WOOD GROWTH AND AERIAL BIOMASS IN YOUNG PLANTATIONS OF Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. et Cham. IN ZACUALPAN, VERACRUZ

Abstract

The area of native forests around the world is being reduced at alarming rates, since every year 13 million ha are deforested and particularly in Mexico, an 0.25 % annual deforestation rate for temperate forests and of 0.76 % for tropical forests has been determined. The growing demand of timber products in this country has encouraged the establishment of commercial forest plantations. The aim of this paper was to analyze a wood growth system with mensuration and age variables from the data taken in a chronosequence in Pinus patula plantations established from 2000 to 2007 in recovered agriculture and livestock formerly used areas. A site index model is here presented based upon a polymorphic curve family generated by the Chapman-Richards model. In the average condition can be reached 15 m3 ha-1year-1 yields during the first 10 years, while under the best conditions it is feasible to get as much as 30 m3 ha-1 year-1. Carbon sequestration was estimated as 31.3, 41.2, 51.0 and 60.2 Mg ha-1, respectively, for the 9, 1, 13 and 15 years. From the results of eight years and the projections it is inferred that the zone has a high productive potential both of wood and of carbon sequestration.