TY - JOUR
T1 - Bioenergy production and soil conservation from Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) plantations in Denmark
AU - Yousefpour, Rasoul
PY - 2013/4
Y1 - 2013/4
N2 - This study analyses the trade-off between bioenergy production and soil conservation through thinning operations in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) plantations in Denmark. Thinning operations were evaluated under different regimes and intensities for a complete rotation period of sixty years and for different site qualities (site-classes I-VI). Applying a dynamic forest growth modeling tool, evolution of forest structure was predicted to observe the potentials for biomass production and inevitable soil degradation. Results showed thinning from below, with a higher utilization (maintenance of a minimum basal area of 25 m2ha-1) could produce more bioenergy. However, these operations require simultaneous severe forest soil degradation. Therefore, the optimum thinning for bioenergy production under preservation constraints was thinning from above with a lower intensity (maintenance of a minimum basal area of 45 m2 ha-1). The ratio of bioenergy win (kWh) to soil-loss (m3ha-1) was calculated for this regime varying between 74,894 kWh m-3 in a high quality site (site-class I) and 6,516 kWh m-3 in a low quality site (site-class VI) with an average of 44,282 kWh m-3. However, this could not always preserve the highest amount of growing stock essential for natural dynamics of forest ecosystem with an exception of the low quality sites (site-class VI). Thus, when aiming at bioenergy production through thinning operations, trade-offs with soil conservation and growing stock preservation should be regarded to prevent environmental degradation.
AB - This study analyses the trade-off between bioenergy production and soil conservation through thinning operations in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) plantations in Denmark. Thinning operations were evaluated under different regimes and intensities for a complete rotation period of sixty years and for different site qualities (site-classes I-VI). Applying a dynamic forest growth modeling tool, evolution of forest structure was predicted to observe the potentials for biomass production and inevitable soil degradation. Results showed thinning from below, with a higher utilization (maintenance of a minimum basal area of 25 m2ha-1) could produce more bioenergy. However, these operations require simultaneous severe forest soil degradation. Therefore, the optimum thinning for bioenergy production under preservation constraints was thinning from above with a lower intensity (maintenance of a minimum basal area of 45 m2 ha-1). The ratio of bioenergy win (kWh) to soil-loss (m3ha-1) was calculated for this regime varying between 74,894 kWh m-3 in a high quality site (site-class I) and 6,516 kWh m-3 in a low quality site (site-class VI) with an average of 44,282 kWh m-3. However, this could not always preserve the highest amount of growing stock essential for natural dynamics of forest ecosystem with an exception of the low quality sites (site-class VI). Thus, when aiming at bioenergy production through thinning operations, trade-offs with soil conservation and growing stock preservation should be regarded to prevent environmental degradation.
U2 - 10.1007/s10457-012-9547-z
DO - 10.1007/s10457-012-9547-z
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0167-4366
VL - 87
SP - 287
EP - 294
JO - Agroforestry Systems
JF - Agroforestry Systems
IS - 2
ER -
