Developing One-variable Individual Tree Biomass Models based on Wood Density for 34 Tree Species in China

Forest ecosystem is the largest carbon bank on land, and biomass models will be essential basis for evaluating carbon sequestration capacity of forests. Based on the general biomass model M=0.3pD7/3 presented by Zeng and Tang, one-variable individual tree aboveground biomass models for all 34 tree species or groups in China were established using the data of wood basic density of all tree species published; and based on the mensuration data of the National Forest Biomass Modeling Program, the aboveground biomass models of 14 tree species or genera were validated. Additionally, compatible belowground biomass models and root-to-shoot ratio models for two species groups, coniferous and broadleaved, were developed and evaluated. The results showed that the averages of absolute relative errors of above- and below-ground biomass estimates from one-variable biomass models developed in this study were less than the error allowances 10% and 15%, respectively. The developed biomass models here could be applied to estimate forest biomass at national level and would be important supplement to the ministerial standards on biomass models which were promulgated and implemented in the recent years.