A biomass study in Pinus radiata D. Don

Abstract

This paper deals with a preliminary study of the aboveground biomass of Pinus radiata in the Jonkershoek State Forest. A sample of 25 twenty-nine year old trees was selected from comp. 35A. The oven-dry stem mass was estimated by subsampling each stem and regressing the estimated oven-dry mass on DBH (r = 0,9767). Similarly, a sample of branches, representing the range of branch diameters, was drawn, their oven-dry mass was determined and subsequently regressed on branch diameter (r = 0,9751). Branch mass per tree was estimated by sampling the distribution of branch diameters for each tree separately. A reliable estimate of crown mass (r = 0,8385) and total aerial mass (r = 0,9776) from DBH is also made. Total estimated above-ground biomass for the stand amounted to 184860 kg ha_-1 , of which 89 per cent was stem wood and the remainder crown.