I may have paraphrased the sign incorrectly, but it may have also been referring to all of the dead trees on the ground as well. Also I believe it specifically meant the contiguous old-growth portion of Rockefeller Forest, if that matters. Nevertheless, agreed that even 2-3.7 is amazing. Cheers, Jon
2009/9/19 Kouta Räsänen <[email protected]>: > > Jon, > > I agree, Rockefeller Forest is a truly amazing place. However, the > sign you saw: > >> I read a sign in the park that said Rockefeller Forest(the contiguous >> old-growth portion of the park) contains seven times the biomass per acre, >> living and dead, of any other biome on earth. > > seems to be overstated. Some figures: > > - a plot in Rockefeller Forest: total tree biomass 3857-4642 metric > tons per hectare, Sequoia stem biomass 3442-4143 t/ha (1) > - a plot in Goat Marsh RNA, Washington (mostly Noble Fir): stem > biomass 1687 t/ha (2) > > In terms of wood volume: > > - Rockefeller Forest: Sequoia stem volume 9059 - 10903 cubic meters > per hectare (1) or 8071 m3/ha (3) > - a plot in Giant Forest (mostly Giant Sequoia): stem volume 3331 m3/ > ha (3) > - the plot in Goat Marsh RNA: stem volume 3120 m3/ha (3) > - Wallaby Creek stand in Kinglake National Park, Victoria, Australia > (mostly Eucalyptus regnans): total volume 3270 m3/ha, main trunk > volume 2973 m3/ha (4) > > The Wallaby Creek stand is mentioned to have highest measured total > wood volume outside western North America (4). Unfortunately it burned > earlier this year (5). > > Thus, biomass per acre in Rockefeller forest seems to be 2-3 times > (not 7 times) higher than any other biome. Or if they consider all the > western coniferous forests belong to the same biome, then 2.7-3.7 > times higher than any other biome. Of course, 2-3.7 time higher is > incredible too. > > Hopefully BVP is reading this thread and provide corrections and > updates. > > Sources: > (1) http://www.springerlink.com/content/r4718838620l2713/fulltext.pdf > (2) > http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/pnw_1972_franklin001/Supplements/FRNA_Supp.NO.10_GoatMarsh_GH_1_19.pdf > (3) > http://article.pubs.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/RPAS/rpv?hm=HInit&afpf=x00-050.pdf&journal=cjfr&volume=30 > (4) Van Pelt, Sillett & Nadkarni (2004): Quantifying and Visualizing > Canopy Structure in Tall Forests: Methods and a Case Study. In Lowman > & Rinker (eds.): Forest Canopies, second edition. Elsevier. > (5) http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=121 > > - Kouta > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
