Formation of Aboveground Phytomass of Pine and Spruce in Forest Plantations on Post-Agricultural Lands. P. 44-58

Complete text of the article:

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UDС

630*182.5+630*228.82

DOI:

10.37482/0536-1036-2026-2-44-58

Abstract

This research investigates the resource potential of woody vegetation colonizing former agricultural lands, assessing its feasibility for integration into sustainable forestry. A critical metric for evaluating such ecosystems is aboveground phytomass, which also serves as a proxy for estimating carbon sequestration – a factor of paramount importance amidst global climate challenges. The study was conducted on abandoned farmlands within the Gatchina district of the Leningrad region, focusing on young, naturally regenerated stands and artificial plantations. On permanently established sample plots, a complete census was performed for the dominant native conifers: Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies). To quantify standing phytomass and develop allometric models, 7 to 9 representative trees per species were felled. Each tree was fractionated into its components (stem, branches, and needles), with each fraction weighed separately. These detailed measurements provided the basis for regression analysis, yielding species-specific equations for predicting the biomass of individual tree compartments. Although the derived models exhibit high coefficients of determination, predictive accuracy – particularly for crown components – is constrained by the pronounced morphological variability inherent to actively growing young trees. Analysis of biomass allocation revealed that for both species, the stem constitutes the largest reservoir of mass. The relative contribution of the assimilation apparatus (needles) was lowest in pine, whereas in spruce, branches represented the smallest fraction. Application of these allometric equations indicates that at this early successional stage, young pine stands store the maximum aboveground phytomass per unit area. Comprehensive, long-term data on woody biomass accumulation in post-agrogenic landscapes remain scarce for this region. The findings are therefore significant for advancing regional forestry strategies and highlight the potential of this biomass as a feedstock for industrial wood chips and bioenergy production.

Authors

Dmitry A. Danilov, Doctor of Agriculture, Prof.; ResearcherID: S-7007-2019,
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7504-5743
Artem A. Yakovlev*, Candidate of Agriculture, Assoc. Prof.;
ResearcherID: AAR-5081-2021, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8450-2806
Ivan A. Krylov, Postgraduate Student; ResearcherID: ADM-9554-2022,
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7122-2418
Sergey A. Suvorov, Postgraduate Student; ResearcherID: AAC-9497-2022,
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4429-8131

Affiliation

Saint Petersburg State Forest Technical University named after S.M. Kirov, Institutskiy per., 5, lit. U., St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 194021; stown200@mail.ru, artem95692@gmail.com*, diesdthebest@yandex.ru, sergey_suvorov1999@mail.ru

Keywords

regression equations, phytomass, coniferous undergrowth, postagrogenic lands, natural regeneration

For citation

Danilov D.A., Yakovlev A.A., Krylov I.A., Suvorov S.A. Formation of Aboveground Phytomass of Pine and Spruce in Forest Plantations on Post-Agricultural Lands. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2026, no. 2, pp. 44–58. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2026-2-44-58

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