Polyculture affects biomass production of component species but not total standing biomass and soil carbon stocks in a temperate forest plantation

Table 3 Fine root (< 2 mm diameter) biomass, production and turnover of Betula pendula, Alnus glutinosa and Fagus sylvatica grown in single- and mixed-species plots

Plantation plots (n = 4)	Fine root biomass at different soil depths (g m⁻²)				Fine root production (g m⁻²)		Fine root turnover (rate year⁻¹)
Plantation plots (n = 4)	0–10 cm	10–20 cm	20–30 cm	Total	Single plot	Mixed plots	Fine root turnover (rate year⁻¹)
B. pendula	31.5a ± 2.9	25.8a ± 4.5	12.1a ± 4.0	69.4ab ± 8.3	55.8a ± 19.2	58.9ab ± 8.1	1.1a ± 0.5
A. glutinosa	38.4a ± 4.8	35.6a ± 3.8	17.0a ± 1.7	91.0a ± 2.9	72.1a ± 6.0	83.9a ± 10.5	1.0a ± 0.2
F. sylvatica	21.9a ± 2.9	24.7a ± 6.5	12.7a ± 2.4	59.3b ± 8.7	26.6b ± 6.6	30.1b ± 5.6	0.6a ± 0.2
Polyculture	27.1a ± 3.0	33. 6a ± 7.0	19.7a ± 4.5	80.4ab (measured) ± 12.7		–	1.1a ± 0.2
Polyculture	27.1a ± 3.0	33. 6a ± 7.0	19.7a ± 4.5	73.2ab (predicted)^a ± 10.9		–	1.1a ± 0.2

Fine root production during the growing season (June–November) was estimated by a root mesh technique. In polyculture, the mesh was deployed to capture the root growth from specific trees (not overall). Shown are mean ± SE (n = 4). Values vertically with similar indices are not statistically significant (P < 0.05)
^aTotal predicted value for mixed plot was estimated from total values of single-species plots

ISSN: 1297-966X