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New Publication Highlights

  • In a common garden experiment planted in Virginia (VA), North Carolina (NC), and Brazil (BR), we quantified above- and belowground biomass accumulation and examined above- versus belowground biomass partitioning and light use efficiency (LUE) (total biomass increment per unit of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation) as possible explanations for why Pinus taeda L. can grow much better in Brazil than in the southeastern United States (SEUS). Management selections for genotype, planting density, and silvicultural treatments had a tremendous effect on accumulated biomass. The BR site (48.3 Mg ha−1 yr−1) produced more biomass than the VA (26.8 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and NC (25.4 Mg ha−1 yr−1) sites. Trees at the BR site partitioned 23 % of total biomass increment to coarse roots, whereas trees at the VA and NC sites partitioned 10 % and 11 %, respectively. Increased aboveground growth at the BR site was not related to changes in above- and belowground partitioning. The LUE differed by site, with BR (3.7 g MJ−1) > VA (3.2 g MJ−1) > NC (1.6 g MJ−1). The low LUE and growth at the NC site may be associated with higher vapor pressure deficits and more extreme temperatures compared to the other sites. LUE partially explained the observed differences in growth between the SEUS and Brazil, but there were likely other factors that contributed to these differences. Our findings determined that above- versus belowground biomass accumulation did not explain why P. taeda may grow better in Brazil, but LUE was identified as contributing to this phenomenon.

  • Tim Albaugh:

    Tim_Albaugh@vt.edu

  • Albaugh, T.J., Maier, C.A., Campoe, O.C., Laviner, M.A., Shively, T.J., Aguiar, V., Peer, K.R., Carter, D.R., Cook, R.L., Rubilar, R.A., Fox, T.R. 2025. Quantifying Above- Belowground Biomass Improved Our Understanding of Site Differences and Demonstrated the Improtance of Management Decisions in Sequestering Carbon in Pinus taeda. Forest Ecology and Management, 593, 122901.

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122901

    • Genotype, planting density and silviculture selection influenced biomass production.

    • Light use efficiency partly explains rapid exotic Pinus taeda growth.

    • Pinus taeda in Brazil allocated 23 % of biomass to coarse roots.

    • Increased aboveground growth in Brazil was not related to belowground partitioning.

    • Genotypes can produce the same aboveground and different belowground biomass.

  • The relationship between stand cumulative production at harvesting age and carbon stock for different soil types in forest plantations is critical for sustainable forest management and climate change mitigation. This study evaluated carbon stocks in Pinus radiata D. Don on granitic and metamorphic soils in central Chile. We selected 10 plantations and established three 1000 m2 stands per plantation to quantify the carbon stock of total biomass using allometric equations and in situ carbon assessments of the forest floor and mineral soil (up to 1 m deep). A strong positive correlation was observed between stand cumulative production at harvesting age and total carbon stock (r2 = 0.767), regardless of the soil type. Metamorphic and granitic soils demonstrated a high carbon stock capacity, particularly in deeper soil layers (40–100 cm), with soil contributing over 40% of the total soil carbon stock. Soil bulk density and carbon concentration were strongly correlated (r2 = 0.74), emphasizing the role of soil physical properties in carbon storage at deep soil horizons. These findings highlight the critical role of subsoils as carbon reservoirs. Predictive linear models developed from this study offer a useful and simple approach for estimating carbon stocks, contributing to national carbon neutrality goals and sustainable forest management.

  • Rafael Rubilar:

    rafaelrubilar@udec.cl

  • Asmussen, M.V., Rubilar, R., Bozo, D., Alzamora, R.M., Elissetche, J.P., Pincheira, M., Jara, O. 2025. Relationship Between Carbon Stock and Stand Cumulative Production at Harvesting Age of Pinus radiata Plantations: A Comparison Between Genetic and Metamorphic Soils. Sustainability, 17, 3614.

    https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083614

    • Pinus radiata

    • carbon stock

    • productivity

    • metamorphic soils

    • granitic soils

    • predictive models

  • Many growth and yield models (GYMs) have been developed in order to allow forest managers to predict future yield and explore potential management strategies. Remote sensing provides a potential alternative to field-based inputs to conventional GYMs, in particular, airborne drone laser scanning (DLS) has been used to accurately classify individual tree locations and derive stem size metrics, such as tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH) and competitive neighbourhoods, across entire stands, rather than plot-level samples. We adopted an older GYM, PTAEDA4.0, for use in R, which incorporated spatially explicit individual tree and local neighbourhood calculations, and was intended for use in the south-eastern US. Both field- and DLS-only inputs were used to estimate four-years of growth and yield on two managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) sites located in the south-eastern U.S.A. with variable stem density, genotype, and silviculture. All GYM estimates generally under-predicted actual field-measured values for both field- and DLS-derived inputs; however, the estimates produced by 2017 field and DLS metrics were statistically equivalent. For site one, the normalized root mean square (NRMSE) were 21–25% for estimating the tree height and 14–16% for DBH. For site two, NRMSE was 6–8% for estimating tree height and 8–12% for DBH. This implies that the accuracy of inputs was similar. The results demonstrate that the GYM would need re-parametrization to account for the current study site; however, this is beyond the scope of this research. Whilst the DLS was unable to account for all trees (98 to 99 % correctly found), the results demonstrate the potential of DLS as an alternative to traditional field measurements.

  • Matthew J. Sumnall:

    msumnall@vt.edu

  • Sumnall, M.J., Carter, D.R., Albaugh, T.J., Cook, R.L., Campoe, O.C., Rubilar, R.A. 2025. Evaluating Individual Tree Metrics Calculated from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Laser Scanning as Input to a Conventional Growth and Yield Model. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 1-28.

    https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2025.2521069

    • UAV

    • ALS

    • LIDAR

    • loblolly pine

    • ITC

    • growth and yield

    • forest, PTAEDA4.0

    • Airborne LiDAR was used to estimate forest metrics and spatial arrangement of stems;

    • PTAEDA4.0 was used to compare field and LiDAR inputs;

    • Estimates from the growth and yield model for field and LiDAR were statistically similar;

    • This demonstrates that airborne LiDAR is viable for individual tree growth and yield models.