Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Tree allometry and improved estimation of carbon stocks and balance in tropical forests

  • Ecosystem ecology
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tropical forests hold large stores of carbon, yet uncertainty remains regarding their quantitative contribution to the global carbon cycle. One approach to quantifying carbon biomass stores consists in inferring changes from long-term forest inventory plots. Regression models are used to convert inventory data into an estimate of aboveground biomass (AGB). We provide a critical reassessment of the quality and the robustness of these models across tropical forest types, using a large dataset of 2,410 trees ≥ 5 cm diameter, directly harvested in 27 study sites across the tropics. Proportional relationships between aboveground biomass and the product of wood density, trunk cross-sectional area, and total height are constructed. We also develop a regression model involving wood density and stem diameter only. Our models were tested for secondary and old-growth forests, for dry, moist and wet forests, for lowland and montane forests, and for mangrove forests. The most important predictors of AGB of a tree were, in decreasing order of importance, its trunk diameter, wood specific gravity, total height, and forest type (dry, moist, or wet). Overestimates prevailed, giving a bias of 0.5–6.5% when errors were averaged across all stands. Our regression models can be used reliably to predict aboveground tree biomass across a broad range of tropical forests. Because they are based on an unprecedented dataset, these models should improve the quality of tropical biomass estimates, and bring consensus about the contribution of the tropical forest biome and tropical deforestation to the global carbon cycle.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baker TR, Phillips OL, Malhi Y, Almeida S, Arroyo L, Di Fiore A, Erwin T, Higuchi N, Killeen TJ, Laurance SG, Laurance WF, Lewis SL, Lloyd J, Monteagudo A, Neill DA, Patino S, Pitman NCA, Silva JNM, Vasquez Martinez R (2004) Variation in wood density determines spatial patterns in Amazonian forest biomass. Glob Change Biol 10:545–562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baskerville G (1972) Use of logarithmic regression in the estimation of plant biomass. Can J Forest Res 2:49–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown S (1997) Estimating biomass and biomass change of tropical forests: a primer UN FAO Forestry Paper 134, Rome, pp 55. http://www.fao.org/docrep/W4095E/W4095E00.htm

  • Brown S, Lugo AE (1982) The storage and production of organic matter in tropical forests and their role in the global carbon cycle. Biotropica 14:161–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown S, Gillespie A, Lugo AE (1989) Biomass estimation methods for tropical forests with applications to forest inventory data. For Sci 35:881–902

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown S, Schroeder PE (1999) Spatial patterns of aboveground production and mortality of woody biomass for eastern US forests. Ecol Appl 9:968–980

    Google Scholar 

  • Burnham KP, Anderson DR (2002) Model selection and inference. A practical information-theoretic approach, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cannell MGR (1984) Woody biomass of forest stands. For Ecol Manage 8:299–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho JA, Santos JM, Santos JC, Leitão MM, Higuchi N (1995) A tropical forest clearing experiment by biomass burning in the Manaus region. Atm Environ 29:2301–2309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho JA, Costa FS, Veras CAG, Sandberg DV, Alvarado EC, Gielow R, Serra AM, Santos JC (2001) Biomass fire consumption and carbon release rates of rainforest-clearing experiments conducted in Northern Mato Grosso, Brazil. J Geophys Res 106(D16):17877–17887

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers JQ, Higuchi N, Schimel JP (1998) Ancient trees in Amazonia. Nature 391:135–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers JQ, Higuchi N, Tribuzy ES, Trumbore SE (2001a) Carbon sink for a century. Nature 410:429

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers JQ, dos Santos J, Ribeiro RJ, Higuchi N (2001b) Tree damage, allometric relationships, and above-ground net primary production in central Amazon forest. For Ecol Manage 152:73–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chave J, Riéra B, Dubois MA (2001) Estimation of biomass in a neotropical forest of French Guiana: spatial and temporal variability. J Trop Ecol 17:79–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chave J, Condit R, Lao S, Caspersen JP, Foster RB, Hubbell SP (2003) Spatial and temporal variation in biomass of a tropical forest: results from a large census plot in Panama. J Ecol 91:240–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chave J, Condit R, Aguilar S, Hernandez A, Lao S, Perez R (2004) Error propagation and scaling for tropical forest biomass estimates. Philos Trans Royal Soc B 359:409–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark DB, Clark DA (2000) Landscape-scale variation in forest structure and biomass in a tropical rain forest. For Ecol Manag 137:185–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark DA, Brown S, Kicklighter D, Chambers JQ, Thomlinson JR, Ni J (2001) Measuring net primary production in forests: concepts and field methods. Ecol Appl 11:356–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland WS (1979) Robust locally weighted regression and smoothing scatterplots. J Am Stat Assoc 74:829–836

