Abstract
Shrubbery and young plantations, with a large number of tree species, take up a broad area in subtropical Chinese forests and contribute a significant part to forest biomass and carbon (C) stocks. However, the biomass and C stocks of shrubbery and young plantations were generally underestimated or excluded in forest biomass calculations due to the scarce of standard equations for estimating biomass. The aim of this study was to develop appropriate regression equations for biomass estimation of shrubbery and young plantations. A total of 108 individuals of 15 most widespread shrub and young tree species were sampled by destructive harvesting, and the dry weight of each component of trees, i.e., foliage, branch, stem and root were obtained. The dry biomass of each component was correlated with plant height (H), basal diameter of stem (D), crown area (CA) and their composite variables D2H and CV (CA × H) by using seemingly uncorrelated regression, and the best fitted model was chosen according to the determination coefficient (R2), root mean squared error (RMSE), Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) and percent relative standard errors (PRSE) less than 25%. In the species-specific equations, H, D or D2H were used as the appropriate independent variables in most of the equations, and only a few of them were CA or CV. In the multiple species equations, H was an important variable to predict the biomass, but the predictors of biomass equation for different functional groups or life forms were different due to diversity of external morphology. The species-specific equations had low biases, while the general equations for functional groups and life forms showed comparable biases, and the general equations for all species had the highest prediction biases. Therefore, general equations for functional groups or life forms are recommended to estimate biomass for species without species-specific allometric equations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abich A, Mucheye T, Tebikew M, Gebremariam Y, Alemu A (2019) Species-specific allometric equations for improving aboveground biomass estimates of dry deciduous woodland ecosystems. J for Res 30(5):1619–1632. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0707-5
Aiba SI, Kohyama T (1996) Tree species stratification in relation to allometry and demography in a warm-temperate rain forest. J Ecol 84(2):207–218. https://doi.org/10.2307/2261356
Ali A, Xu MS, Zhao YT, Zhang QQ, Zhou LL, Yang XD, Yan ER (2015) Allometric biomass equations for shrub and small tree species in subtropical China. Silva Fennica 49(3):1–10. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1275
Annie H, McDermid GJ, Rahman MM, Strack M, Saraswati S, Xu B (2018) Developing allometric equations for estimating shrub biomass in a boreal fen. Forests 9(9):569. https://doi.org/10.3390/f9090569
Baskerville GL (1971) Use of logarithmic regression in the estimation of plant biomass. Can J for Res 2(1):49–53. https://doi.org/10.1139/x72-009
Basuki TM, Laake PE, Skidmore AK, Hussin YA (2009) Allometric equations for estimating the aboveground biomass in tropical lowland Dipterocarp forests. For Ecol Manag 257:1684–1694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2009.01.027
Burnham K, Anderson D (2002) Model selection and inference. A practical information-theoretic approach, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin
Cairns MA, Brown S, Helmer EH, Baumgardner GA (1997) Root biomass allocation in the world’s upland forests. Oecologia 111(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.2307/4221653
Cavanaugh KC, Gosnell JS, Davis SL, Ahumada J, Boundja P, Clark DB, Mugerwa B, Jansen PA, Brien O, TG, Rovero F, Sheil D, Vasquez R, Andelman S, (2014) Carbon storage in tropical forests correlates with taxonomic diversity and functional dominance on a global scale. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 23(5):563–573. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12143
Chave J, Andalo C, Brown S, Cairns M, Chambers J, Eamus D, Fölster H, Fromard F, Higuchi N, Kira T, Lescure J, Nelson B, Ogawa H, Puig H, Riéra B, Yamakura T (2005) Tree allometry and improved estimation of carbon stocks and balance in tropical forests. Oecologia 145:87–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-005-0100-x
Chave J, Réjou-Méchain M, Búrquez A, Chidumayo E, Colgan MS, Delitti WBC, Duque A, Eid T, Fearnside PM, Goodman RC, Henry M, Martínez-Yrízar A, Mugasha WA, Muller-Landau HC, Mencuccini M, Nelson BW, Ngomanda A, Nogueira EM, Ortiz-Malavassi E, Pélissier R, Ploton P, Ryan CM, Saldarriaga JG, Vieilledent G (2014) Improved allometric models to estimate the aboveground biomass of tropical trees. Glob Change Biol 20:3177–3190. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12629
Chen C, Fang X, Xiang WH, Lei PF, Ouyang S, Kuzyakov Y (2020) Soil-plant co-stimulation during forest vegetation restoration in a subtropical area of southern China. For Ecosyst 7(1):32. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-020-00242-3
