks across plantation forests is central in deriving accurate and reliable knowledge and understanding of the extent to which these species contribute to the global carbon cycle and towards minimizing climate change effects. The principal objective of this study was to quantify the variability and allocation patterns of aboveground carbon stocks across Pinus and Eucalyptus plantation forests, tree-structural attributes (i.e. stems, barks, branches and leaves) and age groups, using models developed based on remotely sensed data. The results of this study demonstrate that aboveground carbon stocks significantly (α = 0.05) vary across different plantation forest species types, structural attributes and age. Pinus taeda and Eucalyptus grandis species contained aboveground carbon stocks above 110 t C ha⁻¹, and Eucalyptus dunii had 20 t C ha⁻¹. Across plantation forest tree structural attributes, stems contained the highest aboveground carbon stocks, when compared to barks, branches and leaves. Aboveground carbon stock estimates also varied significantly (α = 0.05) with stand age. Mature plantation forest species (i.e. between 7 and 20 years) contained the highest aboveground carbon stock estimates of approximately 120 t C ha⁻¹, when compared to younger species (i.e. between 3 and 6 years), which had approximately 20 t C ha⁻¹. The map of aboveground carbon stocks showed distinct spatial patterns across the entire study area. The findings of this study are important for understanding the contribution of different plantation forest species, structural attributes and age in the global carbon cycle and possible climate change moderation measures. Also, this study demonstrates that data on vital tree structural attributes, previously difficult to obtain, can now be easily derived from cheap and readily-available satellite data for inventorying carbon stocks variability.     

Changes in ecosystem carbon stocks following grassland afforestation of semiarid sandy soil in the southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands, China

The ecological consequences of grassland afforestation in arid/semiarid sandy regions are not well known with respect to tree species and stand age. The present study quantifies the changes in above- and belowground carbon (C) stocks following afforestation in the southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands with species of Mongolian pine and poplar. We studied 15-, 24-, and 30-year-old Mongolian pine plantations, 7-, 11-, and 15-year-old poplar plantations, and adjacent grasslands. The results show that total ecosystem C stocks increased following grassland afforestation. Aboveground C stocks increased at a rate of 2.75 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the poplar plantations, and 1.06 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in the Mongolian pine plantations. Mineral soil C stocks decreased during the early stage of forest establishment, but recovered with increasing stand age. Root C stock increased significantly in the Mongolian pine plantations, but the poplar plantations showed no such increase relative to the grassland. Our results indicate that afforestation of the grassland in the southeastern Keerqin Sandy Lands would sequester more C than would continuous grassland. Tree species selection and stand developmental age should be considered in planning future afforestation projects.     

Wood biomass functions for Acacia abyssinica trees and shrubs and implications for provision of ecosystem services in a community managed exclosure in Tigray,Ethiopia

In the Ethiopian highlands, remarkable recovery of vegetation has been achieved using exclosures, protecting vegetation against livestock browsing and firewood harvesting. But these emerging forest resources require tools for sustainable use, implying knowledge on biomass stocks and growth. In this study we developed biomass functions estimating total, stem and branch biomass from diameter at stump height (DSH) and tree height (H) for an 11-year old exclosure in Tigray, Ethiopia. In a systematic grid of 55 plots, DSH and H of all trees and shrubs were recorded. 40 Acacia abyssinica trees were selected for destructive sampling. Allometric relationships using a natural log–log model were established between aboveground biomass, DSH and H. Models with only DSH were found best with R² between 0.95 and 0.98. The functions were 10 fold cross-validated and R²_{_}cv ranged from 0.94 to 0.97, indicating good model performance. The models were found well in range with those of other seasonal forests in East Africa. Total aboveground biomass was estimated 25.4 ton ha⁻¹ with an annual production of 2.3 ton ha⁻¹, allowing sustainable wood fuel use for 4 persons ha⁻¹. The presented predictive functions help to harmonize between ecological and societal objectives and are as such a first step towards an integrated planning tool for exclosures.     

