TREE STAND BIOMASS AND CARBON CONTENT IN AN AGE SEQUENCE OF DRAINED PINE MIRES IN SOUTHERN FINLAND

Biomass and carbon accumulation into tree stand and distribution betwe en tree stand components was studied in two undrained and four drained Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) dominated peatland stands in souther n Finland. On the drained sites, the amount and distribution of biomas s above-ground was rather similar to pine-dominated stands on upland s ites when drainage age of the site was thought to represent the stand age. The proportion of estimated below-ground biomass of the total pin e biomass was ca. 30% on all sites studied which is mon than on upland sites with supposedly similar growth potential. Due to the bigger amo unt of below-ground biomass, there is, on average, more biomass and th us also carbon in relation to stem volume in peatland stands than upla nd stands, when southern boreal Scots pine stands are examined. Equati ons for estimating the amount of carbon accumulating in the tree stand along with increasing stem volume are presented. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sc ience B.V.