Arthropod diversity in alley cropped black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) stands in eastern Missouri, USA

Knowledge of the complex interactions among trees, crops and their associated fauna is necessary to determine the viability of a particular agroforestry practice. Information is lacking concerning these interactions, particularly in temperate agroforestry practices. We examined the effects of two forages on the growth, nut production, and arthropod communities of alley cropped eastern black walnut, Juglans nigra L. Experimental plots of eastern black walnut, intercropped with alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., smooth bromegrass, Bromis inermis Leyss., or no vegetation were sampled with sweep nets prior to each cutting date for the forages. Comparisons were made between treatments and sampling dates. Tree growth measurements, nut yield and other nut quality measurements were taken at the end of each growing season. There were no differences in tree growth among alleyway treatments. The first season's nut yield was greater from trees with vegetation-free alleyways; otherwise nut production did not differ among the treatments. Arthropods were more numerous and diverse in alley cropped alfalfa than in alley cropped bromegrass or in the vegetation-free controls. Alley cropped bromegrass supported a more diverse population of arthropods than did the vegetation-free control. Arthropod diversity in the tree canopies did not differ among treatments. Alley cropped forages supported a more diverse and even arthropod fauna than did adjacent monocropped forages. We conclude that alley cropped forages had a relatively minor impact on the growth and nut yield of walnut trees.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Establishing trees in an Appalachian silvopasture: response to shelters, grass control, mulch, and fertilization

In order to successfully introduce trees into existing pastures, it is important to determine and recommend a whole range of tree establishment practices. In the spring of 1995, approximately 350 bare-root seedlings each of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) and honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) were planted in six randomized paddocks within a silvopastoral study area at the Agroforestry Research and Demonstration Site in Blacksburg, Virginia. Three seedling establishment studies were tested, including (1) a tree protection study, (2) a water retention study, and (3) a fertilization study. Seedlings were planted using two different tree shelters (60 cm-tall poultry wire cage and 1.2 m-tall plastic Tubex), two water retention treatments (mulch and herbicide spray), and one fertilizer treatment. All treatments were compared to untreated controls. Tree survival, damage, and stem volume were compared for each species. Tree survival was comparable among all studies over three growing seasons. Tree establishment using poultry wire and Tubex shelters resulted in significant reduction of deer damage and significant increase in stem volume from 1996 to 1998. Tubex shelters had a pronounced positive impact on tree height and also on stem form; height of both black walnut and honeylocust was twice the height of control seedlings. Mulch and herbicide treatments for moisture control resulted in significant stem volume increases over thecontrol treatment from 1997 to 1998. However, mulching was less effective than the herbicide treatment. There was no significant tree growth response resulting from fertilization during this same period. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of shelter tubes on hardwood tree establishment in western Oregon silvopastures

Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) are warm season forage trees with potential to efficiently share site resources with cool season pasture plants in Pacific Northwest silvopastures. Establishment of hardwood trees can be difficult, however, because of feeding damage from wildlife and livestock. This study compared establishment and growth of trees planted in 88 cm tall solid plastic shelter tubes to 88 cm tall plastic mesh tubes, used to protect trees from animal damage. Three replications were established in May 1995 for each of the three tree species on a hill pasture near Corvallis, Oregon. Initial tree survival during the first summer and winter following planting was higher in shelter tubes than in mesh tubes. At the end of the third growing season, 58% of black locust and 94% of honey locust trees in shelter tubes were still alive compared to only 14% of black locust and 47% of honey locust in mesh tubes. Few honey mesquite trees survived regardless of tube type used. Average three-year total height growth for black locust was increased by 650% and basal diameter growth by 380% within shelter tubes, while honey locust height growth was increased by 300% and diameter growth was increased by 150% compared to trees in mesh tubes. However, shelter tube trees tended to be taller relative to their diameter and had difficulty standing upright if tubes were removed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of treeshelters and polyethylene mulch sheets on survival and growth of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) seedlings planted in northwestern Tunisia

