Biomass production, light transmission and management of Erythrina berteroana, Erythrina fusca and Gliricidia sepium used as living supports in Talamanca, Costa Rica
Crown development, biomass production and light transmission of three leguminous trees species were monitored for six months following pollarding at a site in the humid lowlands of southeastern Costa Rica. Two-year-old trees had been established from stakes at a spacing of 2,5 x 2,5 m and were pollarded twice a year. Erythrina berteroana developed the largest crowns with most foliar biomass (4 t DM ha-1 yr-1), followed by Erythrina fusca (3,4 t ha-1 yr-1) and Gliricidia sepium (2,9 t ha-1 yr-1). The shade cast by the crowns of E. berteroana and E. fusca was significantly larger and darker than that cast by G. sepium. Spatial and temporal integration of radiation measurements showed that six months after polarding 35 percent of the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in full sunlight penetrated stands of E. berteroana, 52 percent penetrated stands of E. fusca and 69 percent penetrated stands of G. sepium. The study documented high biomass production, but also established the need for a frequent and partial pruning regime for the Erythrina species to avoid extreme shading and high tree mortality associated with pollarding.
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | biblioteca |
| Published: |
Hawaii (EUA)
1993
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| Subjects: | ERYTHRINA BERTEROANA, ERYTHRINA FUSCA, GLIRICIDIA SEPIUM, BIOMASA, RADIACION SOLAR, SOPORTES VIVOS, ARBOLES DE SOMBRA, COSTA RICA, |
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