R. Kh. Giniyatullin, G. A. Zaytsev
Ufa Institute of Biology – a separate structural subdivision of the Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ufa, Russia
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Volume 26 No. 1
Date of paper submission: 24.02.2025, date of review: 02.06.2025, date of acceptance: 17.09.2025.
Published: 01/30/2026
Abstract. Woody plants help to mitigate the effects of industrial pollution and climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and storing carbon in tree biomass. The purpose is to estimate the carbon storing capability of woody plants, the state of poplar stands was evaluated under the conditions of the Sterlitamak industrial centre. Methods. The primary assessment criteria were the relative life status, stem diameter, and relative height of trees, as well as data on phytomass and carbon content in various fractions of balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.). Morphometric characteristics of poplar plantations were evaluated using traditional forestry procedures. The model tree approach was used to assess the carbon content of different poplar organs. The carbon content was evaluated by dry combustion method using the CHNS EA-3100 elemental analyser (EuroVector, Pavia, Italy). Results. According to the values of the relative life state indicators, balsam poplar stands under pollution conditions are classified as weakened. Industrial pollution causes a rise in the number of dead branches on trunks, resulting in shallow crowns. Chlorosis and necrosis cause considerable leaf damage. The trunks and crowns of weak poplar trees have many visible defects, such as fractures, burrs, peeling bark, and drying of the shoots and crowns. The diameter and height of the stem and the tree life status all affect the stem mass of both healthy and weak poplar trees. The carbon content of the leaves, trunks, and branches of balsam poplar trees varied from 42.83 % to 48.57 %. The comparison analysis revealed that the proportion of carbon stored in wood from weakened and healthy balsam poplar trees differed by only 1.4 %. A typical tree with 5.65 kg of leaves and 18.43 kg of branches per dry mass deposited 8.453 kg of carbon in its branches and 2.448 kg in its leaves. With an average height of 26.5 to 27.0 m and a diameter of 30 to 32 cm, 50-year poplar stands may store up to 5.7 tonnes of carbon in their branches and 1.6 tonnes in their leaves per 1 ha. Scientific novelty. For the first time, data were obtained defining the features of carbon sequestration in various fractions of balsam poplar based on the trees’ life state.
Keywords: balsam poplar, phytomass, carbon deposit, tree life state
Acknowledgements. This study is a part of the research project of the Ufa Institute of Biology, Ufa Federal Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia (the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, grant No. 123020700152-5 (FMRS-2023-0008)).
For citation: Giniyatullin R. Kh., Zaytsev G. A. Evaluation of the phytomass carbon-depositing capacity of poplar stands in the Sterlitamak industrial centre. Agrarian Bulletin of the Urals. 2026; 26 (01): 75‒84. https://doi.org/10.32417/1997-4868-2026-26-01-75-84 (In Russ.)
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