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Estimating aboveground biomass for broadleaf woody plants and young conifers in Sierra Nevada, California forests

Journal of Applied Forestry
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.1093/wjaf/25.4.203

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Abstract

Quantification of biomass is fundamental to a wide range of research and natural resource management goals. An accurate estimation of plant biomass is essential to predict potential fire behavior, calculate carbon sequestration for global climate change research, assess critical wildlife habitat, and so forth. Reliable allometric equations from simple field measurements are necessary for efficient evaluation of plant biomass. However, allometric equations are not available for many common woody plant taxa in the Sierra Nevada. In this report, we present more than 200 regression equations for the Sierra Nevada western slope that relate crown diameter, plant height, crown volume, stem diameter, and both crown diameter and height to the dry weight of foliage, branches, and entire aboveground biomass. Destructive sampling methods resulted in regression equations that accurately predict biomass from one or two simple, nondestructive field measurements. The tables presented here will allow researchers and natural resource managers to easily choose the best equations to fit their biomass assessment needs.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Estimating aboveground biomass for broadleaf woody plants and young conifers in Sierra Nevada, California forests
Series title Journal of Applied Forestry
DOI 10.1093/wjaf/25.4.203
Volume 25
Issue 4
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher Society of American Foresters
Contributing office(s) Western Ecological Research Center
Description 7 p.
First page 203
Last page 209
Country United States
State California
Other Geospatial Sierra Nevada
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