Nutrient content prediction equations for wetland trees in the US Southern Coastal plain

Abstract

Nutrient content prediction equations are presented for blackgum, green ash, red maple, sweetgum, water tupelo, hickory, laurel oak, water oak, and baldcypress growing on wetland sites in the southern United States from Virginia to Mississippi. In all, 495 trees from 19 locations on the Coastal Plain were sampled for N, P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations and biomass of foliage, branches, bole wood, and bole bark. The ranking of nutrient concentrations in tree components was N>Ca>K>Mg>P for foliage and Ca>N>K>Mg>P for branches, bole wood, and bole bark. Individual species equations developed to predict nutrient contents for the total-bole and total-tree had coefficients of determination (R 2 values) ranging from 0·87 to 0·99. These equations make it possible to compare the nutrient losses associated with total-tree and conventional bole wood harvesting on wetland sites.