Biomass and primary productivity of an Alnus viridis stand – a case study from the Schächental valley, Switzerland

Wiedmer, Eric; Senn-Irlet, Béatrice (2006). Biomass and primary productivity of an Alnus viridis stand – a case study from the Schächental valley, Switzerland. Botanica Helvetica, 116(1), pp. 55-64. SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel 10.1007/s00035-006-0758-7

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Green alder (Alnus viridis) stands are spreading rapidly in the subalpine belt of the Swiss Alps. To understand this rapid colonisation, estimates of above ground biomass and net primary productivity were made in an old-growth pure stand of Alnus viridis in central Switzerland. A total above-ground biomass of 89.3 t ha−1 was recorded, to which Alnus viridis contributed 97.8% and the understorey vegetation 2.2%. The annual above-ground production of A. viridis was estimated to be 6.18 t ha−1 yr−1, of which 61.5% were allocated to leaf production, 21.7% to stem (i.e. caudex) growth and 16.8% to increment of branch-wood.The above ground biomass and the annual production of A. viridis are high when compared with other subarctic or subalpine scrub-woodlands. This might be due to its high stem density, which is produced through clonal growth.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Vegetation Science [discontinued]

UniBE Contributor:

Senn, Beatrice

Subjects:

500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)

ISSN:

0253-1453

Publisher:

SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

15 Sep 2020 10:36

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:40

Publisher DOI:

10.1007/s00035-006-0758-7

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Green alder, non-destructive biomass sampling, primary production, subalpine vegetation

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.146016

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/146016

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