Cole TG, Ewel JJ (2006) Allometric equations for four valuable tropical tree species. For Ecol Manag 229(1–3):351–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.04.017
Conti G, Enrico L, Casanoves F, Díaz S (2013) Shrub biomass estimation in the semiarid Chaco forest: a contribution to the quantification of an underrated carbon stock. Ann for Sci 70:515–524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-013-0285-9
Conti G, Gorné L, Zeballos S, Lipoma M, Gatica G, Kowaljow E, Whitworth-Hulse JI, Cuchietti A, Poca M, Pestoni S, Fernandes P, Kerkhoff A (2019) Developing allometric models to predict the individual aboveground biomass of shrubs worldwide. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 28(7):961–975. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12907
Department of Forest Resources Management, State Forestry Administration (2013) Report on the results of the eighth Forest Resources Inventory. China Forestry Publishing House, Beijing
Djomo AN, Ibrahima A, Saborowski J, Gravenhorst G (2010) Allometric equations for biomass estimations in Cameroon and pan moist tropical equations including biomass data from Africa. For Ecol Manag 260:1873–1885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2010.08.034
Dong LH, Zhang LJ, Li FR (2014) A compatible system of biomass equations for three conifer species in Northeast, China. For Ecol Manag 329:306–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2014.05.050
Dumont C, Mentre F, Gaynor C, Brendel K, Gesson C, Chenel M (2013) Optimal sampling times for a drug and its metabolite using SIMCYP-simulations as prior information. Clin Pharmacokinet 52(1):43–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40262-012-0022-9
Dyderski MK, Jagodziński AM (2021) How do invasive trees impact shrub layer diversity and productivity in temperate forests? Ann for Sci 78(1):20. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13595-021-01033-8
Easdale TA, Richardson SJ, Marden M, England JR, Gayoso-Aguilar J, Guerra-Cárcamo JE, McCarthy JK, Paul KI, Schwendenmann L, Brandon AM (2019) Root biomass allocation in southern temperate forests. For Ecol Manag 453(3):117542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117542
Gao X, Li ZD, Yu HM, Jiang ZH, Wang C, Zhang Y, Qi LH, Shi L (2016) Modeling of the height–diameter relationship using an allometric equation model: a case study of stands of Phyllostachys edulis. J for Res 27(2):339–347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-015-0145-6
Gibbs H, Brown S, Niles J, Foley J (2007) Monitoring and estimating tropical forest carbon stocks: making REDD a reality. Environ Res Lett 2(4):045023. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/2/4/045023
Gonzalez-Benecke CA, Gezan S, Samuelson L, Cropper W, Leduc D, Martin T (2014) Estimating Pinus palustris tree diameter and stem volume from tree height, crown area and stand-level parameters. J for Res 25(1):43–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-014-0427-4
Goodman R, Phillips O, Baker T (2014) The importance of crown dimensions to improve tropical tree biomass estimates. Ecol Appl 24:680–698. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-0070.1
Gu X, Fang X, Xiang WH, Zeng YL, Zhang SJ, Lei PF, Peng CH, Kuzyakov Y (2019) Vegetation restoration stimulates soil carbon sequestration and stabilization in a subtropical area of southern China. CATENA 181:104098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2019.104098
Guisasola R, Tang X, Bauhus J, Forrester DI (2015) Intra- and inter- specific differences in crown architecture in Chinese subtropical mixed-species forests. For Ecol Manag 353:164–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.05.029
He H, Zhang C, Zhao X, Fousseni F, Wang J, Dai H, Yang S, Zuo Q, Gomory D (2018) Allometric biomass equations for 12 tree species in coniferous and broadleaved mixed forests. Northeastern China. Plos One 13(1):e0186226. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186226
Henry M, Besnard A, Asante WA, Eshun J, Adu-Bredu S, Valentini R, Bernoux M, Saint-André L (2010) Wood density, phytomass variations within and among trees, and allometric equations in a tropical rainforest of Africa. For Ecol Manag 260(8):1375–1388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2010.07.040
Huang FF, Zhang WQ, Gan XH, Huang YH, Guo YD, Wen XY (2018) Changes in vegetation and soil properties during recovery of a subtropical forest in South China. J Mt Sci 15(1):46–58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-017-4541-6
Huff S, Ritchie M, Temesgen H (2017) Allometric equations for estimating aboveground biomass for common shrubs in northeastem Califormia. For Ecol Manag 398:48–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.04.027
Ishihara MI, Utsugi H, Tanouchi H, Aiba M, Kurokawa H, Onada Y, Nagano M, Umehara T, Ando M, Miyata R, Hiura S (2015) Efficacy of generic allometric equations for estimating biomass: a test in Japanese natural forests. Ecol Appl 25(5):1433–1446. https://doi.org/10.1890/14-0175.1
