THE GROWTH RATE AND BIOMASS OF TREES ON THE NCSSM CAMPUS

Christine Ha, Annie Jin and Nelessa Lewis

Background

Trees on NCSSM Campus vs Trees in Duke Forest

What is DBH? Biomass?

Trees in urban New York

Hypothesis: The trees on our campus will have a greater DBH and Biomass because they have less competition for food and water and are regularly maintained.

ProcedureTree Maps and Deciding our

Plot

Measuring DBH and Tree Height

Biomass formula

€

Biomass = a(DBH 2 )b

€

log(Biomassstem ) = 2.708× log(DBH )+1.333

Data

Trees of NCSSM Trees of Duke Forest

Average for Sweet Gums:

Average for Sweet Gums:

DBH-50.22 cmBiomass-1293.60 kg

• DBH-32.6 cm• Biomass-598 kg

Average for Loblolly Pines:

Average for Loblolly Pines:

DBH-39.22 cmBiomass-1296.10 kg

• DBH-16.2 cm• Biomass-67 kg

Average for White Oaks:

Average for White Oaks

DBH-69.19 cmBiomass-2805.09 kg

• DBH-28.2 cm• Biomass-400 kg

ConclusionsThe trees of NCSSM campus, which are

closer to an urban setting, were significantly larger than the trees in Duke Forest

Because:Less competition for light and water. More space Larger Crown

More Photosynthesis Healthier Trunks

Regularly maintained by our grounds crewMulchPruning

Further Study: Coring

Procedure

What these cores mean

Acknowledgements

Mr. Oishi-Researcher at Duke University

Dr. Schmalbeck

Mr. Bollinger

Urbanization Effects on Tree Growth in the Vicinity of New York City by Jilian W. Gregg, Clive G. Jones and Todd E. Dawson

Global Change in the Ecology of Cities by Nancy B. Grimm, Stanley H. Faeth and Nancy E. Golubiewski