Structural Characteristics and Biomass Production of Two Illinois Bottomland Forests

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Abstract
Structural characteristics and biomass production of 2 Illinois bottomland forests with contrasting hydrological and nutrient regimes were investigated. One forest had stagnant floodwaters (still-water site) and was flooded longer than the other site, which was flooded mainly in the spring when the nearby river overflowed its bank (flowing-water site). Both were flooded with nutrient-rich waters although the relative concentrations of N, P and cations (Ca, K, and Mg) differed between the 2 sites. The still-water forest had a higher stem density (459/ha vs. 423/ha), higher basal area (41.1 m2/ha vs. 32.1 m2/ha), more tree species (12 vs. 6) and taller trees (34.1 m vs. 24.9 m) than the flowing-water forest. Basal area, stem density and complexity of the still-water forest were similar to those of more southerly bottomland forests, but these same structural characteristics for the flowing-water forest were lower. Average growth per tree was lower in the flowing-water forest than in the still-water forest (0.7-7.3 cm2/yr vs. 7.9-24.6 cm2/yr). Annual litterfall was also lower in the flowing-water forest (607 g/m2 vs. 650 g/m2), but not significantly. Total aboveground biomass production at the still-water site (960 g .cntdot. m-2 yr-1) was almost 1.5 times higher than at the flowing-water site (668 g .cntdot. m-2 yr-1), due mainly to the very low wood production in the latter (177 g .cntdot. m-2 yr-1). Biomass production of the still-water forest was high compared to other still-water bottomland forests in the USA while biomass production of the flowing-water forest was approximately half that of other flowing-water forests. The low production of the flowing-water forest does suggest that not all floodplain forests are highly productive.

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