TITLE:
Tree Biomass Estimation in Central African Forests Using Allometric Models
AUTHORS:
Romeo Ekoungoulou, Donatien Nzala, Xiaodong Liu, Shukui Niu
KEYWORDS:
Aboveground Biomass, Allometry, Belowground Biomass, Ipendja, Mokelimwaekili, Sombo
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Ecology,
Vol.8 No.3,
March
30,
2018
ABSTRACT: Quantifying the tropical forests’
carbon stocks is presently an important component in the implementation of the
emerging carbon credit market mechanisms. This calls for appropriate allometric
equations predicting biomass which currently are scarce. In this study, we
aimed to estimate above- and below-ground biomass and carbon stocks of trees, and to identify the
variation in diameter-height allometry of Ipendja mixed terra firme lowland tropical forest’s
trees. The study area is located at Ipendja forest management unit (UFA), close
to Dongou district (Likouala Department), in Northern Republic of Congo. This
study combined forest inventory data of 1340 trees recorded from eight studied
plots distributed in two sites, respectively Mokelimwaekili (i.e., Old-growth forest) and Sombo (i.e., Selective logging forest). Trees
measurements were done with rectangular plots, each 25 × 200 m
(i.e., 0.5 ha, 5000 m2).
In eight studied plots (4 plots per site), only trees with DBH ≥ 10 cm were measured and identified. 1340 trees founded were belonged 145
species and 36 botanical families (n = 733 and n = 607, for Sombo and Mokelimwaekili
respectively). The analyses were conducted using allometric method for
aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB) estimations. The
results showed that in Ipendja forest ecosystem the mean biomass is built up
for AGB (346 Mg·ha-1)
as well as for BGB (81.3 Mg·ha-1),
with a significant difference between forest types (F = 23.46, df = 7.771, P =
0.001). It was obvious that biomasses in Mokelimwaekili (AGB: 559.7 Mg·ha-1,
BGB: 131 Mg·ha-1) were higher than those of Sombo (AGB: 291.8 Mg·ha-1,
BGB: 68.5 Mg·ha-1).
By this study, Ipendja forest ecosystem has clearly variations on the
diameter-height relationship and biomass across the plots and the sites.