Tree-crown biomass estimation in forest species of the Ural and of Kazakhstan (original) (raw)

Tree foliage biomass forms an essential element in forest modelling. Its measurement is costly and its relation to other measurements of standing trees have come under closer scrutiny since the introduction of the pipe model. Regressions of foliage and green shoot biomass of various levels of complexity are given, using as predictors diameter at the base of the crown (d c), mean diameter increment, diameter at breast height (d) and age (t). Most economical and relatively precise are two separate regressions, one for broad-leaved and one for coniferous species each, using d c only. Approximations for coniferous foliage can be improved considerably by allowing parallel regressions and including mean diameter increment and diameter at breast height as predictors. We found that tree age is less in¯uential than mean increment. For shoot biomass parallel regressions on d c are optimal.