Fine root production and turnover of tree and understorey vegetation in Scots pine, silver birch and Norway spruce stands in SW Sweden

Hansson  K, Helmisaari  HS, Sah  SP, Lange  H

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.022

Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2013

Fine root production and turnover of tree and understorey vegetation in Scots pine, silver birch and Norway spruce stands in SW Sweden

Hansson K, Helmisaari HS, Sah SP, Lange H

Abstract

Spruce has a higher aboveground production than pine and birch in southern Sweden and this was reflected in larger fine root biomass as well as higher fine root biomass production. The annual tree fine root biomass production (humus and 0-30 cm in mineral soil) was 73, 78 and 284 g m(-2) in pine, birch and spruce stands, respectively. Thicker fine roots tended to live longer. The majority of the fine roots were thinner than 0.5 mm in diameter, with a turnover rate (KM) of 0.4 year(-1). When comparing all fine roots, i.e. all roots 0-2 mm, pine had the highest longevity, 1120 days, compared with 900 days for spruce and 922 days for birch (KM). (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Picea abies; Pinus sylvestris; Betula pendula; Fine root turnover; Carbon; Minirhizotron

Published in

Forest Ecology and Management
2013, volume: 309, pages: 58-65
Publisher: Elsevier

Authors' information

Hansson, Karna

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology

Helmisaari, Heljä-Sisko

University of Helsinki

Sah, S. P.

Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla)

Lange, Holger

UKÄ Subject classification

Food Science
Ecology

Publication Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.022

URI (permanent link to this page)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/52086