Integrating biomass and carbon values with soil productivity loss in determining forest residue removals

Abstract

Soil nutrient loss is a major concern with removing forest residues for biofuel production. Understanding the impact of residue removal on site productivity via field experiment is costly and time consuming. We developed an analytical framework and a simulation approach for determining optimal forest residue removals, which account for both the benefits of biomass and greenhouse gas offset and the cost of soil productivity loss. We derived the relationship between residue removals and the prices of timber, biomass and greenhouse gases. The marginal cost of soil productivity loss associated with residue removals from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in southern USA ranges from US$2.18 to 11.20/oven-dry tonne depending upon removal intensity. Given the cost of soil productivity loss, residue removal intensity will be much smaller than the quantity of biomass physically available.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful comments and suggestions.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.