title: Chemical characteristics of biomass from nature conservation management for methane production.
abstract: The aim of the current study was to assess the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of different functional groups harvested from different semi-natural grassland types that are valuable for nature conservation purposes. Ensiling of particular biomass did not significantly influence its methane yield, however, the ranking of functional groups by their methane yield varied during the experiment. During the first days of the experiment, methane was released most rapidly by legumes and other forbs with higher N and P contents. At the end of the BMP experiment the quantity of methane produced was higher in grasses and sedges/rushes with lower K, Mg and lignin content. Hence, measurement of feedstock chemical composition is an essential input to develop suitable technology for anaerobic digestion of late harvested biomass from semi-natural grasslands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia. Electronic address: Indrek.Melts@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Indrek
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melts
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Engineering, Institute of Technology, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 56, 51014 Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Argo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Normak
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Liina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nurk
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinsoo
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004957:Estonia; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012820:Silage
chemical_list: D008697:Methane
keywords: Biogas; Functional group; Lignocellulosic biomass; Semi-natural grassland