%0 Research article
%T Nutrient distribution in Picea likiangensis trees growing in a plantation in West Sichuan, Southwest China
%A Liu, Xingliang
%A Xu, Haiyun
%A Berninger, Frank
%A Luukkanen, Olavi
%A Li, Chunyang
%D 2004
%J Silva Fennica
%V 38
%N 3
%R doi:10.14214/sf.412
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/412
%X We measured nutrient distribution of Picea likiangensis (Franchet) E.  Pritzel var. balfouriana trees growing in a plantation by field  investigations, sample tree and plot harvest in West Sichuan, Southwest  China. Based on the results in this study, the total biomass of plant  compartments in plantation ecosystem was 114 829.1 kg ha–1. Tree, shrub,  herb, bryophyte and litter layers accounted for 93.9%, 0.9%, 0.02%,  0.04%, 5.2%, respectively. The total biomass of tree layers was  107 817.1 kg ha–1. Needles, branches, stem wood, stem bark and roots  accounted for 13.2%, 19.7%, 42.3%, 10.0% and 14.8%, respectively. The  concentration of the nutrients was generally highest in the actively  growing parts of the trees (e.g. needles) and lowest in the structural  and not actively growing parts (e.g. stem wood). On the other hand, the  concentrations of N, P, K and Mg were generally higher in the current  year needles and branches than in the older needles and branches. These  nutrient concentrations were also higher in the upper stem wood and bark  than in the lower stem wood and bark, and in small roots than in large  roots, whereas the opposite patterns were observed for the concentration  of Ca in these compartments. The results will be helpful in  understanding the nutrient behavior in a highly productive forest  plantation and thereby providing decisive information for their  sustainable management.