Some Aspects of Energy Flow in Plantations of Pinus sylvestris L.
- 1 January 1961
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Annals of Botany
- Vol. 25 (1) , 12-20
- https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a083728
Abstract
Calorific values are given for the different types of plant material in an age series of plantations of Pinus sylvestris and the amounts of energy in the organic matter present per hectare of woodland are calculated. Following afforestation with Scots pine a progressive accumulation of energy occurs up to 35 years of age when the organic matter present per hectare contains about 10, 000×108 calories. Values are given for the energy content of the primary production by the trees and ground vegetation, of energy accumulation in the tree stock, understory vegetation, and litter, of energy removed in the harvested trees and of energy released by decomposition. The photosynthetic efficiency of the forest community is calculated and shown to be comparable to that of high producing agricultural crops so that it is suggested that the forest community makes very full use of site conditions.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: