Welcome to visit Scientia Silvae Sinicae,Today is

Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2014, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (11): 1-12.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20141101

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Biomass Estimation Factors and Their Determinants of Cunninghamia lanceolata Forests in China

Zuo Shudi1, Ren Yin1, Wang Xiaoke2, Zhang Xiaoquan3, Luo Yunjian1   

  1. 1. Institute of Urban Environment, CAS Xiamen 361021;
    2. State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS Beijing 100085;
    3. The Nature Conservancy China Program Beijing 100600
  • Received:2013-07-18 Revised:2014-09-26 Online:2014-11-25 Published:2014-12-04

Abstract:

By collecting data from published literature on biomass measurements of Cunninghamia lanceolata forests, we explored the variation and its determinants of three common biomass estimation factors, i.e. biomass conversion and expansion factor (BCEF), biomass expansion factor (BEF), and root:shoot ratio (R). Means of BCEF, BEF and R were 0.616 Mg·m-3 (n=245, SD=0.426), 1.489 (n=334, SD=0.379) and 0.247 (n=268, SD=0.083), respectively. All biomass estimation factors decreased and then leveled off (P<0.001) with increasing stand age and tree size (mean diameter at breast height, mean tree height, and standing volume), while they increased with increasing stand density (P<0.001). Values of BEF and R decreased significantly with increasing mean annual temperature (P<0.05), while BCEF values did not show the changing trends. With increasing mean annual precipitation, values of BCEF and R had no changing trends, but BEF values decreased and then increased above 1 550 mm (P<0.001). Therefore, stand and climatic variables should be considered when applying BEF and R to estimate forest biomass across broad climatic gradients, especially with BEF.

Key words: Cunninghamia lanceolata forest, biomass conversion and expansion factor, biomass expansion factor, root:shoot ratio, mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation

CLC Number: