Forests 2018, 9(10), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/f9100593
Macronutrient Stocks in Scots Pine Stands of Different Densities
1
Faculty of Forestry, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
2
Department of Forestry and Forest Ecology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 2, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 28 August 2018 / Revised: 12 September 2018 / Accepted: 20 September 2018 / Published: 22 September 2018
(This article belongs to the Section Forest Ecology and Management)
Abstract
A positive nutrient balance is crucial to sustaining forest productivity. Differences in stand densities usually mean different aboveground biomass stocks and different proportions of tree compartments. These differences can be reflected in the different macronutrient stocks between stands of different densities, because various tree compartments have different element concentrations. In this study, 82-year-old stands of Scots pine were compared, and specifically, the concentrations of the elements in tree compartments and the amounts of macronutrients in aboveground biomass were compared. The nutrients considered in this study were nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. A positive correlation between stand density and the level of stored macronutrients was found for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This result means that forest managers can influence nutrient balances by regulating stand densities or by harvesting methods (SOH: stem-only harvesting or WTH: whole-tree harvesting). View Full-TextKeywords:
Pinus sylvestris; element content; nutrient accumulation; aboveground biomass; stand density
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MDPI and ACS Style
Węgiel, A.; Bielinis, E.; Polowy, K. Macronutrient Stocks in Scots Pine Stands of Different Densities. Forests 2018, 9, 593.
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