Success of plantation establishment depends on the ability of seedlings to withstand animal browsing and competition from vegetation. This study in northwestern Tunisia examined the influence of browsing protection and vegetation control on seedling mortality, diameter, and height growth components of an evergreen sclerophyllous oak species, cork oak (Quercus suber L.) for the first 2 years after planting (2005 and 2006). Browsing protection was controlled by varying both treeshelter type (non-vented, vented, and control) and height (1.2-m and 1.8-m tall). Competing vegetation was controlled through increasing sizes of square-shaped black polyethylene mulch sheets: 0 m, 0.7 m, 1 m and 1.3 m large. Seedling mortality rate was relatively low during the first year (9%) and was not affected by any of the studied factors. During the following year, mortality was lower for seedlings in both types (non-vented and vented) of 1.2-m tall treeshelters than for unsheltered ones. Mortality was only slightly higher for 1.8-m tall shelters than for 1.2-m shelters. Compared to unsheltered seedlings, basal diameter was reduced during both seasons for seedlings inside non-vented treeshelters (1.2-m and 1.8-m tall), whereas for vented shelters it was reduced during the first year and then increased during the second year. Height growth was positively affected by tree shelters during both years. Seedlings inside non-vented 1.8-m tall shelters were the tallest having an average height of up to 140 cm at the end of the second year, while the unsheltered seedlings had only an average height of up to 42 cm. The greater height of the sheltered seedlings was attributed to the increase of: (1) the number of shoot flushes yearly established on the main stem (up to three), and (2) the length of all the growth units produced during each flush. Seedlings inside vented shelters had balanced growth with a low proportion of seedlings unable to support themselves without a stake (7%). However, non-vented shelters had unbalanced height and diameter growths resulting in both a higher height-to-diameter ratio and in a higher proportion of seedlings having stability problems (47%). Polyethylene mulch sheets did not affect early survival, seedling basal diameter, or number of shoot flushes established yearly, but did slightly improve seedling height at the end of the second season, mostly due to the significant improvement in shoot elongation of the first flush. Results suggest that both 1.8 m treeshelters and plastic mulches may enhance the growth of cork oak seedlings planted on harsh sites in northwestern Tunisia.     

Black walnut curculio: patterns of nut damage in a plantation environment

Data on curculio-caused nut mortality have been collected since 1985 to assess the impact of this nut predator on black walnut trees grown in a plantation environment. These data have been analyzed to investigate spatial and temporal patterns of curculio damage. Curculio damage was independent of nut cluster height or cardinal direction within the crowns of young, nut-bearing black walnut trees, and was greater in parts of a walnut planting that bordered a stand of native hardwoods than in a part remote from the stand. Nut losses caused by the curculio were consistently higher in an upland versus a bottomland planting, although the differences were not significant during most years of the study. Nut mortality caused by the curculio differed among years of the study and was negatively correlated with annual nut abundance.Contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, Journal Series No 12, 156.     

Growth and nut production of black walnut in relation to site, tree type and stand conditions in south-central United States

Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is a prime tree species for agroforestry practices in the United States providing highly prized wood and nuts for human consumption and wildlife. In 54 black walnut stands in south central United States, the site index (i.e., mean dominant height [DH], at age 25 years) ranged between 5.2 and 21.4 m, and was independent of stand density. There were no differences in height and stem diameter (DBH) growth rates between stands with improved varieties and native stock. Most stands were in a “free growth” stage because of either early age or wide spacing. Mean annual increments in DBH and height were positively related both for improved varieties and native stock. Understory competition had a substantial detrimental effect on DH. In a 26 year-old stand, trees growing within Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis) had a site index 5 m greater than trees growing within tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Predicted nut yields in 2002 varied between 0 and 1370 kg of hulled nuts per ha. Improved varieties had, in general, higher nut yields than predicted from a nut yield-DBH equation developed for individual trees. Nut yields were highly variable both within and among stands, and were related to DBH in native stock but not in improved varieties.     

