Productivity of European black alder (Alnus glutinosa) interplanted with black walnut (Juglans nigra) in illinois, USA

Fast-growing woody nurse crops planted among high value hardwoods can produce merchantable biomass early in the life of the plantation. On a productive site in south-central Illinois (U.S.A.), experimental interplantings of European black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) and black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) were established and maintained under a factorial combination of two initial densities and two thinning regimes. This study evaluated the growth response of the alder component of this system. Although alder consistently overtopped walnut, alder mortality began to increase dramatically during the seventh growing season and was nearly complete following the nineteenth growing season. Mean alder cumulative dry mass through year 14 ranged from 19.05 to 58.62 Mg/ha among initial density and thinning treatments. Carbon sequestered in useable bolewood constituted approximately 25 of total biomass. The productivity of the interplanted alder was comparable to that of native forests while constituting only a portion of the stand and without negatively impacting walnut growth or bole quality. These results suggest that, if marketed, alder has the potential to partially offset costs associated with walnut plantation establishment and maintenance.