Influence of fertilization in a natural populus tremula stand

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate productivity and wood quality of a typical natural aspen stand (Populus tremula L.) growing under varying rates of fertilizer addition in South Sweden. The stand developed from root shoots after harvest of a 40‐year‐old aspen stand. Fertilizer was added at rates of 0, 50, 100 and 200 kg N ha−1 yr−1. When the experiment started, the trees were 8 years old and until then the mean of annual stem and branch production of the control treatment was 2.8 t d.w. ha−1. During the 3‐year experimental period the production of the control was 3.2 t d.w. ha−1 yr−1. Fertilized treatments, however, increased in productivity up to 7.3 t d.w. ha−1 yr−1. Growth increase was significant (p−2 and then the wood density of stems and branches was 0.35 g cm −3, and the percentage dry matter was 48 %. Wood density and percentage oven‐dry matter were both higher in branches than in stems. The stem biomass averaged 88% of the above‐ground wood biomass.