Carbon Accumulation and Carbon Forms in Tissues During the Growth of Young Bamboo (Phyllostachy pubescens)

Abstract

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) is an important non-timber forest product (NTFP) in the forest ecological system of subtropical China. In this study of young bamboo, dynamic changes in height, biomass, and carbon accumulation were determined and tissue samples were analyzed by 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. Results showed that the time from the bamboo shoots sprouting to the formation of young bamboo was 35–40 d. Accumulation of biomass and carbon in young bamboos depended mainly on ground diameter and the length of time after the bamboo shoots sprouted. NMR spectroscopy of tissue samples showed that O-alkyl carbon was found to dominate the tissue carbon, and it accounted for approximately 70%. The relative ratios of different carbon forms did not significantly change with the growth of young bamboo, suggesting that different carbon forms were stable with the carbon accumulation in the growth period of young bamboo.