scholarly journals Estimation of above-ground biomass in forest stands from regression on their basal area and height

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mait Lang ◽  
Ando Lilleleht ◽  
Mathias Neumann ◽  
Karol Bronisz ◽  
Samir G. Rolim ◽  
...  

Abstract A generic regression model for above-ground biomass of forest stands was constructed based on published data (R2 = 0.88, RSE = 32.8 t/ha). The model was used 1) to verify two allometric regression models of trees from Scandinavia applied to repeated measurements of 275 sample plots from database of Estonian Network of Forest Research (FGN) in Estonia, 2) to analyse impact of between-tree competition on biomass, and 3) compare biomass estimates made with different European biomass models applied on standardized forest structures. The model was verified with biomass measurements from hemiboreal and tropical forests. The analysis of two Scandinavian models showed that older allometric regression models may give biased estimates due to changed growth conditions. More biomass can be stored in forest stands where competition between trees is stronger. The tree biomass calculation methods used in different countries have also substantial influence on the estimates at stand-level. A common database of forest biomass measurements from Europe in similar to pan-tropical tree measurement data may be helpful to harmonise carbon accounting methods.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudam Charan SAHU ◽  
H.S. SURESH ◽  
N.H. RAVINDRANATH

The study of biomass, structure and composition of tropical forests implies also the investigation of forest productivity, protection of biodiversity and removal of CO2 from the atmosphere via C-stocks. The hereby study aimed at understanding the forest structure, composition and above ground biomass (AGB) of tropical dry deciduous forests of Eastern Ghats, India, where as a total of 128 sample plots (20 x 20 meters) were laid. The study showed the presence of 71 tree species belonging to 57 genera and 30 families. Dominant tree species was Shorea robusta with an importance value index (IVI) of 40.72, while Combretaceae had the highest family importance value (FIV) of 39.01. Mean stand density was 479 trees ha-1 and a basal area of 15.20 m2 ha-1. Shannon’s diversity index was 2.01 ± 0.22 and Simpson’s index was 0.85 ± 0.03. About 54% individuals were in the size between 10 and 20 cm DBH, indicating growing forests. Mean above ground biomass value was 98.87 ± 68.8 Mg ha-1. Some of the dominant species that contributed to above ground biomass were Shorea robusta (17.2%), Madhuca indica (7.9%), Mangifera indica (6.9%), Terminalia alata (6.9%) and Diospyros melanoxylon (4.4%), warranting extra efforts for their conservation. The results suggested that C-stocks of tropical dry forests can be enhanced by in-situ conserving the high C-density species and also by selecting these species for afforestation and stand improvement programs. Correlations were computed to understand the relationship between above ground biomass, diversity indices, density and basal area, which may be helpful for implementation of REDD+ (reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) scheme.


2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 707 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Burrows ◽  
M. B. Hoffmann ◽  
J. F. Compton ◽  
P. V. Back ◽  
L. J. Tait

Allometric equations are presented relating stem circumference to branch, leaf, trunk, bark, total above-ground and lignotuber biomass for Eucalyptus crebra F.Muell. (woodland trees), E. melanophloia Sol. Ex Gaerth. (both woodland and regrowth community trees) and E. populnea F.Muell. (woodland trees). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the slopes of individual lognormal regression lines plotting stem circumference against total above-ground biomass for E. crebra, E. melanophloia and E. populnea. Root-to-shoot ratios and leaf area indices were also determined for the stands contributing to each regression. The regressions were then applied to measured eucalypt stems in the associated plant community to give estimates of each stand’s component (eucalypt tree fraction only) biomass per hectare. These eucalypt regressions were next applied to measured stems of each species on a total of 33 woodland sites in which these eucalypts individually contributed > 75% of total site basal area. Above-ground biomass/basal area relationships averaged 6.74 0.29 t m–2 basal area for 11 E. crebra sites, 5.11 0.28 t m–2 for 12 E. melanophloia sites and 5.81 0.11 t m–2 for 10 E. populnea sites. The mean relationship for all sites was 5.86 0.18 t m–2 basal area. The allometric relationships presented at both individual tree and stand levels, along with calculated biomass : basal area relationships, enable ready estimates to be made of above-ground biomass (carbon stocks) in woodlands dominated by these eucalypts in Queensland, assuming individual stem circumferences or community basal areas are known. However, to document changes in carbon stocks (e.g. for Greenhouse Gas Inventory or Carbon Offset trading purposes), more attention needs to be placed on monitoring fluxes in the independent variables (predictors) of these allometric equations.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Kumar ◽  
Amit Kumar ◽  
Purabi Saikia

