%0 Research article
%T Comparison of growth, nutrition and soil properties of pure and mixed stands of Populus deltoides and Alnus subcordata
%A Sayyad, Ehsan
%A Hosseini, Seyed Mohsen
%A Mokhtari, Jamshid
%A Mahdavi, Reza
%A Jalali, Seyed Gholamali
%A Akbarinia, Moslem
%A Tabari, Masoud
%D 2006
%J Silva Fennica
%V 40
%N 1
%R doi:10.14214/sf.350
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/350
%X Concerns about decline in soil fertility and long-term productivity of  fast-growing plantations have promoted interest in using nitrogen-fixing  trees in mixed species plantations. Populus deltoides and Alnus  subcordata were planted in five proportions (100P, 67P:33A, 50P:50A,  33P:67A, 100A) in Noor, Iran. After 7 years, the effects of species  interactions on tree growth and nutrient concentration in live and  senescent leaves and soil properties were assessed. Diameter at breast  height and total height of individual Populus trees were positively  affected by the presence of Alnus. Nitrogen concentrations in fully  expanded and senescent leaves of Populus were higher in mixed  plantations than monoculture plantations. The results of nutrition and  nutrient return and growth indicated that mixed plantations of these two  species were more productive and sustainable than their monoculture  plantations. Within the framework of this experiment, it appeared that  production was maximized when these two species were grown together in  the relative proportions of 50% Populus and 50% Alnus.