Land cover changes in the Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga biomes from 1990 to 2010 based on a systematic remote sensing sampling approach

The main objective of our study was to provide consistent information on land cover changes between the years 1990 and 2010 for the Cerrado and Caatinga Brazilian seasonal biomes. These areas have been overlooked in terms of land cover change assessment if compared with efforts in monitoring the Amazon rain forest. For each of the target years (1990, 2000 and 2010) land cover information was obtained through an object-based classification approach for 243 sample units (10  km × 10  km size), using (E)TM Landsat images systematically located at each full degree confluence of latitude and longitude. The images were automatically pre-processed, segmented and labelled according to the following legend: Tree Cover (TC), Tree Cover Mosaic (TCM), Other Wooded Land (OWL), Other Land Cover (OLC) and Water (W). Our results indicate the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes lost (gross loss) respectively 265,595 km² and 89,656 km² of natural vegetation (TC + OWL) between 1990 and 2010. In the same period, these areas also experienced gain of TC and OWL. By 2010, the percentage of natural vegetation cover remaining in the Cerrado was 47% and in the Caatinga 63%. The annual (net) rate of natural vegetation cover loss in the Cerrado slowed down from −0.79% yr⁻¹ to −0.44% yr⁻¹ from the 1990s to the 2000s, while in the Caatinga for the same periods the rate increased from −0.19% yr⁻¹ to −0.44% yr⁻¹. In summary, these Brazilian biomes experienced both loss and gains of Tree Cover and Other Wooded Land; however a continued net loss of natural vegetation was observed for both biomes between 1990 and 2010. The average annual rate of change in this period was higher in the Cerrado (−0.6% yr⁻¹) than in the Caatinga (−0.3% yr⁻¹).     

CH4 and N2O dynamics of a Larix gmelinii forest in a continuous permafrost region of central Siberia during the growing season

Forest soils are generally sinks of CH₄ and sources of N₂O. To characterize the dynamics of these major greenhouse gases in central Siberia during the growing season, we measured fluxes from forest soil and assessed the relationships between CH₄ and N₂O fluxes and forest floor vegetation types, soil temperature, and moisture conditions. At the soil surface, both CH₄ uptake and emission (−6.6 to 3.1 μg CH₄–C m⁻² h⁻¹) were observed, and CH₄ fluxes did not differ among vegetation types. CH₄ flux was positively correlated with soil moisture, but not with soil temperature. The small CH₄ uptake compared with previous reports was due to CH₄ production in response to high precipitation. N₂O was also emitted and taken up by soil (−0.2 to 0.4 μg N₂O–N m⁻² h⁻¹), and N₂O fluxes did not differ among vegetation types. N₂O flux was negatively correlated with soil moisture and not correlated with soil temperature. Our findings suggest that high soil moisture and low availability of mineral nitrogen resulted in N₂O uptake due to denitrification. Furthermore, both CH₄ and N₂O were emitted from a river at the site; these were produced in the basin of the riverbank rather than deep in the soil.     

Physical and chemical properties of soils under some piñon-juniper-oak canopies in a semi-arid ecosystem in New Mexico

Piñon (Pinus edulis)-juniper (Juniperus monosperma)-ecosystems increased substantially in the western USA during the 20th century. Sustainability of these ecosystems primarily depends on soil quality and water availability. This study was undertaken with the objective of assessing the effect of tree species on soil physical quality in a semi-arid region in the western part of Sugarite Canyon, northeast of Raton, Colfax County, NM (37°56′32″N and 104°23′00″W) USA. Three cores and three bulk soil samples were obtained from the site under the canopy of three juniper, Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) and piñon trees for 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths. These samples were analyzed for particle size distribution, soil bulk density (ρ_b), water stable aggregation (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations and stocks. Sand content was greater under juniper (48%) than oak (32%), whereas clay content followed the opposite trend. The ρ_b, WSA, MWD, pH and EC were similar under juniper, piñon, oak canopies for both depths. Estimated (from Philip and Green and Ampt infiltration models) and measured water infiltration parameters did not vary among these sites and were in accord with the values for ρ_b, WSA and MWD. The SOC concentrations and stocks were greater under oak (43.1 Mg ha⁻¹ for 0–10 and 37.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for 10–20 cm depths) than piñon (23.3 Mg ha⁻¹ for 0–10 and 18.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for 10–20 cm depths). The TN concentrations were greater under oak (3.4 g kg⁻¹) than piñon (1.7 g kg⁻¹) for the 0–10 cm depth only. Accumulation of detritus material under tree canopies reduced soil compaction and crusting caused by raindrop impact and increased SOC, and TN concentrations, and water infiltration. Coefficients of variation ranged from low to moderate for most soil properties except infiltration rate at 2.5 h, which was highly variable. Overall, soil quality for each site was good and soil aggregation, water infiltration and SOC concentrations were high, and soil ρ_b was low.     

