PAR absorption and its relation to above-ground dry matter production of Sitka spruce.

Published online
15 Apr 1994
Content type
Journal article
Journal title
Journal of Applied Ecology
DOI
10.2307/2404567

Author(s)
Wang, Y. P. & Jarvis, P. G. & Taylor, C. M. A.

Publication language
English
Location
UK

Abstract

For 6 Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) plots with various thinning (no thinning or half trees and one-third of basal area removed) and fertilizer (control, 200 kg/ha of N as urea or 100 kg/ha of P as rock phosphate) treatments in central Scotland, annual above-ground biomass production over 4 yr was proportional to annual amounts of PAR absorbed, irrespective of treatments. Quotients of above-ground dry matter produced and PAR absorbed were 0.43 g/mol for N-fertilized plots and 0.33 g/mol for the other plots. For Sitka spruce, annual photosynthetic efficiency was estimated to be about 3% using a physiological process-based model (MAESTRO), and the upper limit of biomass production in Scotland was estimated to be 36 t/ha.

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