Jucker T, Caspersen J, Chave J, Antin C, Barbier N, Bongers F, Coomes D (2017) Allometric equations for integrating remote sensing imagery into forest monitoring programmes. Glob Change Biol 23:177–190. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13388
Ketterings QM, Coe R, Noordwijk M, Ambagau Y, Palm CA (2001) Reducing uncertainty in the use of allometric biomass equations for predicting above-ground tree biomass in mixed secondary forests. For Ecol Manag 146(1–3):199–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1127(00)00460-6
Li Y, Bao WK, Bongers F, Chen B, Chen GK, Guo K, Jiang MX, Lai JS, Lin DM, Liu CJ, Liu XJ, Liu Y, Mi XC, Tian XJ, Wang XH, Xu WB, Yan JH, Yang B, Zheng YR, Ma KP (2019) Drivers of tree carbon storage in subtropical forests. Sci Total Environ 654:684–693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.024
Lin DM, Lai JS, Muller-Landau HC, Mi XC, Ma KP, Hector A (2012) Topographic variation in aboveground biomass in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in China. PLoS ONE 7(10):e48244. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0048244
Litton C, Kauffman B (2008) Allometric models for predicting aboveground biomass in two widespread woody plants in Hawaii. Biotropica 40(3):313–320. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00383.x
Marius L, Richard M (2019) Aboveground biomass and carbon pool estimates of Portulacaria afra (spekboom)-rich subtropical thicket with species-specific allometric models. For Ecol Manag 448:11–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.05.048
Meyer SE (2011) Is climate change mitigation the best use of desert shrublands? Nat Resour Environ Issues 17:2
Mohammad R, Chowdhury M (2012) Allometric relationship for estimating above-ground biomass of Aegialitis rotundifolia Roxb. of Sundarbans mangrove forest, in Bangladesh. J for Res 23(1):23–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-012-0229-5
Mugasha WA, Eid T, Bollandsås OM, Malimbwi RE, Chamshama SAO, Zahabu E, Katani JZ (2013) Allometric models for prediction of above- and belowground biomass of trees in the miombo woodlands of Tanzania. For Ecol Manag 310:87–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.08.003
Návar J (2009) Allometric equations for tree species and carbon stocks for forests of northwestern Mexico. For Ecol Manag 257(2):427–434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2008.09.028
Nelson BW, Mesquita R, Pereira JLG, Souza SGA, Batista TG, Couto LB (1999) Allometric regressions for improved estimate of secondary forest biomass in the central Amazon. For Ecol Manag 117(1–3):149–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1127(98)00475-7
Nyamjav J, Batsaikhan ME, Li GL, Li J, Luvsanjamba A, Jin K, Xiao WF, Wu LJ, Indree T, Qin AL, Gomory D (2020) Allometric equations for estimating above-ground biomass of Nitraria sibirica Pall in Gobi Desert of Mongolia. PLoS ONE 15(9):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239268
Ouyang S, Xiang WH, Wang XP, Zeng YL, Lei PF, Deng XW, Peng CH (2016) Significant effects of biodiversity on forest biomass during the succession of subtropical forest in south China. For Ecol Manag 372:291–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2016.04.020
Parresol BR (2001) Additivity of nonlinear biomass equations. Can J for Res 31(5):865–878. https://doi.org/10.1139/x00-202
Paton D, Nunez J, Bao D, Muioz A (2002) Forage biomass of 22 shrub species from Monfragie Natural Park (SW Spain) assessed by log-log regression models. J Arid Environ 52(2):223–231
Paul K, Roxburgh S, England J, Ritson P, Hobbs T, Brooksbank K, Raison J, Larmour J, Murphy S, Norris J, Neumann C, Lewis T, Jonson J, Carter J, McArthur G, Barton C, Rosem B (2013) Development and testing of allometric equations for estimating above-ground biomass of mixed-species environmental plantings. For Ecol Manag 310:483–494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.08.054
Paul K, Larmour J, Roxburgh S, England J, Davies M, Luck H (2017) Measurements of stem diameter: implications for individual- and stand-level errors. Environ Monit Assess 189:189–416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6109-x
Peichl M, Arain MA (2007) Allometry and partitioning of above- and belowground tree biomass in an age-sequence of white pine forests. For Ecol Manage 253(1–3):68–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2007.07.003
Pilli R, Anfodillo T, Carrer M (2006) Towards a functional and simplified allometry for estimating forest biomass. For Ecol Manage 237(1–3):583–593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.10.004
Piñeiro G, Perelman S, Guerschman J, Paruelo J (2008) How to evaluate models: observed vs. predicted or predicted vs. observed? Ecol Model 216(3–4):316–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2008.05.006
Ploton P, Barbier N, Momo S, Rejou M, Boyemba F, Chuyong G, Pélissier R (2016) Closing a gap in tropical forest biomass estimation: taking crown mass variation into account in pantropical allometries. Biogeosciences 13:1571–1585. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1571-2016
R Core Team (2019) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org/.
