Belowground biomass and its annual increment in a montane beech forest in Mavrovo National Park, north-west Macedonia

S. Hristovski, Lj. Melovski, M. Šušlevska and Lj. Grupče
Additional contact information
S. Hristovski: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Institute of Biology, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Lj. Melovski: Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Institute of Biology, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
M. Šušlevska: Farmahem, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Lj. Grupče: Macedonian Ecological Society, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Journal of Forest Science, 2012, vol. 58, issue 4, 152-164

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present the results of the investigation on belowground biomass and its annual increment in a beech ecosystem (Calamintho grandiflorae-Fagetum) in Mavrovo National Park, Republic of Macedonia. Belowground biomass was estimated in three layers of the ecosystem (tree, shrub and herb layers) for seven years during the period 1997-2005. Allometric regressions were established for the relationship of root biomass from volume index (D2H, diameter squared × height) on a sample of 10 model trees and 13 model shrubs of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). Fine root biomass of trees and shrubs was estimated in soil samples to a depth of 145 cm and divided into live and dead fine roots and subdivided into thickness classes. Belowground biomass of the herb layer was assessed in 20 herb species. It was estimated that the total belowground biomass in the ecosystem was 57.75 .ha-1. The contribution of shrub and herb layers was insignificant (less than 0.2%). Biomass of the live fine roots was 10.16 t.ha-1, i.e. 18% of the total belowground biomass. Annual increment of trees and shrubs was 1.03 t.ha-1.y-1 and 4.6 kg.ha-1.y-1, respectively.

Keywords: root biomass; coarse roots; fine roots; trees; shrubs; beech ecosystem (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/131/2010-JFS.html (text/html)
http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/131/2010-JFS.pdf (application/pdf)
free of charge

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:58:y:2012:i:4:id:131-2010-jfs

DOI: 10.17221/131/2010-JFS

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Forest Science is currently edited by Mgr. Ilona Procházková

More articles in Journal of Forest Science from Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ivo Andrle ().