Climatic factors biomass production

Climate and Environmental Factors. The biomass species selected for energy appHcations and the climate must be compatible to faciUtate operation of fuel farms. The three primary climatic parameters that have the most influence on the productivity of an iadigenous or transplanted species are iasolation, rainfall, and temperature. Natural fluctuations ia these factors remove them from human control, but the information compiled over the years ia meteorological records and from agricultural practice suppHes a valuable data bank from which to develop biomass energy appHcations. Ambient carbon dioxide concentration and the availabiHty of nutrients are also important factors ia biomass production. 

The amount of biomass produced in a habitat— the productivity of the habitat—is determined by the types of plants (some species are more efficient photosynthesizers than others), the intensity and duration of solar radiation, the amount of nutrients available, and climatic factors such as temperature... 

The ET cover cannot be tested at every landfill site so it is necessary to extrapolate the results from sites of known performance to specific landfill sites. The factors that affect the hydrologic design of ET covers encompass several scientific disciplines and there are numerous interactions between factors. As a consequence, a comprehensive computer model is needed to evaluate the ET cover for a site.48 The model should effectively incorporate soil, plant, and climate variables, and include their interactions and the resultant effect on hydrology and water balance. An important function of the model is to simulate the variability of performance in response to climate variability and to evaluate cover response to extreme events. Because the expected life of the cover is decades, possibly centuries, the model should be capable of estimating long-term performance. In addition to a complete water balance, the model should be capable of estimating long-term plant biomass production, need for fertilizer, wind and water erosion, and possible loss of primary plant nutrients from the ecosystem. 

Nitrogen uptake rates depend upon biomass productivity and the optimal internal nitrogen concentration of plant species. The biomass productivity depends on climatic factors, the plant >ecies making up the vegetation and site fertility (Tinker, 1979 Tamm, 1988 Rosen, 1988). The optimal range of internal nitrogen concentration is an inherent feature of species. 

Biomass Redistribution Associated with Deforestation and Fire. The influence of deforestation on biogeochemical cycles is dependent upon a number of factors associated with the unique characteristics of the ecosystem (climate, soils, topography, etc), the quantity of the total nutrient pool stored in aboveground biomass (Table II), and the level of disturbance (i.e. the degree of canopy removal, soil disturbance, and the quantity of wood or other forest products exported from the site). The quantity of biomass consumed by one or more slash fires following deforestation can also dramatically increase nutrient losses, influence post fire plant succession, and hence, postfire biogeochemical cycles. 

Another example regards an aspect discussed before on the sustainability of land use for biofuels. We have already remarked the various problems in this analysis that can be summarized, in a simplified form, in reply to the question which use is the most sustainable for one ha of land. There are different possible options to produce (i) bioliquids (by fast pyrolysis), bioethanol or biodiesel, (ii) food, (iii) chemicals, (iv) electricity or (v) to feed animals. There are more options (e.g., biogas) but the present already allow a good comparison, although theoretical (land productivity depends on several factors and, for example, palms to produce the vegetable oil raw material for biodiesel is not locally in competition with the production of bioethanol from biomasses for which different climate and land characteristics are required). 

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