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The potential of plantations of Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels for wood and biomass production (Mayombe Forest, Democratic Republic of Congo)

Le potentiel des plantations de Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels dans la production de bois et de biomasse (forêt de Mayombe, République Démocratique du Congo)

Annals of Forest Science volume 67, page 501 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

  • • In the 1940s–1950s, large limba (Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels) plantations were established in the Democratic Republic of Congo to reduce the pressure on the natural forests.

  • • The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of these long-rotation plantations as production forests (timber) and carbon sinks.

  • • Five different plantations, between 50 and 58 years old, were sampled. Over a sample surface of more than 73 ha, the diameter above buttresses of 2 680 trees, bole height of 265 trees and tree height of 128 trees was measured.

  • • To estimate the commercial volume, a nonlinear power law regression was used (R 2 = 0.95). A power law variance function was applied to counter heteroscedasticity of the residual plot. Estimates of commercial tree and stand volume at 50 to 58 y were 5.6 ± 4.1 m3 and 183.9 ± 135.0 m3 ha−1. Stand volumes appear low but are explained by a large decrease in tree density. However, the mean volume increment of 3.2–3.7 m3 ha−1 y−1 corresponds well with teak plantations of a similar age. For limba, aboveground biomass and carbon estimates of this study (resp. 108.4 and 54.2 Mg ha−1) differ significantly from those of existing aboveground biomass models (resp. 135.7–143.9 Mg ha−1 biomass and 67.9–72.0 Mg ha−1 C). All aboveground biomass and carbon estimates for T. superba stands were lower than for the estimates of young fast-growing plantations like Tectona grandis L. f., Eucalyptus spp. and Acacia spp. (≤ 30 y).

Résumé

  • • Dans les années 1940–1950, de grandes plantations de limba (Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels) on été mises en place en République Démocratique du Congo afin de réduire la pression sur les forêts naturelles.

  • • L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer le potentiel de ces plantations anciennes comme forêts de production de bois d’œuvre et puits de carbone.

  • • Cinq plantations différentes, âgées de 50 à 58 ans, ont été échantillonnées. Sur une surface de plus de 73 ha, le diamètre au-dessus des contreforts de 2 680 arbres, la hauteur de fût de 265 arbres et la hauteur totale de 128 arbres ont été mesurés.

  • • Le volume commercial a été estimé à l’aide d’une régression du type loi de puissance (R 2 = 0.95). Une fonction de variance du même type a été adoptée pour supprimer l’hétéroscedasticité des résidus. Le volume commercial a été estimé à 5.6 ± 4.1 m3 par arbre et 183.9 ± 135.0 m3 ha−1. Ce dernier volume semble faible mais peut être expliqué par une chute de la densité d’arbres. Toutefois, l’accroissement moyen en volume (3,2–3,7 m3 ha−1 an−1) correspond bien avec des plantations de teck d’un âge comparable. Pour le limba, il y a une différence significative entre les valeurs d’estimation de biomasse et de quantité de carbone épigés dans cette étude (resp. 108,4 Mg ha−1 et 54,2 Mg ha−1) et dans les modèles existants (resp. 135,7–143,9 Mg ha−1 et 67,9–72,0 Mg ha−1 C). Ces estimations de biomasse et de quantité de carbone épigés pour T. superba sont également inférieures à celles de jeunes plantations d’espèces à croissance rapide comme Tectona grandis L. f., Eucalyptus spp. and Acacia spp. (≤ 30 ans).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Wood Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Maaike De Ridder, Wannes Hubau, Jan Van Den Bulcke & Joris Van Acker

  2. Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080, Tervuren, Belgium

    Maaike De Ridder, Wannes Hubau & Hans Beeckman

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  1. Maaike De Ridder
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  2. Wannes Hubau
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  3. Jan Van Den Bulcke
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  4. Joris Van Acker
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  5. Hans Beeckman
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Correspondence to Maaike De Ridder.

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This study was performed at the two institutions but Ghent University is the main institution.

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De Ridder, M., Hubau, W., Van Den Bulcke, J. et al. The potential of plantations of Terminalia superba Engl. & Diels for wood and biomass production (Mayombe Forest, Democratic Republic of Congo). Ann. For. Sci. 67, 501 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest/2010003

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Annals of Forest Science

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