Abstract Background Above ground biomass (AGB) is a useful measure for assessing changes in forest structure and functional, and play a significant role in studying carbon stocks, the effect of deforestation and carbon sequestration on the global carbon balance. The present study aimed to study the relationship between AGB and community parameters in Sal forests of Eastern India through stratified random sampling by lying 92 belt transects each of 0.5 ha size. Results It recorded a high AGB (410.70 Mg ha-1), and carbon stock (Cp) (193.06 Mg C ha-1), and forest wise AGB ranged from 0.19 to 24.75 Mg ha-1 (mean 4.45 ± 0.45 SE). The spatial pattern of AGB showed that maximum studied forests (65%) had very low AGB (<5.00 Mg ha-1), and only one forests (1%) located in the northwest corner of Ranchi had very high AGB (>20 Mg ha-1). Species wise AGB ranged from 0.001 to 7074.94 Mg ha-1 (mean 106 ± 71 SE) and Shorea robusta with maximum basal area (120.81 m2 ha−1) contributed maximum AGB (64.87% of the total AGB), however, no similar trends have been observed in any other tree species. A significant positive correlation was observed between AGB and Cp (r=1.00, p<0.01), H’ (r= .58, p<0.01), Dmg (r= .31, p<0.01), Dmn (r= .49, p<0.01), ENS (r= .57, p<0.01), E (r= .26, p<0.05), and basal area (r= 0.71, p<0.05). However, a negative correlation of AGB was evident with CD (r= -.57, p<0.01), and density (r= - 0.17). Conclusions The relationships differed greatly among plant diversity attributes, basal area, density, AGB, and Cp within and among various forests and the strongest relationships within each forests were always those having greater richness (Dmg, Dmn), diversity (H, ENS), basal area or evenness (E). Estimation of forest Cp enables us to assess the amount of carbon loss during deforestation or the amount of carbon stored during forest regeneration. The present study will directly help in studying the response of climate change on ecosystem productivity, energy and nutrient flow, and for assessing the patterns of carbon sequestration in Indian forests under global climate change.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemence Zimudzi ◽  
Christopher Chapano

The diversity, structure, species composition, and above ground biomass of woody plants on Ngomakurira mountain in Zimbabwe were studied. A systematic random sampling approach was adopted to establish 52 sampling plots measuring 10 × 10 m across 3 study strata in the 1266 ha study area. Woody species occurring in each plot were identified and the circumferences of trees with diameters >8.0 cm at 1.3 m height were measured. A total of 91 species belonging to 74 genera and 39 families were identified in the sample plots. A Shannon-Wiener index mean value of 3.12 was obtained indicating high species diversity on the mountain. The DBH size class distribution showed inverse J distribution patterns across the three study strata, but with only 3 individual plants with DBH > 30 cm. Mean basal area was 15.21 m2 ha−1 with U. kirkiana and J. globiflora contributing approximately 30% of the basal area. The estimated above ground biomass ranged from 34.5 to 65.1 t ha−1. Kruskal-Wallis-H test showed no significant differences in species richness, stem density, basal area, above ground biomass, and evenness, across the study strata (p<0.05). Ngomakurira woodland has potential to regenerate due to the presence of many stems in the small diameter size classes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 3089
Author(s):  
Guangpeng Fan ◽  
Liangliang Nan ◽  
Yanqi Dong ◽  
Xiaohui Su ◽  
Feixiang Chen

Forest above-ground biomass (AGB) can be estimated based on light detection and ranging (LiDAR) point clouds. This paper introduces an accurate and detailed quantitative structure model (AdQSM), which can estimate the AGB of large tropical trees. AdQSM is based on the reconstruction of 3D tree models from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds. It represents a tree as a set of closed and complete convex polyhedra. We use AdQSM to model 29 trees of various species (total 18 species) scanned by TLS from three study sites (the dense tropical forests of Peru, Indonesia, and Guyana). The destructively sampled tree geometry measurement data is used as reference values to evaluate the accuracy of diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, tree volume, branch volume, and AGB estimated from AdQSM. After AdQSM reconstructs the structure and volume of each tree, AGB is derived by combining the wood density of the specific tree species from destructive sampling. The AGB estimation from AdQSM and the post-harvest reference measurement data show a satisfying agreement. The coefficient of variation of root mean square error (CV-RMSE) and the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) are 20.37% and 0.97, respectively. AdQSM provides accurate tree volume estimation, regardless of the characteristics of the tree structure, without major systematic deviations. We compared the accuracy of AdQSM and TreeQSM in modeling the volume of 29 trees. The tree volume from AdQSM is compared with the reference value, and the determination coefficient (R2), relative bias (rBias), and CV-RMSE of tree volume are 0.96, 6.98%, and 22.62%, respectively. The tree volume from TreeQSM is compared with the reference value, and the R2, relative Bias (rBias), and CV-RMSE of tree volume are 0.94, −9.69%, and 23.20%, respectively. The CCCs between the volume estimates based on AdQSM, TreeQSM, and the reference values are 0.97 and 0.96. AdQSM also models the branches in detail. The volume of branches from AdQSM is compared with the destructive measurement reference data. The R2, rBias, and CV-RMSE of the branches volume are 0.97, 12.38%, and 36.86%, respectively. The DBH and height of the harvested trees were used as reference values to test the accuracy of AdQSM’s estimation of DBH and tree height. The R2, rBias, and CV-RMSE of DBH are 0.94, −5.01%, and 9.06%, respectively. The R2, rBias, and CV-RMSE of the tree height were 0.95, 1.88%, and 5.79%, respectively. This paper provides not only a new QSM method for estimating AGB based on TLS point clouds but also the potential for further development and testing of allometric equations.


