Biomass and carbon Stocks of Brant's oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) in two vegetation forms in Lordegan, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari Forests

Abstract

Estimates of tree biomass are useful in assessing forest structure and evaluating ecological and economic processes such as nutrient cycle, forest productivity and fuel inventories. The information on tree biomass is required to assess the amount of carbon held in trees. This research was conducted in order to measure biomass and Carbon stocks of two vegetation forms of Brant's oak (Quercus brantii) in Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari Forests in west of Iran. Therefore, sample trees were selected to be felled using 30 randomized systematic plots. Thirty trees including 16 individuals with single stem and 14 sprout-clumps were randomly selected. Quantitative and qualitative traits were measured before felling. The felled trees were separated into six different components and weighed on a portable hanging scale in the field in order to obtain the fresh weight. Samples were taken from each tree component. The samples were weighed on a scale with 0.01 gr accuracy and transported to a laboratory. According to results, biomass of single stem trees was 2.5 times more than coppice forms. Moreover, biomass allocation of single stem trees and coppice trees were identified.

Keywords

• Quercus brantii
• Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari
• Biomass
• vegetation form
• carbon