The response of planted trees to vegetation zonation and soil redox potential in created wetlands

We examined interrelationships among natural vegetation zones, soil redox potential (Eh), and metrics of tree seedling performance (i.e survival, growth, and photosynthesis) for planted Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer saccharinum, Quercus palustris, and Quercus bicolor at two created perched wetlands (two years and five years old) in Michigan, USA. Vegetation zones apparently associated with hydrology were fully developed at both sites. Wetland zones always had lower mean Eh than upland zones, indicating mostly anaerobic and aerobic root environments, respectively. Eh values for transition zones were similar to aerobic upland zones at the five-year-old site, and changed from anaerobic to aerobic conditions over the growing season at the two-year-old site. At the five-year-old site, transition zone trees of all species generally had greater height growth, survival, and were less likely browsed by deer than upland trees. They also had much greater survival and endured shorter periods of anoxia stress than wetland trees. Photosynthesis was positively related to survival and Eh, suggesting that unfavorable carbon balance may help explain low survival in the anoxic wetland zone. Management implications include: (1) vegetation zonation is a good indicator of wetland hydrological factors important to planted tree performance; (2) targeting developed transition vegetation zones for tree planting could increase the success and efficiency of efforts to create forested wetlands; and (3) transition zones extended over only a 9.3 cm vertical elevation gradient, indicating the importance of precise grading when creating perched forested wetlands.     

Forage legumes as living mulches for trees in agroforestry practices -- preliminary results

Successful establishment and growth of tree seedlings in an agroforestry practice is dependent on the control of competing herbaceous vegetation. Conventional weed control methods (i.e., chemical, mechanical, and physical suppression) are effective but can be costly in terms of time, damage to non-target vegetation, or increased soil erosion. Alternatively, some living mulches can exclude undesirable vegetation, protect the soil, compete minimally with associated trees, and supplement soil nitrogen. In this study, small and large white clover (Trifolium repens L.), red clover (T. pratense L.), kura clover (T. ambiguum Bieb.), strawberry clover (T. fragiferum L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), hairy vetch and ’AU Early‘ hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) were selected for evaluation as living mulches. These species were established in 9 m ×9 m replicated plots along with two controls [tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and bare soil kept vegetation free using glyphosate]. The controls represent ’high competition‘ and ’no competition‘, respectively. Eastern black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.), and hybrid pitch × loblolly pine (Pinus rigida L. × P. taeda L.) seedlings were planted in association with each living mulch. Tree seedling heights and diameters were measured during the first two years and forage performance evaluated. All seedlings grew better in the absence of competition. Tall fescue greatly reduced the growth of hardwood seedlings. Red clover and ladino clover showed the greatest promise as living mulches for use with the hardwood and pine seedlings, respectively. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Tree establishment and growth using forage ground covers in an alley-cropped system in Midwestern USA

The integration of forage crops in an alley-cropped system was examined as a method of encouraging tree planting to increase farm income, improve soil quality, and enhance biodiversity on Midwestern U.S. farms. Crop and tree performance were evaluated in an alley-cropped system using four forage intercrops grown in tree alleyways to simulate a potential hay crop – oat (Avena sativa L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.); oat, red clover, and red fescue (Festuca rubra L.); oat, red clover, and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.); and oat and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) – compared to a herbicide, mowing and control (no management) treatment. Five tree species, divided into fast-growing hardwoods of two poplar (Populus spp.) clones [Crandon (P. alba L. × P. grandidentata Michx.) and Eugenei (P. deltoids Bartr. × P. nigra L.)], and silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) were compared with two high-value, slow-growing hardwoods planted from seed and as seedlings: red oak (Quercus rubra L.) and black walnut (Juglans nigra L.). Tree survival in the first year was greater for the fast-growing species, and by the fourth year, tree height among the four forage treatments was equivalent for all upland locations. The oat/hairy vetch ground cover was associated with the shortest trees in the bottomland site. Herbicide-treated trees were taller than the average of the four forage treatments for all four planting conditions. Tree height in the mowing and the control treatments was not significantly different for all four planting conditions. The nutritive value of the forage crop was excellent in the second year of tree establishment, with crude protein content and digestibility at 17 and 71%, respectively, in the oat/red clover/red fescue treatment, suggesting the viability of forage crops as alternatives to herbicides in alley-cropped systems.     

