Effect of thinning on partitioning of aboveground biomass in naturally regenerated shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata mill.)This article is part of a larger document. View the larger document here.
In traditional harvesting systems, yield of forest stands may increase if a greater proportion of net primary production is allocated to bole wood. However, for management related to whole-tree harvesting, carbon sequestration, biofuels, and wildland fire avoidance, assessments of biomass partitioning to all aboveground components is needed. Thinning increases bole growth of residual trees; it also affects the growth and partitioning of biomass to other stand components. Given the emphasis on new objectives and management strategies, it is necessary to understand how thinning and stocking density affect allocation of biomass in all the aboveground tree parts. The objectives of this study were, therefore, to quantify the biomass (in kg/ha) in aboveground tree components in shortleaf pine stands that were thinned to different stockings and compare the biomass proportions for the different aboveground tree components, i.e., bole wood, bole bark, foliage, and branch.