Journal article
Testing the generality of above-ground biomass allometry across plant functional types at the continent scale
Global Change Biology, Vol.22(6), pp.2106-2124
2016
PMID: 26683241
Abstract
Accurate ground-based estimation of the carbon stored in terrestrial ecosystems is critical to quantifying the global carbon budget. Allometric models provide cost-effective methods for biomass prediction. But do such models vary with ecoregion or plant functional type? We compiled 15,054 measurements of individual tree or shrub biomass from across Australia to examine the generality of allometric models for prediction above-ground biomass. This provided a robust case study because Australia includes ecoregions ranging from arid shrublands to tropical rainforests, and has a rich history of biomass research, particularly in planted forests. Regardless of ecoregion, for five broad categories of plant functional type (shrubs; multi-stemmed trees; trees of the genus Eucalyptus and closely related genera; other trees of high wood density; and other trees of low wood density), relationships between biomass and stem diameter were generic. Simple power-law models explained 84-95% of the variation in biomass, with little improvement in model performance when other plant variables (height, bole wood density), or site characteristics (climate, age, management) were included. Predictions of stand-based biomass from allometric models of varying levels of generalisation (species-specific, plant functional type) were validated using whole-plot harvest data from 17 contrasting stands (range: 9 to 356 Mg ha-1). Losses in efficiency of prediction were < 1% if generalised models were used in place of species-specific models. Furthermore, application of generalised multi-species models did not introduce significant bias in biomass prediction in 92% of the 53 species tested. Further, overall efficiency of stand-level biomass prediction was 99%, with a mean absolute prediction error of only 13%. Hence, for cost-effective prediction of biomass across a wide range of stands, we recommend use of generic allometric models based on plant functional types. Development of new species-specific models is only warranted when gains in accuracy of stand-based predictions are relatively high (e.g. high-value monocultures).
Details
- Title
- Testing the generality of above-ground biomass allometry across plant functional types at the continent scale
- Authors
- Keryn I Paul (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureStephen H Roxburgh (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureJerome Chave (Author) - Universite Paul Sabatier, FranceJacqueline R England (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureAyalsew Zerihun (Author) - Curtin UniversityAlison Specht (Author) - University of QueenslandTom Lewis (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringLauren T Bennett (Author) - University of MelbourneThomas G Baker (Author) - University of MelbourneMark A Adams (Author) - University of SydneyDan Huxtable (Author) - Equinox Environmental Pty LtdKelvin D Montagu (Author) - University of Western SydneyDaniel S Falster (Author) - Macquarie UniversityMike Feller (Author) - University of British Columbia, CanadaStan Sochacki (Author) - Murdoch UniversityPeter Ritson (Author) - FarmWoods, AustraliaGary Bastin (Author) - Department of Land Resource ManagementJohn Bartle (Author) - Department of Parks and WildlifeDan Wildy (Author) - Fares Rural Pty LtdTrevor Hobbs (Author) - Department of Environment, Water and Natural ResourcesJohn Larmour (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureRob Waterworth (Author) - Mullion GroupHugh T L Stewart (Author) - Hugh Stewart ConsultingJustin Jonson (Author) - Threshold Environmental Pty LtdDavid I Forrester (Author) - Freiburg University, GermanyGrahame B Applegate (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts and BusinessDaniel Mendham (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureMatt Bradford (Author) - CSIRO Land and WaterAnthony O'Grady (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureDaryl Green (Author)Rob Sudmeyer (Author) - Department of Agriculture and Food, Western AustraliaStan J Rance (Author) - CSIRO Land and WaterJohn Turner (Author) - Forsci Pty LtdCraig Barton (Author) - Western Sydney UniversityElizabeth H Wenk (Author) - Macquarie UniversityTim Grove (Author) - CSIRO Land and WaterPeter M Attiwill (Author) - University of MelbourneElizabeth Pinkard (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureDon Butler (Author) - DSITIAKim Brooksbank (Author) - Department of Agriculture and Food, Western AustraliaBeren Spencer (Author) - Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western AustraliaPeter Snowdon (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureNick O'Brien (Author) - New Forests Asset Management Pty LtdMichael Battaglia (Author) - CSIRO AgricultureDavid M Cameron (Author) - Southern Cross UniversitySteve Hamilton (Author) - Hamilton Environmental ServicesGeoff McAuthur (Author) - AusCarbon Pty LtdJenny Sinclair (Author) - Green Collar Group
- Publication details
- Global Change Biology, Vol.22(6), pp.2106-2124
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- Date published
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1111/gcb.13201
- ISSN
- 1354-1013
- PMID
- 26683241
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2016 Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. This is the accepted version of the following article:Paul, K. I., Roxburgh, S. H., Chave, J., England, J. R., Zerihun, A., Specht, A., Lewis, T., Bennett, L. T., Baker, T. G., Adams, M. A., Huxtable, D., Montagu, K. D., Falster, D. S., Feller, M., Sochacki, S., Ritson, P., Bastin, G., Bartle, J., Wildy, D., Hobbs, T., Larmour, J., Waterworth, R., Stewart, H. T.L., Jonson, J., Forrester, D. I., Applegate, G., Mendham, D., Bradford, M., O'Grady, A., Green, D., Sudmeyer, R., Rance, S. J., Turner, J., Barton, C., Wenk, E. H., Grove, T., Attiwill, P. M., Pinkard, E., Butler, D., Brooksbank, K., Spencer, B., Snowdon, P., O'Brien, N., Battaglia, M., Cameron, D. M., Hamilton, S., McAuthur, G. and Sinclair, J. (2016), Testing the generality of above-ground biomass allometry across plant functional types at the continent scale. Glob Change Biol, 22: 2106-2124. doi:10.1111/gcb.13201, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13201
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Research Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99449828102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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