Carbon accumulation, nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency of Sophora davidii seedlings in response to nitrogen supply and water stress

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to explore whether additional nitrogen (N) supply could enhance carbon (C) accumulation, and phosphorus (P) use efficiency (NUE_P) of Sophora davidii seedlings under dry conditions. Two-month-old seedlings were subjected to a completely randomized design with three water (80, 40 and 20% water field capacity (FC)) and three N supply (N0: 0, Nl: 92 and Nh: 184 mg N kg⁻¹ soil) regimes. Water stress decreased C, N and P accumulation, NUE_P, N and P uptake efficiency (NUtE_N and NUtE_P) regardless of N supply. The S. davidii seedlings exhibited strong responses to N supply, but the responses were not consistent with the various N supply levels. Nl increased C, N and P accumulation, and improved NUE_P, NUtE_N and NUtE_P in the same water treatment. In contrast, Nh did few or even depress effects on C, N and P accumulation, and NUE_P, although NUtE_N and NUtE_P increased with Nh in the same water treatment. Even so, NUE_N decreased with increase of N supply in the same water treatment. The results suggested that appropriate or low N supply should be recommended for S. davidii seedling establishment in dry environment by improving C accumulation and NUE_P.     

Exploring the potential of perennial crops in reducing soil erosion: A GIS-based scenario analysis in southern Tuscany,Italy

Preserving soils is a major challenge in ensuring sustainable agriculture for the future. Soil erosion by water is a critical issue in the Mediterranean regions and usually occurs when high-erosive precipitation is in temporal association with poor vegetation cover and density. Modelling soil erosion risks over large spatial scales suffers from the scarcity of accurate information on land cover, rainfall erosivity and their intra-annual dynamics. We estimated the soil erosion risk on arable land in a Mediterranean area (Grosseto Province, southern Tuscany, Italy) and investigated its potential reduction as a response to the change in intra-annual distribution of land cover due to the increase of perennial forage crops. A GIS-based (R)USLE model was employed and a scenario analysis was performed by setting criteria for raising the performance of perennial forage crops. Statistical data on agricultural crops provided an insight into current intra-annual land cover dynamics. Rainfall erosivity was computed on the basis of 22-year hourly precipitation data. The model was used to: i) quantify the potential soil losses of arable land in the study area, ii) identify those areas highly affected by erosion risks iii) explore the potential for soil conservation of perennial crops, thereby enabling appropriate preventive measures to be identified. The erosion rates, averaged over an area of about 140’000 ha, are estimated to 33.42 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. More than 59% of the study area was subjected to soil losses higher than 11 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ (from moderate to severe erosion) and the highest rates are estimated for steep inland areas. Arable land with severe soil erosion rates (higher than 33 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) represent about 35% of the whole study area. The risk of soil loss by water erosion in the study area is estimated to be reduced on average by 36% if perennial crops are increased in terms of 35% of the total arable land. The soil erosion data produced compared well with the published local and regional data. This study thus provides useful preliminary information for landscape planning authorities and can be used as a decision support tool in quantifying the implications of management policies.     

