Yield in 8 year-old hybrid poplar plantations on abandoned farmland along climatic and soil fertility gradients

Truax, Benoît; Gagnon, Daniel; Fortier, Julien

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.12.012

Cited by 83 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…5). This trend potentially reflects the co-variation between local climate and soil fertility (Tables 1 and 2) [64], with colder sites (higher elevation) generally being characterised by slower litter decomposition [94] and N mineralisation rates, higher soil organic matter content [95] and lower soil pH (Table 1), which could have favoured biomass allocation to roots.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, in this study, the term site fertility is used in its broad sense, as it refers not only to favourable soil conditions, but also to more favourable climatic conditions in terms of elevation or climate, given the temperature dependency of processes important for plant growth, such as N-mineralisation in soil and ion uptake by roots [63]. Important covariation between elevation (climate) and different soil fertility indicators have been reported in poplar plantations of the region [64]. An ANCOVA was then used to test the significance of the site fertility class (high vs moderate), as a main effect, and DBH, as a continuous covariate, on coarse root biomass, using log transformed data.…”

Section: Regression Procedures For Allometric Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plastic Allometry in Coarse Root Biomass of Mature Hybrid Poplar Plantations

et al. 2015

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In this study, we sampled coarse root biomass of three poplar clones in four 13-year-old hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) plantations, with the objective of developing an allometric relationship between diameter at breast height (DBH) and coarse root biomass. A second objective was to test significance of site, clone and ×site clone interaction effects on coarse root biomass, using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with DBH as a covariate. Across the four sites, the general allometric relationship between DBH and coarse root biomass was highly significant (R 2 =0.78, p<0.001). However, given the high significance of the site effect (p< 0.001) in the ANCOVA and the differences in data distribution between sites, two allometric relationships were developed based on the fertility class of sites (high and moderate). Environmentspecific allometric relationships developed for two site fertility classes had a better fit (R 2 =0.81-0.90, p<0.001). ANCOVA, with DBH as a covariate and site fertility class as a main effect, also showed that both of these variables significantly affected (p <0.001) coarse root biomass allocation. Environmentspecific equations showed that higher coarse root biomass was allocated in harsher environments for a given DBH, probably to improve access to growth limiting soil nutrients or to build-up larger storage sites for amino acids and non-structural carbohydrates. Consequently, poplar coarse root biomass growth is both driven by ontogeny (size) and environment, reflecting the plasticity of the root system of mature poplars. Implications of using general vs. environment-specific equations in estimating stand-level root biomass and shoot to root ratios are discussed. Shoot to root ratios calculated using environment-specific equations were more strongly correlated to key environmental variables than ratios calculated using the general equation, with soil NO 3 supply rate being the strongest predictor of the ratio (R 2 =0.90, p<0.001).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Regression Procedures For Allometric Relationshipsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plastic Allometry in Coarse Root Biomass of Mature Hybrid Poplar Plantations

et al. 2015

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“…poplars are increasingly planted on abandoned farmland to reduce land use competition with food production systems [5,6]. However, abandoned fields are often characterised by uneven site fertility at the regional scale [5,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking Biomass Productivity to Genotype-Specific Nutrient Cycling Strategies in Mature Hybrid Poplars Planted Along an Environmental Gradient

2017

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This study used three hybrid poplar (Populus × spp.) clones (13 years old) with different parentages planted in three abandoned farmland sites along a regional gradient of elevation and soil fertility in southern Québec (Canada). We evaluated the effects of plantation site and clone on nutrient concentrations in green foliage and leaf litter, on leaf litter mass remaining, on soil properties and on biomass yield. Green foliage and leaf litter nutrient concentrations, and litter decomposition, are under strong genetic and environmental control in hybrid poplars. Clone-specific correlation patterns between green foliage and leaf litter nutrient concentrations were observed, as well as between soil nutrient availability and foliage or leaf litter nutrient concentrations. Despite the wide variations in soil nutrient availability and elevation between sites, only the clone effect was significant on biomass yield. An increase in N and P resorption proficiency with declining soil NO 3 and P availability, observed in all clones, could explain stable yields of each clone across sites. The most productive clones (DN × M-915508 and M × B-915311) were more proficient at resorbing N, P and K, while the least productive clone (D × N-131) had the highest N, P and K concentrations in green foliage and in litter. The ability of clone M × B-915311 to maintain high litter Ca and Mg concentrations on sites with soil characterised by lower pH, lower base saturation and lower nutrient availability (NO 3 , P, Ca and Mg) may also be linked to its high and stable productivity. Differences in litter quality between clones did not yield significant differences in soil properties or in litter mass remaining after 2 years. However, short-term decay trajectories varied between clones. As litter mass remaining was strongly correlated to elevation, the plantation site significantly affected leaf litter mass remaining, which ranged from 4.5 to 35.5% between sites after 2 years.

