Research background

Short rotation forestry (SRF) provides an important supply of biomass for investors in this area (Guo & Zhang 2010). In the NE part of Romania at the present time are installed over 800 Ha of this kind of crops (Dănilă 2015). The SRF enjoys the support through environmental policies, in relation to climate change and the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere (Oberthür & Ott 1999). A precise estimate of biomass production is necessary for the sustainable planning of forest resources and for the exchange of energy in ecosystems.
The use of the terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) in estimating the production of above ground wood biomass (AGWB) of short rotation forestry (SRF) brings an important technological leap among indirect (non-destructive) methods. TLS technology is justified when destructive methods become difficult to implement and allometric equations do not provide accurate information (Coșofreț et al. 2018).
The main purpose of the project is to estimate the biomass productivity on tree parts in short rotation forestry with TLS technology. Measuring the hybrid poplars crops by TLS may have the following consequences:
- higher accuracy of the estimate of biomass production in the SRF;
- cost and time effective measurements over the biomass of tree parts;
- new and validated allometric equations for SRF in NE Romania;
- solid instrument for industry to estimate biomass.
The project will contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of hybrid crops, to increase the visibility of the project leader and research laboratories involved from USV.

Project objective:

The main purpose of the project is to evaluate the above ground wood biomass (AGWB) of hybrid poplar clones in short rotation forestry (SRF) using TLS technology.

Estimated results

■ Higher accuracy of the biomass production estimation in the SRF;
■ Cost and time effective measurements over the biomass of tree parts;
■ New and validated allometric equations for SRF in NE Romania;
■ Robust instrument for industry to estimate biomass.