Donald H. Bickelhaupt

Biomass and nutrient removal by willow clones in experimental bioenergy plantations in New York State

The development of short-rotation intensive cultural (SRIC) willow systems as a source of bioenergy and bioproducts is growing in the northeastern and midwestern United States. Important data for sustainable management such as nutrient removal and nutrient use e8ciency in willow bioenergy plantations is lacking. This study reports wood biomass production, annual removal of nutrients, and nutrient use e8ciency in experimental plantings of SRIC willow and poplar at Tully, New York. E9ects of clone, fertilization, irrigation, planting density, and harvest cycle were analyzed. Annual biomass production of 15 –22 dry Mg=ha removed 75 –86, 10 –11, 27–32, 52–79 and 4 –5 kg=ha=year of N, P, K, Ca and Mg, respectively. For all the variables studied, the responses depended on clone. Fertilization and irrigation increased rates of nutrient removal by means of increased biomass production. Unlike planting density, harvest cycle signiBcantly a9ected rates of nutrient removal and nutrient use e8ciency. For clone SV1 ( Salix dasyclados), an irrigated and fertilized planting with a density of 36,960 trees=ha harvested on a 3-year rotation had the highest biomass production and nutrient use e8ciency, and the lowest rates of nutrient removal. The annual harvest cycle had the lowest nutrient use e8ciency and the highest annual removal of nutrients suggesting that this choice would be most appropriate for biomass crops that are to be used as bu9er strips to manage nutrient runo9 from agricultural Belds. An appropriate choice of clone, planting density, and harvest cycle could tailor the rates of nutrient removal and nutrient use e8ciency to match the objective of the planting. c 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential foliar responses of northern hardwoods to fertilization

A 70-year-old thinned northeastern Fagus-Betula-Acer stand in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York was fertilized with varying combinations of N, P, K, and lime in the spring of 1976.Betula alleghaniensis Brit.,Acer saccharum Marsh.,Acer rubrum L., andFagus grandifolia Ehrh. foliage was collected in the autumn for 1974 through 1977 and analyzed for foliage areas and weights, and levels of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Na, Fe, Zn, Al, Cu, and Co. Comparisons are made within species and among treatments, expressed as concentrations on a dry weight basis. Elemental composition is examined to determine the differential foliar responses to fertilization.

Stand treatment and sampling time of hardwood foliage

A 70-year-old thinned northeastern Fagus-Betula-Acer stand in the Adirondack Mountains of New York was fertilized with varying combinations of N, P, K and lime.Acer saccharum Marsh. andBetula alleghaniensis Brit. foliage was collected periodically during the frost-free season and analyzed for foliage areas and weights, and levels of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg. Comparisons were made within species, and among treatments, expressed as concentrations on dry weight and ash bases, and as contents on per leaf weight and area bases. Elemental composition trends over time were examined to determine treatment effects and optimum sampling period.

Composition of the earthworm Eisenia foetida (savigny) and assimilation of 15 elements from sludge during growth

1. Concentrations of ash and 11 minerals were analyzed in non-voided Eisenia foetida in relation to body weight. Significant decremental regressions were found with increasing body weight for ash, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Al, Mn, and Zn. Significant incremental regressions were found for K and Cu. Nitrogen concentrations were constant and independent of body weight. 2. Similar analyses on earthworms whose gut was voided revealed a significantly higher content of N, P, Ca and Mg than in the non-voided specimens and significantly lower levels of the other minerals. Water concentration was constant at 18%, independent of body weight. 3. During growth for 4 weeks on activated sludge, biomass increased about twofold; N, P and K remained approximately constant at 10, 1 and 1%; and Ca, Mg and Na decreased from levels of 0.8, 0.3 and 0.44% to 0.7, 0.15 and 0.38% respectively. 4. With respect to potentially phytotoxic elements, no significant changes in concentration of Cd, Cr, or Ni were found between samples of E. foetida from stock culture and samples taken two weeks and four weeks after placement into fresh activated sludge. Significant amounts of Cu and Zn accumulated after two and four weeks, and a significant accumulation of Pb was found after four weeks, but not two weeks, in sludge.

Biomass and chemical composition of fertilized and/or irrigated Pinus resinosa Ait. plantations

Estimates were made of the above-ground biomass and contents of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Al, Fe, Zn, and Cu by plant components for a 40-year-old Pinus resinosa Ait. plantation growing on a known K-deficient site and treated with KCl fertilizer and/or irrigation. Regression equations were developed from sample-tree data, obtained by total tree analysis techniques, for each tree component on each treatment. After an examination of analytical techniques, it was determined that the contents of the fertilized trees increased more than 140 per cent K, 70 per cent Mn, and 50 per cent N compared to the nonfertilized trees, while the increases in contents of the other elements were more closely related to the 22 percent increase in the biomass of the fertilized trees. The approximate ratio of contents of elements in the total above-ground biomass, expressing Cu=1, was Ca 1000, N 800, K 260, P 90, Mn 90, Mg 75, Al 50, Na 20, Fe 15, Zn 8, Cu 1. The 75 kg per ha more K in the above-ground biomass of the fertilized trees compared to nonfertilized trees was about 15 per cent of the total K applied in the fertilizer. The influence of irrigation on the biomass and chemical composition of the trees was minimal.

Growth and nutrient uptake of coniferous seedlings: Comparison among 10 species at various seedbed densities

SummaryThe evaluation of biomass production and uptake of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg for various plant components (roots, stems, and foliage) and totals by 10 species of 2-0 coniferous seedlings grown at a controlled range of densities in a highly productive forest nursery documents considerable differences among species and seedling parameters. The species are ranked by biomass and nutrient-element relationships on a unit area of seedbed basis, quantifying the magnitude of the differences among the species at the various density levels. The 10 species include Abies balsamea, Larix leptolepis, Picea abies, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Picea pungens, Pinus resinosa, Pinus strobus, Pinus sylvestris, and Pseudotsuga menziesii.