Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

P. Kahle and A. Gurgel:

Short rotation coppice: biomass production and nutrient status of soils in a long-term field experiment in Northeastern Germany

Summary

In a 18 years-old short rotation coppice (SRC) in Northern Germany the annual biomass production of Populus nigra
3 maximowiczii clone Max 4 and P. maximowiczii 3 trichocarpa clone 10/85(49) were 13.3 t ha-1 vs. 18.8 dt ha-1 and
9.2 t ha-1 for Salix dasyclados. The vertical distribution of the plant-available phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) reveals a changed gradient under SRC and former SRC compared to continuously annually tilled arable soils. The concentrations of P and Mg of the topsoils (0–30 cm) under SRC were significantly smaller and the concentrations of K were significantly higher than those in tilled arable soils. A tendency of acidification was found under SRC. Key words: Short rotation forestry, poplar, willow, yields, plant-available nutrients.