title: Re-evaluation of individual diameter : height allometric models to improve biomass estimation of tropical trees.
abstract: Accurate estimation of tree biomass is necessary to provide realistic values of the carbon stored in the terrestrial biosphere. A recognized source of errors in tree aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation is introduced when individual tree height values (H) are not directly measured but estimated from diameter at breast height (DBH) using allometric equations. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of 12 alternative DBH : H equations and compare their effects on AGB estimation for three tropical forests that occur in contrasting climatic and altitudinal zones. We found that fitting a three-parameter Weibull function using data collected locally generated the lowest errors and bias in H estimation, and that equations fitted to these data were more accurate than equations with parameters derived from the literature. For computing AGB, the introduced error values differed notably among DBH : H allometric equations, and in most cases showed a clear bias that resulted in either over- or under-estimation of AGB. Fitting the three-parameter Weibull function minimized errors in AGB estimates in our study and we recommend its widespread adoption for carbon stock estimation. We conclude that many previous studies are likely to present biased estimates of AGB due to the method of H estimation.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ledo
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cornulier
authors.affiliation: University of St. Andrews, Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, CREEM, The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens, St Andrews, KY16 9LZ United Kingdom.|Department of Mathematical Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Janine B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Illian
authors.affiliation: Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute, Kyushu Research Center, 4-11-16 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-0862 Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.affiliation: Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, 68100, Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Abdul Rahman
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kassim
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David F R P
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Burslem
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D002244:Carbon; D065928:Forests; D014197:Trees; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon
keywords: bias; biomass; error; inaccuracy; modelling; tropical forest