Biomass production and nutrient （N, P, K, Ca and Mg） accumulation, distribution and cycling were quantified in young, mature and over-mature （10-, 22-, and 34-year old） Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lanceolate （Lamb....Biomass production and nutrient （N, P, K, Ca and Mg） accumulation, distribution and cycling were quantified in young, mature and over-mature （10-, 22-, and 34-year old） Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lanceolate （Lamb.） Hook] plantations in southern China. Total stand biomass of young, mature and over-mature stands was 38, 104 and 138 t ha-1 respectively. Biomass production increased significantly with age. Stem wood represented the highest percentage of stand biomass, accounting for 41, 55 and 63 % in the young, mature and over-mature plan- tations respectively. Nutrients concentration was highest in live needles and branches, and lowest in stem wood. The plantations accumulated more N, followed by K, Ca, Mg, and P. Nutrient return amount, nutrient utilization effi- ciency, nutrient turnover time, the ratio of nutrient return and uptake increased with stand age, which implies that young Chinese fir deplete soil nutrients to maintain growth, and efficiently utilize nutrients to decrease dependence on soil nutrients as they age. Harvesting young Chinese fir plantations would therefore lead to high nutrient loss, but prolonging the rotation length could improve soil recovery, and help sustain productivity in the long-term. Improved nutrient return through litterfall as stands get older may also be beneficial to nutrient pool recovery.展开更多
基金supported by the Forestry Public Benefit Research Projects of National Forestry Administration under Grant No.201304303National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.31370619+1 种基金Science and Technology Project of the Fujian Province under Grant No.2014N0002China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant No.132300148
文摘Biomass production and nutrient （N, P, K, Ca and Mg） accumulation, distribution and cycling were quantified in young, mature and over-mature （10-, 22-, and 34-year old） Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lanceolate （Lamb.） Hook] plantations in southern China. Total stand biomass of young, mature and over-mature stands was 38, 104 and 138 t ha-1 respectively. Biomass production increased significantly with age. Stem wood represented the highest percentage of stand biomass, accounting for 41, 55 and 63 % in the young, mature and over-mature plan- tations respectively. Nutrients concentration was highest in live needles and branches, and lowest in stem wood. The plantations accumulated more N, followed by K, Ca, Mg, and P. Nutrient return amount, nutrient utilization effi- ciency, nutrient turnover time, the ratio of nutrient return and uptake increased with stand age, which implies that young Chinese fir deplete soil nutrients to maintain growth, and efficiently utilize nutrients to decrease dependence on soil nutrients as they age. Harvesting young Chinese fir plantations would therefore lead to high nutrient loss, but prolonging the rotation length could improve soil recovery, and help sustain productivity in the long-term. Improved nutrient return through litterfall as stands get older may also be beneficial to nutrient pool recovery.