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“…But such estimates are heavily dependent on assumptions regarding growth rates of plantations. Compared to indigenous tree growth rates of around 2 to 5 m 3 /ha/yr, studies in Quebec have shown hybrid poplar growth rates can range from 22 m 3 /ha/yr (Truax et al 2012) to 50 m 3 /ha/yr (Fortier et al 2013), though these growth trials occurred under conditions that are likely much more favourable than would occur operationally. More conservative growth rates were suggested by Anderson and Luckert (2007) Low returns on private land may also arise from the spatial organization of the forest industry.…”

Section: Constraint #2: Low Financial Returns To Forest Plantations Omentioning

confidence: 96%

Potential policy reforms for a “more exotic” Canadian forest sector: Comparing Canada's plantation policies with those in Australia, New Zealand and the United States

Anderson

Luckert

Campbell

2015

The Forestry Chronicle

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Though Canada remains a global forest products competitor, timber production globally is heading towards the use of exotic plantations, and Canada is not following this trend. Instead, Canadian forest policy is structured with the goal of replacing its "natural" forests with forests of similar attributes. While growing these natural forests is difficult to justify financially, intensification with exotic plantations may increase financial returns. Therefore, an alternative approach would be to reform policies in an attempt to promote intensively managed plantations of exotic trees. In this paper we address four policy and/or market constraints currently restricting the establishment of exotic plantations in Canada: (i) restrictions on planting exotic trees on public land, (ii) low financial returns to forest plantations on private and public land, (iii) low or no payments from sequestering carbon with plantations on public and private land, and (iv) prohibitions on foreign firms to purchase private land. We analyze each constraint by describing the current policy situation in Canada. We then explore policies from other countries, mainly Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. These policies, compared with current policies in Canada, suggest potential approaches for facilitating a "more exotic" forest sector.Key words: intensive forest management, forest policy, financial analysis, exotic tree species, indigenous tree species, forest carbon, forest zoning systems, TRIAD, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United States RÉSUMÉMême si le Canada demeure un joueur important sur la scène mondiale des produits forestiers, la production de bois à l' échelle du globe tend vers l'utilisation d' espèces exotiques, une tendance que ne suit pas le Canada. Au contraire, les politiques forestières canadiennes visent à remplacer ses « forêts naturelles » par des forêts avec des caractéristiques semblables. Alors qu'il est difficile de justifier financièrement la production de ces forêts naturelles, il serait possible d'amélio-rer la rentabilité financière en intensifiant cette culture avec des plantations d' essences exotiques. On pourrait donc envisager de réformer les politiques forestières afin de promouvoir les plantations d' essences exotiques aménagées de façon intensive. Nous étudions dans cet article quatre politiques ou contraintes du marché qui limitent actuellement le recours aux plantations d' essences exotiques au Canada : (i) les restrictions portant sur la plantation d'arbres exotiques sur les terres publiques; (ii) la faible rentabilité financière des plantations forestières sur les terres privées et publiques; (iii) les faibles revenus ou même l'absence de revenus rattachés à la séquestration du carbone par des plantations sur terrain public ou privé et (iv) l'interdiction faite aux entreprises étrangères d'acheter des terres privées. Nous analysons chacune de ces contraintes dans le contexte politique actuel au Canada. Nous explorons par la suite les politiques en vigueur dans d'autres pays, notamm...

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Yield in 8 year-old hybrid poplar plantations on abandoned farmland along climatic and soil fertility gradients

Cited by 83 publications

References 72 publications

Plastic Allometry in Coarse Root Biomass of Mature Hybrid Poplar Plantations

Plastic Allometry in Coarse Root Biomass of Mature Hybrid Poplar Plantations

Linking Biomass Productivity to Genotype-Specific Nutrient Cycling Strategies in Mature Hybrid Poplars Planted Along an Environmental Gradient

Potential policy reforms for a “more exotic” Canadian forest sector: Comparing Canada's plantation policies with those in Australia, New Zealand and the United States

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