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Condit R (1998) Tropical forest census plots. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, p 211

    Google Scholar 

  • Cormier KL, Reich RM, Czaplewski RL, Bechtold WA (1992) Evaluation of weighted regression and sample in developing a taper model for loblolly pine. For Ecol Manage 53:65–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crow TR (1978) Common regressions to estimate tree biomass in tropical stands. For Sci 24:110–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunia T (1987) Error of forest inventory estimates: its main components. In: Wharton EH, Cunia T (eds) Estimating tree biomass regressions and their error. USDA For Serv Gen Tech Rep NE-117, p 303

  • Dawkins HC (1961) Estimating total volume of some Caribbean trees. Caribb For 22:62–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Duan N (1983) Smearing estimate: a non-parametric retransformation method. J Am Stat Assoc 78:605–610

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elias M, Potvin C (2003) Assessing inter- and intra-specific variation in trunk carbon concentration for 32 neotropical tree species. Can J For Res 33:1039–1045

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grace J (2004) Understanding and managing the global carbon cycle. J Ecol 92:189–202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gray HR (1966) Principles of forest tree and crop volume growth: a mensuration monograph. Aust Bull For Timber Bur 42

  • Houghton RA (2003) Why are estimates of the terrestrial carbon balance so different? Glob Change Biol 9:500–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houghton RA, Lawrence KL, Hackler JL, Brown S (2001) The spatial distribution of forest biomass in the Brazilian Amazon: a comparison of estimates. Glob Change Biol 7:731–746

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson JB, Omland KS (2004) Model selection in ecology and evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 19:101–108

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kato R, Tadaki Y, Ogawa H (1978) Plant biomass and growth increment studies in Pasoh forest. Malayan Nat J 30:211–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Lugo AE, Brown S (1986) Steady state ecosystems and the global carbon cycle. Vegetatio 68:83–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Madgwick HAI, Satoo T (1975) On estimating the above ground weights of tree stands. Ecology 56:1446–1450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhi Y, Baker TR, Phillips OL, Almeida S, Alvarez E, Arroyo L, Chave J, Czimczik CI, Di Fiore A, Higuchi N, Killeen TJ, Laurance SG, Laurance WF, Lewis SL, Montoya LMM, Monteagudo A, Neill DA, Nunez Vargas P, Patiño S, Pitman NCA, Quesada CA, Silva JNM, Lezama AT, Vasques Martinez R, Terborgh J, Vinceti B, Lloyd J (2004) The above-ground coarse wood productivity of 104 Neotropical forest plots. Glob Change Biol 10:563–591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMahon TA, Kronauer RE (1976) Tree structures: deducing the principles of mechanical design. J theor Biol 59:443–466

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Midgley JJ (2003) Is bigger better in plants? The hydraulic costs of increasing size in trees. Trends Evol Ecol 18:5–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson BW, Mesquita R, Pereira JLG, de Souza SGA, Batista GT, Couto LB (1999) Allometric regressions for improved estimate of secondary forest biomass in the central Amazon. For Ecol Manage 117:149–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niklas KJ (1995) Size-dependent allometry of tree height, diameter and trunk-taper. Ann Bot 75:217–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niklas KJ (1997) Mechanical properties of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L) wood. Size- and age-dependent variations in sap- and heartwood. Ann Bot 79:265–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogawa H, Yoda K, Ogino K, Kira T (1965) Comparative ecological studies on three main types of forest vegetation in Thailand II Plant biomass. Nat Life Southeast Asia 4:49–80

    Google Scholar 

  • de Oliveira AA, Mori SA (1999) A central Amazonian terra firme forest I. High tree species richness on poor soils. Biodiv Conserv 8:1219–1244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parresol BR (1999) Assessing tree and stand biomass: a review with examples and critical comparisons. For Sci 45:573–593

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips OL, Malhi Y, Higuchi N, Laurance WF, Nuñez PV, Vásquez RM, Laurance SG, Ferreira LV, Stern M, Brown S, Grace J (1998) Changes in the carbon balance of tropical forests: evidence from long-term plots. Science 282:439–442

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips OL, Malhi Y, Vinceti B, Baker T, Lewis SL, Higuchi N, Laurance WF, Núñez VP, Vásquez MR, Laurance SG, Ferreira LV, Stern MM, Brown S, Grace J (2002) Changes in the biomass of tropical forests: evaluating potential biases. Ecol Appl 12:576–587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reyes G, Brown S, Chapman J, Lugo AE (1992) Wood densities of tropical tree species. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Southern Forest Experimental Station, New Orleans, Louisiana. General Technical Report SO-88

