Browsing by Author "Van Heerden, Benjamin"

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    Variation in root biomass for clonal eucalypts as a function of regime and site quality
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-03) Van Heerden, Benjamin; Du Toit, Ben; Drew, David M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Forest and Wood Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African forestry industry may reduce imposed carbon taxation by accounting for the industry’s carbon sequestration. This study investigates the potential of Eucalyptus grandis x urophylla root systems to fix carbon and the factors that influence the growth of these roots. A two-way factorial design was used to compare the relative and upscaled belowground biomass of stands under planted regimes and coppiced regimes, as well as high and low site qualities (based on site index). Allometric models were developed to predict the bulk belowground biomass for both management regimes combined and for each management regime (planted or coppiced) separately, as well as root size class models (coarse, medium and fine) for each of the treatments, based on above ground variables. This study shows that the absolute belowground biomass is greater for high quality stands, while low quality stands have greater relative belowground biomasses. This study also shows that both the relative and absolute belowground biomass of coppiced stands are greater than that of planted stands. A novel finding of this study is that there may be a net belowground biomass and carbon accumulation over multiple rotations for planted stands, and this accumulation can be increased by implementing a regime consisting of a planted crop followed by a single coppice rotation.