Biomass equations for determining fractions of European aspen growing on abandoned farmland and some practical implications

A study was conducted in order to construct functions for aboveground biomass of fractions of young European aspens (Populus tremula L.). The constructed functions were designed to be used for predicting the amount of biofuel produced from small areas. Biomass production was estimated in 11 stands of European aspen growing on abandoned farmland. The stands were located in Sweden at latitudes ranging from 65° to 60° N, and their total age varied from 5 to 24 years. A modified “mean tree technique” was used to estimate biomass production; i.e. depending on the plot area size, the number of sampled trees was chosen. The mean total dry weight above stump level for aspen stands was 78 tonnes ha⁻¹ with a range of 14–162 d.w. ha⁻¹. Mean annual increment for the stands was 5.56 tonnes ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (2.86–9.15). Aspens growing on silt soils produced more than on fine sand soils. In addition to estimating conventional dry weights of trees and tree components, specific leaf area, total surface area and LAI, among other measures, were estimated. The mean LAI was 2.58 and the specific leaf area was 9.4 m² kg⁻¹. Some practical implications are given.