Allometric estimation of the above-ground biomass components of Alnus incana (L.) Moench used for landslide stabilisation at Bad Goisern (Austria)

Biomass analyses were conducted to evaluate the growth performance of an Alnus incana (L.) Moench stand established for the restoration of a land slide site. The study aimed to pioneer the quantification of biomass accumulation of alders which were planted for soil bioengineering and stabilisation purposes under extreme soil conditions. For above-ground phytomass estimation, allometric functions on a tree component level were created using linear regression analyses after ln-transformation. Based on D₁₃₀-D₁₀-relations D₁₀-data were applied for function derivation. Best fits were computed using ln-transformed D₁₀ and height data. At 7,023 stems ha^?1 (all trees >20 cm height), the total stand biomass added up to 18,000 kg ha^?1, had an LAI of 1.5 and indicated a high productivity even under unfavourable soil conditions. In the light of the results, grey alders appear to be highly valuable for growing on slide prone sites, indicating that they also exert a positive influence on the soil water regime and thus on slope stability.