Effect of early to late wood proportion on Norway spruce biomass

Abstract

Aboveground biomass, allometric relationships and early to late wood proportions were investigated in two even-aged monocultures of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst) located at mountain and highland localities of the Czech Republic. However similar stand age and tree size, mountain trees comparing to them from highland showed less/tapering stems, lower aboveground biomass and lower stem wood density along the whole stem vertical profile as a result of different early to late wood proportion. These proportions were 79 % and 54 % for early wood, and 21 % and 46 % for late wood within mean stem annual circle in mountain and highland locality, respectively. These different proportions seem to reflected site specific growing conditions, particularly highly sufficient water availability during spring time in mountain region- support early wood growth, whereas elevated air temperature during summer time in highland region stimulate late wood growth.