1. Evaluation of Climatic Efficiency of Short Rotation Coppice in Landscape Weger Jan1, Šír Miloslav2 1 Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Publ. Res. Inst. (VÚKOZ, v.v.i.), Květnové náměstí 391, Průhonice, The Czech Republic, Tel: , Fax: , 2 Institute of Hydrodynamics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic od Paťankou 5, Praha 6, Czech Republic, Phone: ,
Task:
The purpose of the work was to evaluate SRCs’ landscape functions especially with focus on climatic efficiency that may contribute to sustainable biomass production and landscape management.
Method:
Climatic efficiency is compared of short rotation coppice (SRC) of fast–growing trees and grassland. Two experimental stands – poplar and willow clone test – were studied, which were grown in 3–year rotation. They were established in locality of Průhonice at 332 m a. s. l. and Nová Olešná at 561 m a. s. l. Air temperature and humidity at 0,5 m above the ground, soil temperature at 0,25 m below ground and average soil moiture in rooting zone (0,1–0,5 m below ground) have been measured automatically in 10 minutes intervals in grassland and SRC on both localities. Precipitations has been measured on the grass fields.
Results:
In both localities it was found, that SRC plantation in contrast to the grass field:
creates a microclimate which lowers the midday temperatures of near ground air in extreme hot days,
lowers temporal variations in the time course of air temperature and humidity
systematically decreases the soil temperature
Fig. 1: Air temperatures above the grass (GRASS) and in the crown level of fast growing trees (SRC–C), time period between the 6th and 15th of september 2010 in Průhonice
Fig. 2: Month maximal air temperatures in Nová Olešná, year 2010, 0,5 m above ground level, in the grass (GRASS) and in the growth of fast growing trees (SRC)
Fig. 3: Month minimal air temperatures in Nová Olešná, year 2010, 0,5 m above ground level, in the grass (GRASS) and in the growth of fast growing trees (SRC)
Pic. 1: Michovka SRC plantation with meteorological station
Pic. 2: Nová Olešná SRC plantation with meteorological station
Conclusions
Air temperatures above crown canopy of fast growing trees correspond with the temperatures above grass cover. We expect that there will be the same air temperature above large plantations of SRC, as above grasslands. Therefore an establishment of SRC plantations won’t change surface temperature of the land and hence won’t iniciate intensive rainstorms of which contrasting temperature are of main causes. Because of nearly same temperatures above grass and plantations of fast growing trees it seems that SRC plantations have same transpiration rate as grasses. So the establishment of SRC plantations in place of the grassland won’t dain the soils drying or reduction of water flow form the landscape.
The climatic efficiency on microclimatic level of SRC plantation is greater in the lower elevation (Průhonice) than in the higher elevation (Nová Olešná). It was proved that SRC is more favourable than grassland from the point of climatic efficiency in landscape because it better stabilizes daily course of air temperature and humidity under its canopy and lowers soil temperature.
Aknowledgement: Research project MSMT 2B06132
References:
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Pic. 3: Meteorological station installed inside the plantation of Michovka SRC plantation
Pic. 4: Meteorological station and moisture meter installed inside the experimental plantation of Nová Olešná SRC plantation