Sileshi GW (2014) A critical review of forest biomass estimation models, common mistakes and corrective measures. For Ecol Manag 329:237–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2014.06.026
Singh V, Tewari A, Kushwaha S, Dadhwal V (2011) Formulating allometric equations for estimating biomass and carbon stock in small diameter trees. For Ecol Manag 261(11):1945–1949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2011.02.019
The Editorial Committee of Vegetation Map of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2007) Vegetation map of the People’s Republic of China 1:1000000. Geological Publishing House, Beijing
Wang CK (2006) Biomass allometric equations for 10 co-occurring tree species in Chinese temperate forests. For Ecol Manag 222(1–3):9–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2005.10.074
Williams RJ, Zerihun A, Montagu KD, Hoffman M, Hutley LB, Chen X (2005) Allometry for estimating aboveground tree biomass in tropical and subtropical eucalypt woodlands: towards general predictive equations. Aust J Bot 53:607–619. https://doi.org/10.1071/BT04149
Xiang WH, Zhou J, Ouyang S, Zhang SL, Lei PF, Li JX, Deng XW, Fang X, Forrester DI (2016) Species-specific and general allometric equations for estimating tree biomass components of subtropical forests in southern China. Eur J for Res 135:963–979. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-016-0987-2
Xu L, Shi YJ, Fang HY, Zhou GM, Xu XJ, Zhou YF, Tao JX, Ji BY, Xu J, Li C, Chen L (2018) Vegetation carbon stocks driven by canopy density and forest age in subtropical forest ecosystems. Sci Total Environ 631–632:619–626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.080
Yang TH, Song K, Da LJ, Li XP, Wu JP (2010) The biomass and aboveground net primary productivity of Schima superba-Castanopsis carlesii forests in east China. Sci China Life Sci 53(7):811–821. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-010-4021-5
Yang H, Wang Z, Tan H, Gao Y (2017) Allometric models for estimating shrub biomass in desert grassland in northern China. Arid Land Res Manag 31(3):283–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/15324982.2017.1301595
Zeng HQ, Liu QJ, Feng ZW, Ma ZQ (2010) Biomass equations for four shrub species in subtropical China. J for Res 15(2):83–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-009-0150-8
Zhang Q, Li JX, Xu WT, Xiong GM, Xie ZQ (2017) Estimation of biomass allocation and carbon density of Rhododendron simsii shrubland in the subtropical mountainous areas of China. Chin J Plant Ecol 41(1):43–52. https://doi.org/10.17521/cjpe.2016.0174
Acknowledgements
We thank the following graduate students for their assistance during the field trip: Xiang Gu, Zhaodan Liu, Leida Li, Shangyi Li, Liufang Wang and Xiaoye Zhu. Thanks also to the staff of the Dashanchong Forest Farm, Changsha County, Hunan Province, for their support.
Funding
This study was supported by the National Forestry Public Welfare Industry Research Project (201504411), the Postgraduate Research Innovation Project of Hunan Province (CX20190597) and the Key Research and Development Program of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China (Grant No. 2022CMG02007).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, J., Fang, X., Wu, A. et al. Allometric equations for estimating biomass of natural shrubs and young trees of subtropical forests. New Forests 55, 15–46 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-023-09963-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-023-09963-z