Updated generalized biomass equations for North American tree species

Abstract

Historically, tree biomass at large scales has been estimated by applying dimensional analysis techniques and field measurements such as diameter at breast height (dbh) in allometric regression equations. Equations often have been developed using differing methods and applied only to certain species or isolated areas. We previously had compiled and combined (in meta-analysis) available diameter-based allometric regression equations for estimating total aboveground and component dry-weight biomass for US trees. This had resulted in a set of 10 consistent, national-scale aboveground biomass regression equations for US species, as well as equations for predicting biomass of tree components as proportions of total aboveground biomass. In this update of our published equation database and refinement of our model, we developed equations based on allometric scaling theory, using taxonomic groupings and wood specific gravity as surrogates for scaling parameters that we could not estimate. The new approach resulted in 35 theoretically based generalized equations (13 conifer, 18 hardwood, 4 woodland), compared with the previous empirically grouped 10. For trees from USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA) plots, with forest types grouped into conifers and hardwoods, previous and updated equations produced nearly identical estimates that predicted ∼20 per cent higher biomass than FIA estimates. Differences were observed between previous and updated equation estimates when comparisons were made using individual FIA forest types.