Effect of animal browse protection and fertilizer application on the establishment of planted Nuttall oak seedlings

For establishment to be successful, planted oak must emerge above vegetative competition and browse level. A 3 year study was established in 2000 in a cutover bottomland hardwood forest in west Alabama to examine the influences of seedling browse protection and fertilizer use on growth of Nuttall oak (Quercus nuttallii Palm.) seedlings. The treatments included: control, 1.2 m tall wire tree shelter, and 1.2 m tall plastic tree shelter. Fertilizer (20–10–5) was applied to one-half of all seedlings at planting. Competing vegetation was controlled around all seedlings with mulch mats and herbicide. Fertilization did not affect height growth or successful establishment after 3 years. Four percent of protected seedlings (plastic and wire tree shelters combined) were browsed compared to 95% of control seedlings. After 3 years, plastic tree shelters were the most effective treatment for promoting height growth and successful seedling establishment of Nuttal oak seedlings (193 cm, 92.71% compared to 120 cm, 68.75% and 52 cm, 8.33% for wire tree shelter, and control seedlings, respectively). Animal browse protection is deemed essential for successful seedling establishment in southern bottomland forests where deer density is high (density estimated at 27 km⁻² in vicinity of study area).     

A review of suitable companion crops for black walnut

Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is a temperate tree grown for nuts and wood, but it is allelopathic to certain plants and animals. We compiled reports of valuable black walnut companion crops which may be grown in the short term (<15 years after planting walnut trees), medium term (15–30 years), and long term (>30 years). There are many black walnut companion cropping systems for the short and medium term, but there are few for the long term. Companion crops for black walnut serve multiple functions, including nitrogen fixation, added yields, the development of straight walnut stems, and added protection from forest pests such as deer. Black walnut polyculture is a viable alternative worthy of further development and implementation.     

Growth, herbivore distribution, and herbivore damage of timber trees in a tropical silvopastoral reforestation system

Context

The reforestation of degraded tropical pastures requires innovative tree planting systems that consider land user needs.

Aim

We established a silvopastoral reforestation system and assessed the effects of companion trees on the native timber tree Tabebuia rosea in Panama. Timber tree individuals were established in (1) solitary plantings (TSol) or in companion plantings with (2) Guazuma ulmifolia (TGua) or (3) the nitrogen-fixing Gliricidia sepium (TGli).

Methods

We quantified growth characteristics and herbivory of T. rosea, and analyzed leaf chemistry (including the stable isotopes ??¹⁵N and ??¹³C) and structure (leaf mass per area).

Results

Companion trees significantly affected stem diameter growth of T. rosea. Stem diameter growth was as high in TGli trees as in TSol trees but was reduced in TGua trees. Furthermore, TGua trees had higher leaf water content, and lower ??¹³C and lower leaf mass-to-area ratio than TGli trees, suggesting there were effects of shading by G. ulmifolia on T. rosea. Herbivory was high but not affected by planting regimes. Leafing phenology did not differ between planting regimes and G. sepium did not increase nitrogen content in T. rosea leaves.

Conclusion

Companion tree planting can support timber tree growth in silvopastoral reforestations, but adequate species selection is crucial for successful implementation of this planting system. Tree?Ctree interactions seem to be more relevant for timber tree growth than herbivory in the studied system.     

Growth response of black walnut to interplanted trees

Analyses of black walnut tree diameters 13 years after planting showed that interplanting autumn-olive, black locust, and European alder increased walnut tree growth, but only at certain locations. Interplanting autumn-olive resulted in increases of 56 to 351% at four of five locations and all species resulted in doubled walnut growth on an upland site. The interaction between treatment and location indicates that a fuller understanding of site and nurse species characteristics is needed to obtain the potential benefits of mixed plantings.     

