Accumulation, transfers and dissipation of energy in chir pine forests

Abstract

Energy stored and net energy fixed at four sites of natural chir pine forest were assessed. Of the total energy stored by the vegetation (3836.6 GJ ha −1) 98.7% was in trees, 0.4% in shrubs and 0.9% in the herb layer. Net energy fixed by the vegetation was 318.5 GJ ha −1 yr −1 of which the shares of tree, shrub and herb layers were 84.7% 0.9% and 14.4%, respectively. The energy capture efficiency (photosynthetic radiation) of the vegetation was 1.07% (0.91% in trees, 0.01% in shrubs and 0.15% in herbs). Of the total transfer of energy to the forest floor through litter fall (142.7 GJ ha −1 yr −1 leaf litter and woody litter accounted for 68.4% and 31.6%, respectively. Energy stored in the above-ground biomass of the trees from 2877 ha or in the net annual above-ground production from 39,903 ha is sufficient to operate a 50 MW generating station for one year. Total biomass and net production from 1 ha of natural chir pine forest is sufficient to meet the energy need of an average household of western Himalaya for 61.1 and 4.4 years, respectively.