Map-Making of Plant Biomass and Leaf Area Index for Management of Protected Areas

An inventory of the vegetat ion types of Castelporziano Estate (Ro me) . including examples of Mediterranean ecosystems in exce lle nt preserved condition . was co mpiled . Because Leaf Area Index (LA!) changed with forest struc ture and developmental stages. maximum LA! pro vided a good estimate of maximum biomass accumulation . Plant biomass estimation. ranging from 61 tons ha ' to 360 tons ha" , filled well into 14 biomass classes; the highest values (from 301 ton s haI to 360 tons ha") were related to stratified forested vegetation types. including the more mature Pinus pinea plantations. Quercus ilex evergreen forests and broad leaf mixed forests . LA! ranged from 0.5 to 4 .5, and changed with fore st structure . increas ing with the increase of plant biomass. Leaf area index measurements filled well into nine LA! classes . and the highest values were related to the stratified vegeta tion types. Biomass and LA! maps might be employed as a computerised mapped information sys tem for natural resource policy. reg ional planning. and landscape man agement. Long-term monitoring may easily be achieved by LA! measurements whi ch can be convened to biomass values by the identified relationship between plant biomass and LA!.