title: Testing the generality of above-ground biomass allometry across plant functional types at the continent scale.
abstract: Accurate ground-based estimation of the carbon stored in terrestrial ecosystems is critical to quantifying the global carbon budget. Allometric models provide cost-effective methods for biomass prediction. But do such models vary with ecoregion or plant functional type? We compiled 15 054 measurements of individual tree or shrub biomass from across Australia to examine the generality of allometric models for above-ground biomass prediction. This provided a robust case study because Australia includes ecoregions ranging from arid shrublands to tropical rainforests, and has a rich history of biomass research, particularly in planted forests. Regardless of ecoregion, for five broad categories of plant functional type (shrubs; multistemmed trees; trees of the genus Eucalyptus and closely related genera; other trees of high wood density; and other trees of low wood density), relationships between biomass and stem diameter were generic. Simple power-law models explained 84-95% of the variation in biomass, with little improvement in model performance when other plant variables (height, bole wood density), or site characteristics (climate, age, management) were included. Predictions of stand-based biomass from allometric models of varying levels of generalization (species-specific, plant functional type) were validated using whole-plot harvest data from 17 contrasting stands (range: 9-356 Mg ha(-1) ). Losses in efficiency of prediction were <1% if generalized models were used in place of species-specific models. Furthermore, application of generalized multispecies models did not introduce significant bias in biomass prediction in 92% of the 53 species tested. Further, overall efficiency of stand-level biomass prediction was 99%, with a mean absolute prediction error of only 13%. Hence, for cost-effective prediction of biomass across a wide range of stands, we recommend use of generic allometric models based on plant functional types. Development of new species-specific models is only warranted when gains in accuracy of stand-based predictions are relatively high (e.g. high-value monocultures).
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Keryn I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Roxburgh
authors.affiliation: UMR 5174 Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS & Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, 31062, France.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chave
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, Vic, 3169, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacqueline R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: England
authors.affiliation: Centre for Crop and Disease Management, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia.
authors.forename: Ayalsew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zerihun
authors.affiliation: School of Geography Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, 4072, Australia.|CESAB, Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversité, Immeuble Henri Poincaré, 2ème étage Domaine du Petit Arbois, Avenue Louis Philibert, 13100, Aix-en-Provence, France.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Specht
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Qld, 4556, Australia.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, Vic, 3363, Australia.|School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Vic, 3121, Australia.
authors.forename: Lauren T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, Vic, 3363, Australia.|School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Vic, 3121, Australia.
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Centre for Carbon Water and Food, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, University of Sydney, Werombi Road, Camden, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Equinox Environmental Pty Ltd., 6 Craigie Cres, Manning, WA, 6152, Australia.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huxtable
authors.affiliation: Colo Consulting, Winmalee, Parramatta, NSW, 2777, Australia.
authors.forename: Kelvin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Montagu
authors.affiliation: Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Falster
authors.affiliation: Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, 3041-2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Feller
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, 90 South St, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sochacki
authors.affiliation: FarmWoods, 3/104 South Street, Fremantle, WA, 6160, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ritson
authors.affiliation: Department of Land Resource Management, PO Box 1120, Alice Springs, NT, 0871, Australia.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bastin
authors.affiliation: Science Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Bentley Delivery Centre, Locked Bag 104, Perth, WA, 6983, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartle
authors.affiliation: Fares Rural Pty Ltd, PO Box 526, Wembley, WA, 6913, Australia.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wildy
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, GPO Box 1047, Adeliade, SA, 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hobbs
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Larmour
authors.affiliation: Mullion Group, 2a Fitzroy Rd, Forrest, ACT, 2603, Australia.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Waterworth
authors.affiliation: Hugh Stewart Consulting, 8 Upland Road, Strathmore, Vic., 3041, Australia.
authors.forename: Hugh T L
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Threshold Environmental Pty Ltd, PO Box 1124, Albany, WA, 6331, Australia.|Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management, The University of Western Australia, 1 Foreshore House, Albany, WA, 6330, Australia.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jonson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Freiburg University, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79108, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Forrester
authors.affiliation: University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Qld, 4556, Australia.
authors.forename: Grahame
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Applegate
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 12, Hobart, Tas, 7001, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mendham
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, PO Box 780, Atherton, Qld, 4883, Australia.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bradford
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 12, Hobart, Tas, 7001, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Grady
authors.affiliation: PO Box 1683, Dubbo, NSW, 2830, Australia.
authors.forename: Daryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, Private Mail Bag 50, Esperance, WA, 6450, Australia.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sudmeyer
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, 4Private Bag 5, Wembley, WA, 6913, Australia.
authors.forename: Stan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rance
authors.affiliation: Forsci Pty Ltd., Ste 4.05/ 32 Delhi Rd, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, 2751, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Wenk
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Land and Water, 4Private Bag 5, Wembley, WA, 6913, Australia.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grove
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Attiwill
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 12, Hobart, Tas, 7001, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pinkard
authors.affiliation: Queensland Herbarium, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Qld, 4066, Australia.
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA), 444 Albany Hwy, Albany, WA, 6330, Australia.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brooksbank
authors.affiliation: Science Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Bentley Delivery Centre, Locked Bag 104, Perth, WA, 6983, Australia.
authors.forename: Beren
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture and CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Snowdon
authors.affiliation: New Forests Asset Management Pty Ltd., PO Box 434, North Sydney, NSW, 2059, Australia.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture CSIRO Land and Water, Private Bag 12, Hobart, Tas, 7001, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.affiliation: School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Hamilton Environmental Services, 2345 Benalla-Tatong Road, Tatong, Vic., 3673, Australia.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: AusCarbon Pty Ltd., PO Box 395, Nedlands, WA, 6909, Australia.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McAuthur
authors.affiliation: Green Collar Group, Level 1, 37 George St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinclair
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon; D057965:Carbon Sequestration; D017753:Ecosystem; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000254:growth & development; D065928:Forests; D008954:Models, Biological; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000254:growth & development; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development*; D014934:Wood / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon
keywords: Eucalyptus; above ground; density; destructive; diameter; height; multi-stemmed; shrubs