Articles | Volume 22, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1413-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-1413-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Mar 2025
Research article |
| 13 Mar 2025
| 13 Mar 2025
Selecting allometric equations to estimate forest biomass from plot- rather than individual-level predictive performance
Nicolas Picard
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
GIP Ecofor, Paris, France
Noël Fonton
Faculty of Agronomic Science, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin
Faustin Boyemba Bosela
Faculty of Science, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Adeline Fayolle
Forêts et Sociétés, Université de Montpellier, Cirad Montpellier, France
Cirad Forêts et Sociétés, Montpellier, France
Joël Loumeto
Faculty of Science and Technology, University Marien NGouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
Gabriel Ngua Ayecaba
Instituto Nacional de Desarrollo Forestal y Manejo del Sistema Nacional de Areas Protegidas (INDEFOR), Bata, Equatorial Guinea
Bonaventure Sonké
École normale supérieure, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaounde, Cameroon
Olga Diane Yongo Bombo
Faculty of Science, University of Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic
Hervé Martial Maïdou
Commission des Forêts d'Afrique Centrale (COMIFAC), Yaounde, Cameroon
Alfred Ngomanda
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CENAREST), Libreville, Gabon
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Short summary
Allometric equations predict tree biomass and are crucial for estimating forest carbon storage, thus assessing the role of forests in climate change mitigation. Usually, these equations are selected based on tree-level predictive performance. However, we evaluated the model performance at plot and forest levels, finding it varies with plot size. This has significant implications for reducing uncertainty in biomass estimates at these levels.
Allometric equations predict tree biomass and are crucial for estimating forest carbon storage,...
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