Biomass Yield Potential of Paulownia Trees in a Semi-Arid Mediterranean Environment (S Spain)

Abstract

Short-rotation woody crops (SRWC) are key for woody biomass production and management systems because they constitute renewable energy feedstocks for biofuels, bioenergy, and bioproducts that can be strategically located in the landscape. This study evaluates the potential biomass production of Paulownia elongate x fortunei and two of their clones (Cotevisa 2 and Suntzu 11) under short-rotation management in six different locations in Andalusia (S Spain). According the findings, Cotevisa 2 appeared to be most productive (1.8 fold higher) in terms of biomass than Suntzu 11. Also, significantly higher woody biomass yield was registered for both clones ranging between 7.2 and 14.0 and 7.2 t ha-1 in Villanueva del Río y Minas (Sevilla province, Spain). By contrast, significantly lower paulownia biomass production was found at Palma del Río (Córdoba province, Spain) between 1.7 and 2.3 t ha-1. As with biomass yield, both Cotevisa 2 and Suntzu 11 paulownia clones at Villanueva del Río y Minas (Sevilla) registered significantly higher carbon amounts (7.4 and 3.2 t C ha-1, respectively). These findings highlight that these renewable-energy sources offer important advantage in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, and thus attention has been drawn to other environmental benefits and impacts associated with these systems that may offer other potential interests for the public good.

Keywords

• woody biomass, carbon biomass, short-rotation plantation, Andalusia

References

1. L.W. Zegada and A. Monti, “Energy crops in rotation. A review”, Biomass and Bioenergy, vol. 35, pp. 12-25, January 2011. (Article)
2. F. Monforti, K. Bódis, N. Scarlat and J.F. Dallemand, “The possible contribution of agricultural crop residues to renewable energy targets in Europe: A spatially explicit study: Review”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 19, pp. 666-677, March 2013. (Article)
3. M.A. García, M. Zamorano, R.A. Ramos and L.F. Díaz, “Analysis of olive grove residual biomass potential for electric and thermal energy generation in Andalusia (Spain)”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 16, pp. 745-751, January 2012. (Article)
4. AAE, “Situación energética de Andalucía, balance 2011”, Agencia Andaluza de la Energía, Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía, 2012 pp. 1-12. (Standards and Reports)
5. J.M. Rosşa and M. Pasadas, “Biomass potential in Andalusia, from grapevines, olives, fruit trees and poplar, for providing heating in homes”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 6, pp. 4190-4195, August 2012. (Article)
6. M. Parikka, “Global biomass fuel resources”, Biomass and Bioenergy, vol. 27, pp. 613-620, December 2004. (Article)
7. S. Liu, H. Lu, R. Hu, A. Shupe, L. Lin and B. Liang, “A sustainable Biotechnology Advances, vol. 30, pp. 785-810, July 2012. (Article)
8. biorefinery: Review”,

9. S.B. Carpenter, “This Princess heals disturbed land”, American Forests, vol. 83, pp. 22-23, July 1977. (Article)
10. Q. Wang and J.F. Shogren, “Characteristics of the crop- paulownia system in China”, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, vol. 39, pp. 145-152, April 1992. (Article)
11. P.P. Kumar, C.D. Rao, G. Rajaseger and A.N. Rao, “Seed surface architecture and random ampliŞed polymorphic DNA proŞles of Paulownia fortunei, P. tomentosa and their hybrid”, Annals of Botany, vol. 83, pp. 103-107, February 1999. (Article)
12. H. Kalaycioglu, I. Deniz and S. Hiziroglu, “Some of the properties of particleboard made from Paulownia”, Journal of Wood Science, vol. 51, pp. 410-414, August 2005. (Article)
13. J.C. García, M.A.M. Zamudio, A. Pérez, F. López and J. Colodette, “Search for optimum conditions of paulownia autohydrolysis process and influence in pulping process”, Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, vol. 30, pp. 92-101, April 2011. (Article)
14. R.M. Muñoz, D. De la Rosa, L.M. Zavala, A. Jordan and R.M. Anaya, “Changes in land cover and vegetation carbon stocks in Andalusia, Southern Spain (1956- 2007)”, Science of The Total Environment, vol. 409, pp. 2796-2806, June 2011. (Article)
15. Z.V.H. Durán, M.J.R. Francia, P.C.R. Rodríguez and S.T. Cuadros, “Biomass carbon stock in relation to different land uses in a semiarid environment”, Journal of Land 10.1080/1747423X.2013.807313, 2013a. (Article) (iFirst) DOI:
16. C. Calfapietra, B. Gielen, D. Karnosky, R. Ceulemans and G.S. Mugnozza, “Response and potential of agroforestry crops under global change”, Environmental Pollution, vol. 158, pp. 1095-1104, April 2010. (Article)
17. Z.V.H. Durán, P.C.R. Rodríguez, M.J.R. Francia, G.S. Sayadi, B.J.A. Jimenez and T.F. Perea, “Biomass from short-rotation crops for sustainable energy production: opportunities and challenges”, Spanish Journal of Rural Development (In revision), 2013b. (Article)
18. G.E. Martínez, B.M.E. Lucas, M.A. Abellán, L.F.R. Serrano, “Aprovechamiento energético de Paulownia spp. en el ámbito mediterráneo”, Revista Montes, vol. 102, pp. 5- 12, Septiembre 2010. (Article) and D.C.A. Barja,
19. M. Manzone, G. Airoldi and P. Balsari P, “Energetic and economic evaluation of poplar cultivation for the biomass production in Italy”, Biomass and Bioenergy, vol. 33, pp. 1258-1264, September 2009. (Article)
20. G. Di Matteo, G. Sperandio and S. Verani, “Field performance of poplar for bioenergy in southern Europe after two coppicing rotations: effects of clone and planting density”, iForest-Biogeosciences and Forestry, vol. 5, pp. 224-229, October 2012. (Article)
21. F. López, A. Pérez, M.A.M. Zamudio, H.E. de Alba and J.C. García, “Paulownia as raw material for solid biofuel and cellulose pulp”, Biomass and Energy, vol. 45, pp. 77- 86, October 2012. (Article)
22. R.A. Susott, W.E. De Groot and F. Shafizadeh, “Heat content of natural fuels”, Fire Flammability, vol. 6, pp. 311-325, February 1975. (Article)
23. M. Kiaei, “Physical and mechanical properties of paulownia wood (Paulownia fortunei) in north of Iran”, Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 11, pp. 964-968, July 2012. (Article)
24. A. Lyons, “Paulownia”. In: Agroforestry - Trees for Productive Farming. Ed. D. Race. Agmedia, East Melbourne, 1993, pp. 149-154. (Book Chapter)
25. D.F. Grigal and W.E. Berguson, “Soil carbon changes associated with short-rotation system”, Biomass and Bioenergy, vol. 14, pp. 371-377, April 1998. (Article)
26. A. Jug, F. Makeschin, K.E. Rehfuess and S.C. Hofmann, “Short-rotation plantations of balsam poplars, aspen and willows on former arable land in the Federal Republic of Germany. III. Soil ecological effects”, Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 121, pp. 85-99, August 1999. (Book Chapter)