Rates of sheet and rill erosion in Germany — A meta-analysis

Knowledge of erosion rates under real conditions is of great concern regarding sustainability of landuse and off-site effects on water bodies and settlements. Experimentally derived rates of sheet and rill erosion are often biased by experimental settings, which deviate considerably from typical landuse, by short measuring periods and by small spatial extensions, which do not account for the pronounced spatio-temporal variability of erosion events. We compiled data from 27 studies covering 1076 plot years to account for this variability. Modelling was used to correct for deficiencies in the experimental settings, which overrepresented arable land and used steeper and shorter slopes as well as higher erosivity than typically found in reality. For example, the average slope gradient was 5.9° for all arable plot experiments while it is only 2.6° on total arable land in Germany. The expected soil loss by sheet and rill erosion in Germany after taking real slopes, landuse and erosivity into account averaged 2.7 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1. Annual crops contributed the largest proportion (90%) but hops despite its negligible contribution to landuse (0.06%) still contribute 1.0% due to its extraordinary rapid erosion, which was even faster than the measured bare fallow soil loss standardized to otherwise identical conditions. Bare fallow soil loss, which is often used as baseline, was 80 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1 when standardized to 5.1° slope gradient, 200 m flow path length, and average German erosivity.     

Wood productivity of Prosopis flexuosa D.C. woodlands in the central Monte: Influence of population structure and tree-growth habit

A balance between forest production and protection is hard to achieve in arid zones due to their low potential for wood production. Prosopis flexuosa woodlands are the major woody formations in the Monte desert and are currently in a degraded state due to intense use. The main degradation factors in the study area are overgrazing and firewood extraction. We developed allometric models to estimate the aerial biomass of P. flexuosa, compared annual growth rates of one- and multi-stemmed individuals through dendrochronological methods, and estimated the productivity of four structurally different woodlands in the central Monte. Total dry weight was best estimated by power equations. Annual increments in basal area and dry weight were initially larger for multi- than one-stemmed individuals. However, whereas multi-stemmed individuals rapidly decreased their growth rates after 60 years of age, one-stemmed trees maintained steady growth rates during the first 100 years. Depending on woodland density and tree size, total woodland biomass varied between 4000 and 15 000 kg ha⁻¹. Wood productivity was similar in all four woodlands studied (121.6-173.7 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). Our results reveal the importance of tree growth habit to productivity, and suggest that regulated extraction of firewood and poles from old multi-stemmed individuals could optimize wood productivity and contribute to the sustainable use and conservation of these woodlands.     

Carbon pools in an arid shrubland in Chile under natural and afforested conditions

The pattern of carbon (C) allocation among the different pools is an important ecosystem structural feature, which can be modified as a result of changes in environmental conditions that can occur gradually (e.g., climatic change) or abruptly (e.g., management practices). This study quantified the C pools of plant biomass, litter and soil in an arid shrubland in Chile, comparing the natural condition (moderately disturbed by grazing) vs. the afforested condition (two-year-old plantation with Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L. Wendl.), each represented by a 60 ha plot. To estimate plant biomass, allometric functions were constructed for the four dominant woody species, based on the volume according to their shape, which showed high correlation (R² > 0.73). The soil was the largest C pool in both natural and afforested conditions (89% and 94%, respectively) and was significantly lower in the afforested than natural condition at all five soil depths. The natural condition had in total 36.5 ton (t) C ha⁻¹ compared to 21.1 t C ha⁻¹ in the afforested condition, mainly due to C loss during soil preparation, prior to plantation of A. saligna. These measurements serve as an important baseline to assess long-term effects of afforestation on ecosystem C pools.     

Fine root dynamics and longevity of Artemisia halodendron reflect plant growth strategy in two contrasting habitats

Fine root dynamics and longevity may reflect the results of plant adaptation. The minirhizotron technique was applied to investigate the fine root dynamics and longevity of Artemisia halodendron Turcz. ex Bess. in the mobile and fixed sand dunes in Inner Mongolia, Northern China. For over two years of study, the cumulative fine root length production and turnover were all significantly higher in the mobile than the fixed sand dunes at soil depths of 0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm. The annual fine root production (8.46 mm cm⁻² y⁻¹) and annual fine root turnover (7.38 mm cm⁻² y⁻¹) of shrubs in the mobile sand dunes are about 38 and 70 percent higher than those in the fixed sand dunes. The fine root lifespan is higher for those in the fixed (47 days) than in the mobile (33 days) sand dunes, consistent with the higher ratio of first- (distal) to second-order roots of the former. The root production and lifespan are consistent with the adaptive responses of A. halodendron in the two habitats. The differences in root dynamics and lifespan between the mobile and fixed sand dunes may significantly explain the changes in the C fixation rate with the restoration of desert soils.