Tree effects on forage growth and soil water in an Appalachian silvopasture

Silvopastures may have the potential to increase forage yields beneath trees compared to open pasture at some sites. This has been attributed to a combination of factors including improved water use efficiency by shaded grass and increased water availability through hydraulic lift by trees. The objectives of this research were to determine if silvopastures changed forage mass production and available soil water, and to determine how these two factors were related. Forage mass and soil water were sampled at 1.0, 2.0, and 3.6 m from the tree stem, or plot center under honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.), black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) and shade cloth in 2006 and 2007. Soil water was measured in the top 10 cm of soil using a capacitance probe, and at 30-cm intervals, from 45 to 105 cm, using a neutron probe. Forage was collected to determine dry mass and annual yield. In 2006, forage mass was greater under black walnuts and honey locusts than under 70% shade cloth. In 2007, with a 50% shade cloth, forage growth was similar in all treatments. In both 2006 and 2007, soil moisture in the top 10 cm was higher under shade cloth compared to honey locust or black walnut trees. Similarities in forage mass between treatments in 2007 indicate that the differences in soil water were not biologically significant for forage growth. Lower forage mass under the 70% shade cloth in 2006 was due to suppressed growth from intense shading. The major implication for pasture managers is that trees in these pastures had no negative effect on soil water availability and forage growth.     

Influence of tree shelters,irrigation and branch pruning on early field performance of micropropagated wild cherry cv. F12/1

The growth potential of micropropagated wild cherry cv. F12/1 under field conditions was assessed. Relatively short trees (19–22 cm tall) were planted in the field just seven months after transfer from tissue culture to soil. Irrigation and shelters promoted shoot heights in the first (establishment) year. If planting techniques can be developed which reduce branch production, then the cost of corrective pruning to achieve clean stems is also reduced. Shelters, but not irrigation almost totally inhibited outgrowth of branches produced in spring. Outgrowth of spring branches by unsheltered trees was strongly influenced by tree height at planting, with shorter trees producing fewer branches. In the second and third years of the trial, pruning branches from trees that had been planted in shelters, resulted in taller trees. By the end of the third year, pruned trees had smaller stem diameters than unpruned trees. These results are discussed with respect to using cv. F12/1 as a productive timber tree.     

Cumulative Forage Production, Forage Quality and Livestock Performance from an Annual Ryegrass and Cereal Rye Mixture in a Pine Walnut Silvopasture

Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) pastures can extend the grazing season in the lower Midwest. There is little data from this region on the productivity of these forages in a silvopasture system. Our objective was to determine the forage and livestock production from annual ryegrass/cereal rye in a silvopasture versus an open (non-forested) system. This study was conducted near New Franklin, MO, USA. The treatments were (1) annual ryegrass/cereal rye planted into a 6- to 7-year-old stand of pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) × loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) hybrids and black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) (TREE treatment) and (2) the same forages planted into pastures without trees (OPEN treatment). Marshall annual ryegrass and cereal rye were no-till seeded at 22 and 67 kg ha^-1 of pure live seed, respectively, on 18 September 2000 and 30 August 2001. Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block. In March 2001 and 2002, three beef heifers were assigned to each pasture and rotationally grazed until early June. Cumulative forage production and quality were measured for each treatment. Cumulative forage production in the TREE treatment was reduced by approximately 20% compared to the OPEN treatment. However, beef heifer average daily gain and gain ha^-1 were equal for both treatments. Beef producers using a annual ryegrass/cereal rye in a silvopasture system likely would not sacrifice livestock production when hybrid pine and black walnut trees are 6- to 7-year-old when compared to an open pasture. Contribution of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station and the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry. This work was funded through the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry under cooperative agreements AG-02100251 with the ARS and CR 826704-01-0 with the US EPA. The results presented are the sole responsibility of the authors and/or the University of Missouri and may not represent the policies or positions of the ARS or EPA.     

