Allometry and partitioning of the mangrove, Rhizophora apiculata

Abstract

This allometric data set gives total biomass in kg (log total biomass=2.523 log GBH −1.943 ); total above-ground biomass (log above-ground biomass=2.420 log GBH −1.832 ); total below-ground biomass (log below-ground biomass=2.611 log GBH −3.454 ) as well as stilts (log stilt biomass=2.546 log GBH −2.945 ); trunk (log trunk biomass=2.477 log GBH −2.050 ) and leaf biomass (log leaf biomass=0.133 log GBH −0.728 ), from girth at breast height (GBH, in cm) of the mangrove Rhizophora apiculata Blume. A comparison is made with three other previous studies. The below-ground data set is unique: there is only one other study on root biomass but the stilts were not separated from the below-ground roots. This is the second reported data set for total biomass and the two allometric regression equations are almost identical. Based on the few direct comparisons available, it is suggested that allometric equations for R. apiculata may not be very site specific but further studies would be needed to confirm this. Partitioning of biomass is very variable for the smaller trees (GBH<15 cm) but relatively constant for the larger trees. The ratio of all the components, except for trunk, to total biomass is larger and more variable for the smaller trees. For the larger trees, 4.5% is allocated to below-ground roots, 12.5% to stilts, 71.7% to trunk, 8.1% to branches, twigs and fruits and 3.2% to leaves, i.e. 17% is apportioned to roots and 11.3% to the canopy (branches, twigs, leaves, flowers and fruits), which is a bottom-heavy stable structure.