Publication
Title
Relationship between soil chemical composition and potential fuel quality of biomass from poplar short rotation coppices in Portugal and Belgium
Author
Abstract
Soil-woody biomass interactions are relevant for the productivity of bioenergy plantations and biomass quality. In this context, the main objective of this study was to evaluate and to quantify possible relationships between chemical variables of the soil and the produced biomass through a multivariate approach. This latter approach allows to overcome the complex issue of multi-collinearity among variables. Soil and woody biomass samples were collected from two poplar short rotation coppices in Santarém (Portugal) and in Lochristi (Belgium). The results from the analyses of those samples were integrated into three databases with soil, woody biomass and site plots as cases, and 23 physical and chemical properties as variables. The databases were subjected to a multivariate sequence of calculations, which included correlation, principal components, factorial and hierarchical clustering analyses. The calculations showed that the site plots and the woody biomass of genotypes in Lochristi were more homogeneous as compared to Santarém; they also confirmed the high interconnection between soil and woody biomass variables. The higher heating value of the woody biomass correlated well with the soil concentrations of P2O5, Mg, Ca, Na and organic C. Linear equations related the higher heating value to the most important soil and woody biomass variables. Finally, the results suggest that the annual monitoring of soil and biomass in SRC systems should be performed to optimize both productivity and woody biomass quality as a fuel.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Biomass and bioenergy. - London
Publication
London : 2017
ISSN
0961-9534
DOI
10.1016/J.BIOMBIOE.2017.06.021
Volume/pages
105 (2017) , p. 66-72
ISI
000410709100008
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
System analysis of a bio-energy plantation: full greenhouse gas balance and energy accounting. (POPFULL)
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 06.07.2017
Last edited 09.10.2023
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