Factores ecol?gicos y socioecon?micos que influyen en la regeneraci?n natural del laurel en sistemas silvopastoriles del tr?pico h?medo y subh?medo de Costa Rica

Se estudiaron las condiciones ecol?gicas y socioecon?micas que influyen en la regeneraci?n natural del laurel (Cordia alliodora) en potreros de dos zonas ecol?gicas de Costa Rica. Se cuantific? la poblaci?n de C. alliodora en los estados de pl?ntulas, brinzales, latizales y fustales. Se obtuvieron cuatro conglomerados con diferentes patrones de regeneraci?n natural; las variables que m?s contribuyeron a separar los conglomerados fueron las caracter?sticas ed?ficas, la dependencia econ?mica de la finca y su manejo, el uso anterior a las pasturas y las pr?cticas para establecerlas. El 43 por ciento de los brinzales present? da?os; este fue el estado de regeneraci?n m?s susceptible y el que present? mayor mortalidad. Las condiciones ambientales, las especies de la pastura y el h?bito de crecimiento afectaron la din?mica poblacional del laurel en la fase temprana de establecimiento; su comportamiento mejor? cuando las condiciones de estr?s h?drico fueron menos severas.The ecological and socio-economic conditions influencing natural regeneration of laurel (Cordia alliodora) in pasture in two ecological zones of Costa Rica were studied. C. alliodora populations in seedling, sapling, young tree and mature tree stages were quantified. Four clusters with different natural regeneration patterns were obtained. The variables that contributed the most to separate the clusters were their edaphic characteristics type of farm economic dependency and management, previous use of the pastures and the practices carried out in order to establish them. Forty-three percent of the saplings presented damage, showing the sapling stage to be the most susceptible stage of regeneration and the one with the highest mortality rate. Environmental conditions together with pasture species and their growth habit affected laurel population dynamics during the early establishment stage; its performance was better under less severe condition of hydric stress

Assessment of Carbon Flows Associated with Forest Management and Biomass Procurement for the Laskin Biomass Facility

This carbon life cycle analysis of forest-derived biomass was developed as part of a larger assessment by Minnesota Power detailing fuel supply, fuel procurement plans, and project engineering for a new 26-megawatt biomass generation facility in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. Forest-derived biomass is a renewable fuel that can be procured locally from forest harvest residues, mill residues, material from early thinnings and land cleaning, short rotation woody crops, brush, and urban wood waste. Energy generation from renewable fuels like forest biomass may dramatically alter the carbon balance in comparison to the use of fossil fuels like coal or natural gas. This study identifies the source and rate of carbon accumulation by tracking key inputs and outputs from forests through the conversion, regrowth and management activities over a 100-year period—the net carbon impact