Articles | Volume 23, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-7955-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-23-7955-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
09 Nov 2026
Research article |
| 09 Nov 2026
| 09 Nov 2026
Tree height uncertainty biases aboveground biomass estimation more than wood density in miombo woodlands
Arthur M. Yambayamba
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
Ferdinand Handavu
Department of Environment and Climate Sciences, Mukuba University, Kitwe, Zambia
Kondwani Kapinga
Dag Hammarskjöld Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (DHIPS), Environment, Sustainable Development and Peace, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
Chair of Environment and Development, Oliver R. Tambo Africa Research Chair Initiative (ORTARChI), Copperbelt University, P.O. Box 21692, Kitwe, Zambia
Tommaso Jucker
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-226, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-226, 2026
Revised manuscript under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
This study introduces the first global, spatially explicit dataset of tree diameter structure, capturing key aspects of forest organization, including average tree size, large-tree dominance, and within-stand variability. Built from over one million ground-based field plots combined with more than 50 satellite and environmental layers using machine learning, it provides a consistent representation of forest structure and supports ecosystem research, climate modeling, and forest management.
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Short summary
Trees contribute enormously to climate change mitigation by sequestering huge amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Quantifying this important function of trees is however not without challenges as it requires measuring the size and density of trees to determine aboveground biomass. Our study shows that uncertainty in tree size can lead to more errors than from density. Characterising local tree structures is key to our understanding of the contribution of trees to climate change mitigation.
Trees contribute enormously to climate change mitigation by sequestering huge amounts of...
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