  • Roy J, Saugier B, Mooney HA (2001) Terrestrial global productivity. Academic, San Diego

    Google Scholar 

  • Saldarriaga JG, West DC, Tharp ML, Uhl C (1988) Long-term chronosequence of forest succession in the upper Rio Negro of Colombia and Venezuela. J Ecol 76:938–958

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schumacher FX, Hall FS (1933) Logarithmic expression of timber-tree volume. J Agric Res 47:719–734

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheil D (1995) A critique of permanent plot methods and analysis with examples from Budongo forest, Uganda. For Ecol Manag 77:11–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shepashenko D, Shvidenko A, Nilsson S (1998) Phytomass (live biomass) and carbon of Siberian forests. Biomass Bioenerg 14:21–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman RE, Fahey TJ, Martinez P (2003) Spatial patterns of biomass and aboveground net primary productivity in a mangrove ecosystem in the Dominican Republic. Ecosystems 6:384–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ter-Mikaelian MT, Korzukhin MD (1997) Biomass equation for sixty-five North American tree species. For Ecol Manag 97:1–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tritton LM, Hornbeck JW (1982) Biomass equations for major tree species of the Northeast. USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station GTR NE-69

  • West GB, Brown JH, Enquist BJ (1999) A general model for the structure and allometry of plant vascular systems. Nature 400:664–667

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams MS, Schreuder HT (2000) Guidelines for choosing volume equations in the presence of measurement error in height. Can J For Res 30:306–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wirth C, Schumacher J, Schulze E-D (2004) Generic biomass functions for Norway spruce in Central Europe—a meta-analysis approach toward prediction and uncertainty estimates. Tree Physiol 24:121–139

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank T. Yoneda for his help with the Pasoh dataset, C. Jordan and H.L. Clark for their help with the San Carlos dataset, R. Condit, S.J. DeWalt, J. Ewel, P.J. Grubb, K. Lajtha, and D. Sheil for comments on earlier versions of the manuscript, the CTFS Analytical Workshop (Fushan, Taiwan) participants for their feedback on this work, F. Bongers, S. Schnitzer, and E.V.J. Tanner for correspondence, and the team of librarians in Toulouse for their assistance. This manuscript has not been subject to the EPA peer review process and should not be construed to represent Agency policy.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique UMR 5174, CNRS/UPS, bâtiment IVR3, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse, France

    J. Chave & C. Andalo

  2. Ecosystem Services Unit, Winrock International, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 1200, Arlington, VA, 22207, USA

    S. Brown

  3. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Western Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, 200 SW Street, Corvallis, OR, 97333, USA

    M. A. Cairns

  4. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118-5698, USA

    J. Q. Chambers

  5. Institute for Water and Environmental Resource Management, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia

    D. Eamus

  6. Institut für Bodenkunde und Waldernährung, Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, Gottingen, 37077,  , Germany

    H. Fölster

  7. Laboratoire Dynamique de la Biodiversité, CNRS/UPS, 31062, Toulouse, France

    F. Fromard & H. Puig

  8. Instituto Nacional de Pequisas da Amazônia, C.P. 478 Manaus, 69011-970,  , Brazil

    N. Higuchi & B. W. Nelson

  9. ILEC Foundation, Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu City, Shiga, 525-0001,  , Japan

    T. Kira

  10. IRD, 5 rue du Carbone, 45072, Orleans, France

    J.-P. Lescure

  11. Plant Ecology Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimotochyo, Sumiyoshiku, Osaka, 558-8585, Japan

    H. Ogawa & T. Yamakura

  12. Laboratoire d’Ecologie Générale, URA 1183 CNRS/MNHN, 4 avenue du Petit Château, 91800, Brunoy, France

    B. Riéra

Authors
  1. J. Chave
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Andalo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. A. Cairns
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. Q. Chambers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. D. Eamus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. H. Fölster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. F. Fromard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. N. Higuchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. T. Kira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. J.-P. Lescure
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. B. W. Nelson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. H. Ogawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. H. Puig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. B. Riéra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. T. Yamakura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Chave.

Additional information

Communicated by Christian Koerner

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chave, J., Andalo, C., Brown, S. et al. Tree allometry and improved estimation of carbon stocks and balance in tropical forests. Oecologia 145, 87–99 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-005-0100-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-005-0100-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation