TY - JOUR
T1 - Regional aboveground biomass equations for North American arid and semi-arid forests
AU - Návar, José
AU - Ríos-Saucedo, Julio
AU - Pérez-Verdín, Gustavo
AU - Rodríguez-Flores, F. de Jesús
AU - Domínguez-Calleros, Pedro A.
N1 - Funding Information:
The Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN) funded this project through Grant No. 20100475 . The authors from the Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN) are Comision de Fomento a las Actividades Academicas (IPN-COFAA) scholars.
PY - 2013/10
Y1 - 2013/10
N2 - Calculations of dry tree, plot and regional aboveground biomass, M, and assessments of complex diverse forests remain key challenges in the implementation of conventional and sustainable projects. This study reports a set of robust regional equations and the application of several allometric tree and plot M equations in Mexican arid and semi-arid forest communities. The data were collected from 1084 tree M fitting models, and 195 arid and semi-arid and 206 mesquite trees and 55 plot datasets were used to validate the models. Theoretical, semi-empirical and empirical models with exogenous variables, as well as wood specific gravity, diameter, top height, and form-factor values, were used to evaluate aboveground biomass. Empirical computer-based equations projected more consistently similar tree M assessments than did semi-empirical or theoretical models. Therefore, empirical models are recommended for assessments of tree and plot M, and future allometry research should properly address independent variables in more theoretical models. The large sample size, model richness, economic and ecological importance, and wide coverage of this dataset make it useful for estimating several biogeochemical and bioenergy density parameters and contribute to the body of knowledge regarding heterogeneity in dry forest stand structures.
AB - Calculations of dry tree, plot and regional aboveground biomass, M, and assessments of complex diverse forests remain key challenges in the implementation of conventional and sustainable projects. This study reports a set of robust regional equations and the application of several allometric tree and plot M equations in Mexican arid and semi-arid forest communities. The data were collected from 1084 tree M fitting models, and 195 arid and semi-arid and 206 mesquite trees and 55 plot datasets were used to validate the models. Theoretical, semi-empirical and empirical models with exogenous variables, as well as wood specific gravity, diameter, top height, and form-factor values, were used to evaluate aboveground biomass. Empirical computer-based equations projected more consistently similar tree M assessments than did semi-empirical or theoretical models. Therefore, empirical models are recommended for assessments of tree and plot M, and future allometry research should properly address independent variables in more theoretical models. The large sample size, model richness, economic and ecological importance, and wide coverage of this dataset make it useful for estimating several biogeochemical and bioenergy density parameters and contribute to the body of knowledge regarding heterogeneity in dry forest stand structures.
KW - Biofuels
KW - Biogeochemicals
KW - Biomass
KW - Dry lands
KW - Semi-empirical and empirical equations
KW - Theoretical
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879697548&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2013.05.016
DO - 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2013.05.016
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0140-1963
VL - 97
SP - 127
EP - 135
JO - Journal of Arid Environments
JF - Journal of Arid Environments
ER -