Wood biomass, production and litter-fall in an English beechwood.

Studies of productivity in a 160 yr old beechwood growing on a basic soil did not reveal any marked, or inexplicable, differences from similar aged European beech forests growing on acid soils.Total above-ground wood biomass was equivalent to 44,897 g d.wt. m-2 (live wood biomass accounting for 42,322 g). Bole biomass equalled 28,595 g m-2 (live tree contribution, 26,755 g). Branch and twig biomass was 16,302 g m-2 (live tree contribution, 15,567 g) while root biomass was estimated to be 8,676 g m-2 (live tree contribution, 8,209 g).Wood production averaged 611 g d.wt. m-2 yr-1 between 1956 and 1975. Wood-litter fall at 178 g m-2 yr-1 contributed 36% of the total litter input of 500 g m-2 yr-1.