Abstract
Generic equations are proposed for stem, branch and foliage biomass of individual trees in even-aged pure stands of Cryptomeria japonica, Chamaecyparis obtusa and Larix kaempferi. Biomass data was collected from a total of 1,016 individual trees from 247 stands throughout Japan, and five regression models were assessed by root mean square error, mean bias, fit index (FI), and AIC. The results show that a power equation using diameter at breast height (dbh) and height is the most suitable for all species and components. This equation is more accurate than the familiar power equation that uses ‘dbh2 height’, and it expresses the greater volume of branch and foliage mass of trees with a lower height/diameter ratio. A power equation using dbh is more reasonable for models with dbh as the only independent variable and more accurate than a power equation using ‘dbh2 height’ for estimating branch and foliage mass. Estimating error for branch and foliage mass is larger than that for stem mass, but the entire aboveground biomass can be estimated with an error of less than 19%, except in the case of small trees with dbh less than 10 cm.
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Notes
Titles of “in Japanese” articles are our tentative translation from the original Japanese title.
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Acknowledgments
We thank the many researchers at the prefectural forestry research institutes who greatly contribute to forest carbon sink projects. We also express our appreciation for the cooperation of private forest owners, Regional and District Forest Offices, and the Research, Extension, and Environment Policy Division of the Forestry Agency of Japan. Miki Fukuda, Satoshi Ishibashi, Tomohiro Nishizono, Hiroshi Kondo, Kunihiro Tanaka, Eiji Kodani (FFPRI), Iwao Noda (Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences), Yoshio Awaya (Gifu University) and Masahiro Amano (Waseda University) collaborated with us on the national forest project. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their careful reading of this article and insightful comments. Part of this study was supported by the Global Environment Research Coordination System of the Ministry of Environment of Japan as a research project on the Influence of Environmental Changes and Forest Management Practices on CO2 Sequestration of Conifer Plantations (FY2004–2008).
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Hosoda, K., Iehara, T. Aboveground biomass equations for individual trees of Cryptomeria japonica, Chamaecyparis obtusa and Larix kaempferi in Japan. J For Res 15, 299–306 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-010-0192-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-010-0192-y