Growth and nitrogen status of young walnuts as affected by intercropped legumes in a Mediterranean climate

Walnut trees (Juglans nigra L. and Juglans nigra × regia NG23) were intercropped with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa L.) forage legumes compared to a grass (Festuca arundinacea Schr., fescue), or to spontaneous weeds as a control in two Mediterranean sites (Castries and Notre-Dame de Londres) near Montpellier (France). Tree growth, soil water depletion and nitrogen content of the tree leaves were monitored to assess the impact of both water competition and possible facilitation resulting from fixed nitrogen transfer from the leguminous crops to the trees. At Castries, where alfalfa and fescue were compared, they were found to have the same impact on tree growth. At Notre-Dame de Londres where sainfoin was compared with a spontaneous grassing treatment, the sainfoin crop was more competitive to the walnuts. The nitrogen content of walnut leaves was enhanced when intercropped with nitrogen fixing species at both sites. Perennial leguminous intercrops were more competitive for soil water resources than fescue or weeds, but in the long term this may be compensated by the improved nitrogen status of the trees. This compensating effect was observed during a rather rainy year. The overall impact of leguminous intercrops on tree growth may depend on the frequency of dry (competitive) and wet (non-competitive) years. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Limits to recruitment of tall fescue plants in poplar silvopastoral systems of the Pampas,Argentina

Forage production in silvopastoral systems of the Flooding Pampa is based on cool season grasses with a relatively asynchronous phenology regarding their accompanying deciduous trees. However, the productivity of cool season grasses in these systems is usually low. The hypothesis of this work is that the low productivity of cool season grasses is caused by tree litter constraining plant recruitment. Emergence and establishment (reproductive propagation), and tillering (vegetative propagation) patterns of tall fescue, a cool season grass in the region, were studied in two pairs of adjacent non-afforested and afforested poplar stands (tree age 26–28 years, tree density 453–797 plants ha⁻¹). Observational and manipulative (i.e. addition of seeds, leaf litter removal) experiments indicated that the recruitment of tall fescue plants is strongly limited by the fall of poplar leaves over emerged seedlings, during autumn. Results suggest that any management practice capable of removing poplar litter, either through grazing or machinery, could neutralize this limitation enhancing the herbaceous primary production of the system.     

Beneficial Effects of Intercropping on the Growth and Nitrogen Status of Young Wild Cherry and Hybrid Walnut Trees

Growing concern for economic and environmental issues emphasizes the potential value of intercropping systems in temperate regions. However, the selection of relevant tree species to be associated with crops has been little documented. The growth and the nitrogen nutrition of two economically valuable species, wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) and hybrid walnut (Juglans nigra L.×Juglans regia L.), were compared over six years after plantation. These two species were associated with non-irrigated cereal crops in the agroforestry treatment or grown separately (weeded control and fallow). Intercropping increased diameter growth as soon as year 2 in the two species. Leaf biomass assessment using allometric models showed an earlier and greater leaf biomass increase in hybrid walnut than in wild cherry tree. After six years, the relative growth increase of the agroforestry trees with respect to the control trees varied with the parameter considered (diameter at breast height from +26 to +65%, leaf biomass from +54 to +142%) and with the tree species (higher relative growth for hybrid walnut trees). The beneficial effect on tree growth can be accounted for in terms of enhanced nitrogen nutrition. The tree–crop association in intercropping systems, which improves tree growth, might thus allow the planting of more demanding trees on soils of lower fertility.     

Carbon reservoir and biomass in Canadian prairie shelterbelts

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide (CO₂), can be mitigated by the planting of trees and shrubs. Appropriate agroforestry practices in Saskatchewan include field and farmyard shelterbelts, wildlife plantations, poplar plantations and managed woodlots. A study was conducted to determine the amount of carbon held in prairie shelterbelts. The effect of the soil type and tree species on biomass and carbon content was measured in shelterbelts in the brown, dark brown and black soil zones of Saskatchewan. For some of the main shelterbelt species, the mean aboveground carbon content was 79 kg/tree (32 t/km) for green ash, 263 kg/tree (105 t/km) for poplar, 144 kg/tree (41 t/km) for white spruce and 26 t/km for caragana. In the brown and the dark brown soils, which are more arid than the black soil zone, trees had 60.6% and 65.5%, respectively, of the biomass and carbon content of trees and shrubs in the black soil zone. Improved, fast-growing poplar clones had the greatest biomass at maturity and fixed the greatest amount of carbon. Simple equations were developed to calculate the carbon contents of prairie shelterbelts, based on easily measured tree or shrub parameters. This paper will discuss the results of this particular study and the broader implications of this work. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.