2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-25
Author(s):  
Silver Sisask

Abstract The effect of drainage in peatland forests has been studied in Estonia but research on bog pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands is lacking and mixed opinions on the expediency of amelioration in this site type are found. In order to obtain more information on the post drainage effects, measurements were conducted in a drained oligotrophic bog Scots pine stand (with a relatively thin peat layer) in Järvselja. Relationship between stand characteristics and distance from the drainage ditch was described and measurement data was compared with data that had been collected 59 years earlier in the same stand. Over time the stand structure and productivity had changed. Due to lengthy drainage, increase in several stand characteristics became evident: mean height 84% (8.60 ± 0.39 m), mean DBH 48% (6.55 ± 0.59 cm), basal area 59% (10.6 ± 3.4 m2 ha-1) and growing stock 179% (169 ± 32 m3 ha-1). Growth conditions had improved (site class improvement 1.8 units) and since earlier comparison data was from an already drained stand, actual change in stand characteristics and productivity compared to pre-drained state, has to be even greater. The studied stand is a good example of successful forest drainage in a bog pine forest and these results contribute to a better understanding of post drainage developments in these types of forests


1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Petrus Maria Overman ◽  
Hendrik Johannes Louis Witte ◽  
Juan Guillermo Saldarriaga

ABSTRACTIn a mature lowland ‘terra firme’ forest near Araracuara in Colombia, a study was conducted to determine the above-ground biomass by means of regression analysis. Dry weight, DBH (i.e. stem diameter at 1.3 m above ground level, or just above buttresses if these surpassed 1.3 m in height), total height and specific wood density were measured on 54 harvested trees, chosen in a ‘selected random’ manner. Nine different regression models were evaluated for statistical correctness, accuracy of the estimates and for practical use. The logarithmically transformed models with DBH2, and DBH2 × height as independent variables appeared to be the only models meeting the above criteria, the latter being the most accurate.The exclusion of big trees (DBH >45 cm) from the regression did not result in significant changes of the regression coefficients.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Biligetu ◽  
Bruce Coulman

Bromegrass species are important forage crops in temperate regions of world. This study compared responses of three bromegrass species to defoliation in the greenhouse and field to determine if the former could predict responses in the latter. Experiments were conducted in 2006 and 2007 in Saskatoon (52°07′N,106°38′W), Canada on meadow bromegrass (Bromus ripariusRehm.), smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermisLeyss.), and hybrid bromegrass (B. ripariusX B.inermis) following defoliation to 5 cm stubble height. When defoliated at the vegetative stage, above-ground biomass was similar among the three species in the field, but meadow bromegrass produced greater above-ground biomass than smooth bromegrass in the greenhouse. When defoliated at the stem elongation stage, meadow bromegrass produced greater above-ground biomass than smooth bromegrass in both environments. In the field, for all defoliation treatments, tiller number was greatest in meadow bromegrass, intermediate in hybrid bromegrass, and least in smooth bromegrass. In the greenhouse, however, the three species did not differ in tiller number. Similar results were found for below-ground biomass. Thus, testing the effect of defoliation in the greenhouse environment did not accurately predict the effect in the field environment.


2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16
Author(s):  
V. Rao ◽  
K. Prasad ◽  
D. Veeranjaneyulu ◽  
P. Priyadarsini ◽  
Boyina Rao

The present study aimed to estimate above-ground biomass and carbon stocks of different life forms in tropical dry and moist deciduous forests of Nallamalais, one of the centers of plant diversity of India, located in central part of the Eastern Ghats. The present study used a non-destructive method of biomass estimation. From the sampled inventory it is found that the dry deciduous vegetation with 114 species comprising a total of 1737 tree individuals with a mean basal area of 16.37±9.12 m2 ha-1, 61.52±41.66 Mg ha-1 (Mega gram=106 g) above-ground biomass and 26.83±15.69 Mg ha-1 carbon, the moist deciduous vegetation with 115 species, comprising 1431 tree individuals with a mean basal area of 29.78±4.83 m2 ha-1, contributing 110.37±26.12 Mg ha-1 above-ground biomass and 52.24±12.48 Mg ha-1 carbon. It is revealed that the moist deciduous forests are more efficient in terms of sequestering atmospheric carbon.


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