Estimación de biomasa en los matorrales de albaida ("Anthyllis cytisoides") del Sureste de España

Abstract

Thousand of hectáreas of S.E. Spain are covered by trie «albaida» (Anthyllis cytisoides L. Vabaceae), which plays an important role as a fodder resource for the local herds of sheep and goats; because of that its aerial biomass production was estimated in four representative localities of Murcia, Almería and Albacete provinces. For such purpose, correlation equations of the type y = axb were previously established between biomass measurements (y) and plant parametres (x). The eddible browsing biomass was well correlated (r2 = 82) with either the basal área or the foliage volume of the shrub. The woody fraction was best correlated (r2 = 73) with the total volume of the plant. The estimated total aerial biomass of the albaida ranged between 2,0 - 4,7 t DM/ha, of which 1,3-3,0 t DM/ha corresponded to its eddible browsing biomass. The plant coverture of these shrublands was estimated betwen 71%-89% of the totd ground sur face.