RATIOS BETWEEN ABOVEGROUND NET PRIMARY PRODUCTION, LITTERFALL AND CARBON STOCKS IN SCOTS PINE STANDS ON NORTH-EAST OF EUROPE

Abstract

The aim of work was to assess the carbon stocks in the biomass to characterize the intensity of aboveground net production and the amount of litterfall in Scots pine forests of different types in the North-East of the Europe. We estimated biomass and aboveground net primary production of stands using model trees. For vegetation of ground cover biomass and primary production evaluating, we cut off all aboveground organs on an area of 625 cm² and removed the first-year parts. Litterfall was collected over 3–6 years using litter traps. Most of the carbon in the biomass of pine forests is concentrated in trees. However, in boggy forests, ground vegetation plays a significant role in carbon stocks, both in absolute and relative values. A high contribution of needles and plants of the ground vegetation to aboveground net primary production (ANPP) was established. In mature pine forests, a significant contribution of stem wood was noted. We provide data on the mass and fractional composition of forest litterfall. Using the data obtained, we calculated the ratio between the carbon fluxes in ANPP/Litterfall and aboveground carbon stocks in the stand biomass. Our values were comparable with similar data calculated via values published in the literature. Therefore we suggest that the relationship of biomass with ANPP and litterfall can be considered as an alternative method for estimating carbon fluxes in forest ecosystems.