Chander Shahi

Bio: Chander Shahi is an academic researcher from Lakehead University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Biomass & Bioenergy. The author has an hindex of 16, co-authored 47 publications receiving 723 citations. Previous affiliations of Chander Shahi include University of Toronto.

Effect of Additives on Wood Pellet Physical and Thermal Characteristics: A Review

Abstract: Additives play a major role in wood pellet characteristics and are a subject of major interest as they act as binding agents for the biomass raw material. Past research has reported the use of lignosulphonate, dolomite, starches, potato flour and peel, and some motor and vegetable oils as additives for wood pellet production. This paper reviews the available research on the effect of different additives on wood pellets' physical and thermal characteristics. It was found that lignosulphonate and starch additives improve the mechanical durability but tend to reduce the calorific value of the wood pellets. Motor and vegetable oil additives increase the calorific value minimally but significantly increase carbon monoxide emissions. Corn starch and dolomite additives also significantly increase carbon monoxide emissions. In order to produce wood pellets with desired physical and thermal characteristics, a suitable additive with the right biomass material should be used.

Linking resource availability and heterogeneity to understorey species diversity through succession in boreal forest of Canada

Abstract: Summary 1 Understorey vegetation comprises the majority of species diversity and contributes greatly to ecosystem functioning in boreal forests. Although patterns of understorey abundance, species diversity and composition associated with forest stand development are well researched, mechanisms driving these patterns remain largely speculative. 2 We sampled fire origin stands of varying stand ages and overstorey compositions on mesic sites of the boreal forest of Canada and used structural equation modeling (SEM) to link time since fire (stand age), light availability and heterogeneity, substrate heterogeneity and soil nitrogen to understorey vegetation cover and species diversity. 3 The most parsimonious model for total understorey cover showed a positive direct effect of stand age (r = 0.43) and an indirect effect via mean light level (0.18) and shrub cover (-0.11), with a positive total effect (0.50); the percent broadleaf canopy had a direct negative effect (-0.22) and an indirect effect via shrub cover (-0.11). The model for total understorey species richness showed an indirect effect of stand age via mean light (0.24), light heterogeneity (0.10), and substrate heterogeneity (0.07), with a positive total effect (0.52); percent broadleaf canopy had an indirect effect via light heterogeneity (0.09), and substrate heterogeneity (-0.10). Soil nitrogen did not significantly influence either understorey cover or species richness. The models for vascular plants followed similar trends to those for total understorey cover and species richness; however, there was an opposite indirect effect of light heterogeneity for both cover and species richness of non-vascular plants. Shrub cover had positive direct and negative direct and indirect effects on both vascular and non-vascular cover and species richness. 4. Synthesis. Our findings indicate that understorey cover and species diversity are driven by time since disturbance, light availability as influenced by overstorey and shrub layers, but with important additional effects mediated by light and substrate heterogeneity. Non-vascular understorey vegetation is more strongly determined by time since disturbance than vascular vegetation, and negatively affected by broadleaf tree abundance. The overall results highlight the importance of colonization, light availability and heterogeneity, substrate specialization and growth dynamics in determining successional patterns of boreal forest understorey vegetation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Economic and ecological trade-off analysis of forest ecosystems: options for boreal forests

Abstract: Intensive forest management practices for production forestry can potentially impact the sustainability of ecological functions and associated forest ecosystem services. Understanding the trade-off...

What About Us

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Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change

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Drought-Induced Reduction in Global Terrestrial Net Primary Production from 2000 Through 2009

Abstract: Terrestrial net primary production (NPP) quantifies the amount of atmospheric carbon fixed by plants and accumulated as biomass. Previous studies have shown that climate constraints were relaxing with increasing temperature and solar radiation, allowing an upward trend in NPP from 1982 through 1999. The past decade (2000 to 2009) has been the warmest since instrumental measurements began, which could imply continued increases in NPP; however, our estimates suggest a reduction in the global NPP of 0.55 petagrams of carbon. Large-scale droughts have reduced regional NPP, and a drying trend in the Southern Hemisphere has decreased NPP in that area, counteracting the increased NPP over the Northern Hemisphere. A continued decline in NPP would not only weaken the terrestrial carbon sink, but it would also intensify future competition between food demand and proposed biofuel production.

Input Output Analysis Foundations And Extensions

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Fate of soil applied black carbon: downward migration, leaching and soil respiration [Approved article]

Abstract: Black carbon (BC) is an important pool of the global C cycle, because it cycles much more slowly than others and may even be managed for C sequestration. Using stable isotope techniques, we investigated the fate of BC applied to a savanna Oxisol in Colombia at rates of 0, 11.6, 23.2 and 116.1 t BC ha -1 , as well as its effect on non-BC soil organic C. During the rainy seasons of 2005 and 2006, soil respiration was measured using soda lime traps, particulate and dissolved organic C (POC and DOC) moving by saturated flow was sampled continuously at 0.15 and 0.3 m, and soil was sampled to 2.0 m. Black C was found below the application depth of 0-0.1 m in the 0.15-0.3 m depth interval, with migration rates of 52.4 ± 14.5, 51.8 ± 18.5 and 378.7 ± 196.9 kg C ha -1 yr -1 (± SE) where 11.6, 23.2 and 116.1 t BC ha -1 , respectively, had been applied. Over 2 years after application, 2.2% of BC applied at 23.2 t BCha -1 was lost by respiration, and an even smaller fraction of 1% was mobilized by percolating water. Carbon from BC moved to a greater extent as DOC than POC. The largest flux of BC from the field (20-53% of applied BC) was not accounted for by our measurements and is assumed to have occurred by surface runoff during intense rain events. Black C caused a 189% increase in aboveground biomass production measured 5 months after application (2.4-4.5 additional dry biomass ha -1 where BC was applied), and this resulted in greater amounts of non-BC being respired, leached and found in soil for the duration of the experiment. These increases can be quantitatively explained by estimates of greater belowground net primary productivity with BC addition.