Allometric Equations for Estimating Carbon Stocks in Natural Forest in New Zealand

Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis) forests are protected on a large-scale under the Natural Forest Protection (NFP) program in China to improve the ecological environment. However, information about carbon (C) storage to increase C sequestration and sustainable management is lacking. Biomass, C, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) storage of trees, shrubs, herb, litter and soil (0-100 cm) were determined from destructive tree sampling and plot level investigation in approximately 30-year old Chinese cork oak forests on the south slope of the Qinling Mountains. There was no significant difference in tree components' biomass estimation, with the exception of roots, among the available allometric equations developed from this study site and other previous study sites. Leaves had the highest C, N and P concentrations among tree components and stems were the major compartments for tree biomass, C, N and P storage. In contrast to finding no difference in N concentrations along the whole soil profile, higher C and P concentrations were observed in the upper 0-10 cm of soil than in the deeper soil layers. The ecosystem C, N, and P storage was 163.76, 18.54 and 2.50 t ha −1 , respectively. Soil (0-100 cm) contained the largest amount of C, N and P storage, accounting for 61.76%, 92.78% and 99.72% of the total ecosystem, followed by 36.14%, 6.03% and 0.23% for trees, and 2.10%, 1.19% and 0.03% for shrubs, herbs and litter, respectively. The equations accurately estimate ecosystem biomass, and the OPEN ACCESSForests 2015, 6 1240 knowledge of the distribution of C, N and P storage will contribute to increased C sequestration and sustainable management of Chinese cork oak forests under the NFP program.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomass, Carbon and Nutrient Storage in a 30-Year-Old Chinese Cork Oak (Quercus Variabilis) Forest on the South Slope of the Qinling Mountains, China

Cao

Chen

2015

“…As crowns of shrubs merge and cover becomes continuous, stand-level allometric equations linking canopy height and percentage cover to biomass on a per-area basis are used. By contrast, forest C estimation is largely dependent on allometric equations linking individual tree dimensions to individual-level biomass [21,24].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Often, many small and very few large individuals are harvested, due to logistical constraints (e.g., [21]). Such a sampling design will obviously inflate the uncertainty of biomass estimates for large individuals.…”

Section: Potential Sources Of Uncertaintymentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual-Based Allometric Equations Accurately Measure Carbon Storage and Sequestration in Shrublands

Mason

Beets

Payton

et al. 2014

Abstract:Many studies have quantified uncertainty in forest carbon (C) storage estimation, but there is little work examining the degree of uncertainty in shrubland C storage estimates. We used field data to simulate uncertainty in carbon storage estimates from three error sources: (1) allometric biomass equations; (2) measurement errors of shrubs harvested for the allometry; and (3) measurement errors of shrubs in survey plots. We also assessed uncertainty for all possible combinations of these error sources. Allometric uncertainty had the greatest independent effect on C storage estimates for individual plots. The largest error arose when all three error sources were included in simulations (where the 95% confidence interval spanned a range equivalent to 40% of mean C storage). Mean C sequestration (1.73 Mg C ha -1 year -1) exceeded the margin of error produced by the simulated sources of uncertainty. This demonstrates that, even when the major sources of uncertainty were accounted for, we were able to detect relatively modest gains in shrubland C storage.

“…In New Zealand, the carbon stock in the naturally regenerating stratum of pre-1990 natural forest is estimated from measurements of orthogonal widths and height of crowns of discrete shrubs or from canopy height and cover if the canopy is closed [3]. As neither of these approaches can be adapted to estimate stock changes from a single measurement, methods based on stem diameter and height [4,5] were considered, because these measurements in conjunction with diameter increment data from stem analysis, can be used to estimate stock changes over defined time intervals [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Application of Stem Analysis Methods to Estimate Carbon Sequestration in Arboreal Shrubs from a Single Measurement of Field Plots

Beets¹,

Kimberley²,

Oliver³

et al. 2014

Repeated measurements of plots are usually made to directly determine carbon stock changes over time. However, it is sometimes only practical or feasible to inventory plots at the end of a period of interest, and stock changes need to be predicted retrospectively from supplementary information on growth rate. This situation applied to the natural stratum of post-1989 forest in New Zealand, for which carbon sequestration over Commitment Period 1 (2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012) of the Kyoto Protocol needed to be estimated from inventory data acquired in 2012. A pilot study was undertaken to test and refine methods that could be applied in the national inventory, utilizing plots that had been installed in eligible post-1989 natural forest in 2008. The plots had actual measurements and shrub biomass sampling to directly estimate carbon stocks in 2008. These plots were re-measured and sampled in 2012, and basal disc samples from plants growing adjacent to each plot collected to provide data to model stem annual increment in diameter and height of shrubs growing on the plot. We present the results of this test of methods, and discuss refinements to field procedures and calculation methods to be applied in the national inventory of this stratum of post-1989 forest in 2012.