3.1.1 Carbon storage in trees
Concentrations of C did not vary significantly between species
(S-N-K:P>0.05,MS=2.141,F=1.739,df=2)but the differences
between different organs were significant
(S-N-K:P>0.05,MS=32.778,F=13.457,df=3): the maximum
concentrations were in leaves, followed, in that order, by woody stems,
branches, and roots (Fig. 1). In the case of biomass, the differences
were significant between species (SNK post hoc tests,
P>0.05, MS=150.885, F=75.787, df = 2) and between organs
(SNK post hoc tests, P>0.05, MS=3.191, F=2.747, df = 3),
with one exception, namely that the species did not differ significantly
in terms of their leaf biomass(SNK post hoc tests, P>0.05,
MS=0.166, F=1.005, df = 2). The biomass of woody stems was maximum,
followed, in that order, by that of branches, roots, and leaves (Fig.
2).
The conversion of biomass to carbon indicated that woody stems of all
the tree species formed the largest pool of stored C, although the size
of the pool differed significantly among the species (SNK post hoc
tests, P>0.05, MS=20.464, F=32.922, df = 2). The size of
the pool in the remaining organs was maximum in branches, followed, in
that order, by roots and leaves (Table 2).