Above- and below-ground biomass and production of lodgepole pine on sites with differing soil moisture regimes

Abstract

The distribution of tree biomass and the allocation of production was measured in four stands of lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta var. latifolia Engelm.), two growing on sites with xeric soil moisture regimes and two on sites with mesic soil moisture regimes. At the time of sampling the stands were 70–78 years old. Aboveground biomass ranged from 116.5 Mg•ha−1 on one xeric site to 313.1 Mg•ha−1 on one mesic site. Stem biomass represented 68 and 73% of total tree biomass on the xeric and mesic sites, respectively. Total root biomass represented between 20 and 28% of total lodgepole pine biomass. Fine and small roots (<5 mm diameter) represented 4 and 1.5% of total tree biomass on the xeric and mesic sites, respectively. Total net primary production ranged from 7.9 Mg•ha−1•year−1 on the xeric sites to 11.9 Mg•ha−1•year−1 on the mesic sites. Stemwood production represented 20 and 27% of total net primary production on the xeric sites and 35% on both mesic sites. Belowground production represented 38 and 46% of total net primary production on the two mesic sites (4.5 and 5.5 Mg•ha−1•year−1, respectively) and 55 and 66% on the two xeric sites (4.3 and 6.3 Mg•ha−1•year−1, respectively). Fine and small roots represented 82–94% of belowground production. Production allocation was in the following order: fine and small roots > stems > foliage > coarse roots > branches, for all but the wettest site, where stem production exceeded fine and small root production.