Abstract
Biomass is an important parameter for bioenergy modelling, food security, environmental assessment and climate change research. However, estimation of biomass is still a challenging task especially in areas with complex forest stand structures and environmental conditions. The aim of this research was to estimate the Above Ground Biomass (AGB) and carbon stocks in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) using the Horizontal-Horizontal (HH) and Horizontal-Vertical (HV) polarizations acquired by the L-band ALOS PALSAR instrument. In addition, field data from 35 sample plots comprising of the Diameter at Breast Height (DBH), co-ordinates of centroids and angles to the top and bottom of the individual trees was used for the analysis. The relationship between biomass and radar backscatter for selected sample plots was established using pairwise correlation. A strong correlation between the radar backscatter and AGB was found using the HV polarization compared with the HH polarization. Overall, ALOS PALSAR data has a strong potential for biomass and carbon estimation in the tropical areas such as the BINP.
Highlights
Biomass is an important variable for bioenergy modeling, food security, environmental assessment and climate change research
Analysis of the two parameters showed that plot 6 had an average height of 35.3 m and an average Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) of 59.0 cm while plot 2 had an average height of 23.8 m and an average DBH of 17.7 cm
High values of DBH and height resulted in high estimated above ground biomass
Summary
Biomass is an important variable for bioenergy modeling, food security, environmental assessment and climate change research. It comprises of both the below and above ground living mass or organic material including: roots, shrubs, vines, crops, tree litter and dead mass associated with soil (Amado, 2012). On one hand forests act as carbon emitters during degradation and deforestation. In this way, forest loss results in a direct increase in carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Trees absorb CO2 during photosynthesis resulting in a decrease in the carbon amounts in the atmosphere
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