Estimation of biomass and carbon stocks: the case of the Atlantic Forest

Abstract

. 2008. Estimation of biomass and carbon stocks: the case of the Atlantic Forest. Biota Neotrop. 8(2): http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v8n2/en/abstract?point-ofview+bn00108022008. Abstract:The main objective of this paper is to present and discuss the best methods to estimate live above ground biomass in the Atlantic Forest. The methods presented and conclusions are the products of a workshop entitled "Estimation of Biomass and Carbon Stocks: the Case of Atlantic Rain Forest". Aboveground biomass (AGB) in tropical forests is mainly contained in trees. Tree biomass is a function of wood volume, obtained from the diameter and height, architecture and wood density (dry weight per unit volume of fresh wood). It can be quantified by the direct (destructive) or indirect method where the biomass quantification is estimated using mathematical models. The allometric model can be site specific when elaborated to a particular ecosystem or general that can be used in different sites. For the Atlantic Forest, despite the importance of it, there are only two direct measurements of tree biomass, resulting in allometric models specific for this ecosystem. To select one or other of the available models in the literature to estimate AGB it is necessary take into account what is the main question to be answered and the ease with which it is possible to measure the independent variables in the model. Models that present more accurate estimates should be preferred. However, more simple models (those with one independent variable, usually DBH) can be used when the focus is monitoring the variation in carbon storage through the time. Our observations in the Atlantic Forest suggest that pan-tropical relations proposed by Chave et al. (2005) can be confidently used to estimated tree biomass across biomes as long as tree diameter (DBH), height, and wood density are accounted for in the model. Resumo: O principal objetivo deste artigo é apresentar e discutir a melhor forma para estimar a biomassa viva acima do solo (BVS) na Mata Atlântica. A biomassa viva acima do solo em florestas tropicais esta contida principalmente nas árvores. A biomassa das árvores é uma função do seu volume de madeira, obtido do diâmetro e da altura, de sua arquitetura e da densidade de sua madeira (peso seco por unidade de volume fresco). Ela pode ser quantificada pelo método direto (destrutivo) ou pelo método indireto onde a quantificação da biomassa é feita através de modelos matemáticos. Os modelos alométricos podem ser específicos para um determinado local, quando elaborado para um ecossistema particular, ou gerais, que podem ser utilizados em para estimar a biomassa em diferentes locais. Para a Mata Atlântica, a despeito de sua importância, existem somente duas medidas diretas de biomassa de árvores, que resultaram em modelos alométricos específicos para essas florestas. Para selecionar um ou outro modelo alométrico para estimar BVS, disponível na literatura, é necessário levar em conta o a questão a ser respondida e a facilidade com a qual é possível medir...

Height-diameter relationships of tropical Atlantic moist forest trees in southeastern Brazil

“…This is especially important in the case of the coastal Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil due to various limitations resulting in vegetation suppression. Therefore, an alternative solution to the development of biomass allometric equations based on destructive measurements (harvested trees) is the application of general pantropical models including height to estimate live above ground biomass (Vieira et al, 2008).…”

“…Although the Atlantic Forest is one of the most diverse biomes on Earth there is limited information regarding the structure and biomass of this forest Vieira et al, 2008).…”

“…These variables, along with wood density (Baker et al, 2004), are applied in general allometric models (Chave et al, 2005) when site-specific models are not available. As there are no available allometric models developed destructively for old-growth Atlantic forest sites Vieira et al, 2008), a pantropical allometric model developed by Chave et al (2005) for tropical moist forests has been suggested to estimate the live tree aboveground biomass (AGB) for the coastal tropical Atlantic forest using DBH, wood density and total height .…”

Quantificação de biomassa e estocagem de carbono em uma floresta estacional semidecidual, no Parque Tecnológico de Viçosa, MG

“…Segundo Vieira et al (2008) e Ribeiro et al (2009), apesar da grande importância biológica da Mata Atlântica, poucos estudos foram feitos com base em medições diretas de biomassa para o desenvolvimento de modelos alométricos, podendo citar os estudos realizados por Tiepolo et al (2002) e Burger (2005). Isso se deve, segundo esses autores, pelo fato de a Mata Atlântica ser protegida por lei, tornando restrita a estimativa de biomassa por métodos diretos (destrutivos).…”

Tree Community Composition and Aboveground Biomass in a Secondary Atlantic Forest, Serra Do Mar State Park, São Paulo, Brazil

“…Hobbs et al (2009) highlighted that the effect of human activities in the forest and the surrounds could promote the development of new ecosystems which differ in composition and/or function from present and past systems, especially as a consequence of changing species distributions and environmental alteration. In the last three decades, many studies have been devoted to Atlantic forest, firstly focused in fauna and flora's diversity and, more recently, focusing on the functionality of the forest and carbon stock (VIEIRA et al, 2008, JOLY et al, 2014.…”