Comparison of Above-Ground Biomasses of the Four Major Southern Pines

The aboveground biomasses of the four major species of southern pine 6 to 20 inches d.b.h. growing in natural, closed, uneven-aged sawtimber stands are compared. The green and dry weight of trees with identical d.b.h. and total height differ significantly with species. These differences occur due to species differences in water con tent and dry matter content per cubic foot, and differences in stem form. In similar sized trees, however, the pro portions of tree weight in wood, bark, and needles are about the same for three of the major species; slash pine has 1 to 4 percent more of its weight in bark than the other species. Proportions varied more with tree size than with species. On the average the trees sampled had 83 percent of their dry weight in wood, 13 percent in bark, and 4 percent in needles. The proportions of tree weight in stem and crown material for similar sized trees did not differ among the four species.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member