Biomass Models for Short Rotation Willow Plantations in Lithuania

Abstract

Puslapiai nurodyti pagal pataisytą leidinįDespite of increasing areas of short rotation willow plantations in Lithuania, only very few studies have been done so far regarding the biomass production in these plantations. To fill this gap, the aim of this study was to develop biomass equations for fresh-weighted and for oven-dried willow biomass and to estimate the yield of short rotation plantations as expressed in fresh- weighted and oven-dried biomass. The data required by this study was gathered in the western part of Lithuania, in the Šilutė and Tauragė regions. For this purpose, sample plots were established in 21 short rotation willow plantations managed by “Klasmann-Deilmann Bioenergy“. All of them were first rotation plantations grown for 3 to 4 years. It was found that mean annual oven-dried biomass increment varied in these plantations from 0.2 to 7.6 tons per hectare per year. Additionally, the relations between stand level values were evaluated and a stand biomass yield model based on the mean stand height was developed. Relations on the plant level were analysed as well. As a result we developed biomass models based on the individual plant diameter for plant height as well as for fresh-weighted and for oven-dried biomassVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij