Title: Allometric models for branch biomass production: assessment of rapid growth trees for bio-energy in Northern Iran.
Abstract: The increase of atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as a result of burning fossil fuel is becoming a global issue. Biomass fuels are an environmental friendly alternative for energy supply. Among the sources of biomass, forests are playing a significant role in supplying the biomass for energy. As a renewable source, tree branchwood can provide significant increases in revenues from felling broadleaved and conifer trees. This study was carried out to developed allometric models for branch biomass estimation based on easily measured tree parameters. Also, we estimate the potential of native and exotic rapid growth tree species for branch wood production. Totally, 36 individuals of Alnus subcordata (AS), Populus deltoides (PD), and Taxodium distichum (TD) plantations were felled down and total branch biomass were measured over a diameter range of 12 to 50 cm at breast height. Results showed that the total branch biomass could be predicted very accurately from diameter at breast height alone. Total height added little extra precision, therefore we did not use height for branch biomass prediction. The branch to stem biomass ratio was increased with increasing of tree DBH for AS and PD, but it decreased for TD. The total branch biomass followed in the order of PD (2.67 Mg ha -1 ) > TD (1.77 Mg ha -1 ) > and AS (1.55 Mg ha -1 ).
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-10-21
Language: en
Type: article
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