Aboveground biomass subdivisions in woody species of the savanna ecosystem project study area, Nylsvley

Abstract

Aboveground peak season biomass is given for 11 woody species in each of five belt transects under study. Mean aerial biomass for all species was 16 273 kg ha, made up of 14 937 kg ha wood, 236 kg ha current season's twigs and 1 100 kg ha leaves with an additional 1 859 kg ha of dead wood attached to the individuals. Species which contributed most to total bioraass were Burkea africana (8 687 kg ha), Ochna pulchra (2 136 kg ha) and Tertninalia sericea (1 734 kg ha). Grewia flavescens differed from all other species in having a proportionately larger mass of dead wood and current season's twig bioraass. Shrub-sized individuals constituted 11,5% of mean total biomass and 29,7% of mean leaf mass for all species together. Values recorded in the five belt transects differed considerably, for example, leaf area index (LAI) ranged from 0,5715 in belt transect C to 1,0094 in belt transect A. The mean biomass data for the Nylsvley savanna site correspond with available biomass data for savanna vegetation elsewhere in southern Africa.