Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forests
A crucial part of carbon accounting is quantifying a tree’s aboveground biomass (AGB) using allometric equations, but species-specific equations are limited because data to inform these equations requires destructive harvesting of many trees which is difficult and time-consuming. Here, we used terre...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2023.1132208/full |
| _version_ | 1797829959648018432 |
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| author | Paris Krause Brieanne Forbes Alexander Barajas-Ritchie Matthew Clark Matthew Clark Mathias Disney Mathias Disney Phil Wilkes Phil Wilkes Lisa Patrick Bentley |
| author_facet | Paris Krause Brieanne Forbes Alexander Barajas-Ritchie Matthew Clark Matthew Clark Mathias Disney Mathias Disney Phil Wilkes Phil Wilkes Lisa Patrick Bentley |
| author_sort | Paris Krause |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A crucial part of carbon accounting is quantifying a tree’s aboveground biomass (AGB) using allometric equations, but species-specific equations are limited because data to inform these equations requires destructive harvesting of many trees which is difficult and time-consuming. Here, we used terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to non-destructively estimate AGB for 282 trees from 5 species at 3 locations in Northern California using stem and branch volume estimates from quantitative structure models (QSMs) and wood density from the literature. We then compared TLS QSM estimates of AGB with published allometric equations and used TLS-based AGB, diameter at breast height (DBH), and height to derive new species-specific allometric AGB equations for our study species. To validate the use of TLS, we used traditional forestry approaches to collect DBH (n = 550) and height (n = 291) data on individual trees. TLS-based DBH and height were not significantly different from field inventory data (R2 = 0.98 for DBH, R2 = 0.95 for height). Across all species, AGB calculated from TLS QSM volumes were approximately 30% greater than AGB estimates using published Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Program equations, and TLS QSM AGB estimates were 10% greater than AGB calculated with existing equations, although this variation was species-dependent. In particular, TLS AGB estimates for Quercus agrifolia and Sequoia sempervirens differed the most from AGB estimates calculated using published equations. New allometric equations created using TLS data with DBH and height performed better than equations that only included DBH and matched most closely with AGB estimates generated from QSMs. Our results support the use of TLS as a method to rapidly estimate height, DBH, and AGB of multiple trees at a plot-level when species are identified and wood density is known. In addition, the creation of new TLS-based non-destructive allometric equations for our 5 study species may have important applications and implications for carbon quantification over larger spatial scales, especially since our equations estimated greater AGB than previous approaches. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:28:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-510da673aeb3420f9cab5d20bf8106f3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-6187 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T13:28:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-510da673aeb3420f9cab5d20bf8106f32023-05-10T05:16:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Remote Sensing2673-61872023-05-01410.3389/frsen.2023.11322081132208Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forestsParis Krause0Brieanne Forbes1Alexander Barajas-Ritchie2Matthew Clark3Matthew Clark4Mathias Disney5Mathias Disney6Phil Wilkes7Phil Wilkes8Lisa Patrick Bentley9Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United StatesDepartment of Geography, Environment and Planning, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United StatesCenter for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Research, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United StatesDepartment of Geography, University College London, London, United KingdomNERC National Centre for Earth Observation, University College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Geography, University College London, London, United KingdomNERC National Centre for Earth Observation, University College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, United StatesA crucial part of carbon accounting is quantifying a tree’s aboveground biomass (AGB) using allometric equations, but species-specific equations are limited because data to inform these equations requires destructive harvesting of many trees which is difficult and time-consuming. Here, we used terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to non-destructively estimate AGB for 282 trees from 5 species at 3 locations in Northern California using stem and branch volume estimates from quantitative structure models (QSMs) and wood density from the literature. We then compared TLS QSM estimates of AGB with published allometric equations and used TLS-based AGB, diameter at breast height (DBH), and height to derive new species-specific allometric AGB equations for our study species. To validate the use of TLS, we used traditional forestry approaches to collect DBH (n = 550) and height (n = 291) data on individual trees. TLS-based DBH and height were not significantly different from field inventory data (R2 = 0.98 for DBH, R2 = 0.95 for height). Across all species, AGB calculated from TLS QSM volumes were approximately 30% greater than AGB estimates using published Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis Program equations, and TLS QSM AGB estimates were 10% greater than AGB calculated with existing equations, although this variation was species-dependent. In particular, TLS AGB estimates for Quercus agrifolia and Sequoia sempervirens differed the most from AGB estimates calculated using published equations. New allometric equations created using TLS data with DBH and height performed better than equations that only included DBH and matched most closely with AGB estimates generated from QSMs. Our results support the use of TLS as a method to rapidly estimate height, DBH, and AGB of multiple trees at a plot-level when species are identified and wood density is known. In addition, the creation of new TLS-based non-destructive allometric equations for our 5 study species may have important applications and implications for carbon quantification over larger spatial scales, especially since our equations estimated greater AGB than previous approaches.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2023.1132208/fullterrestrial laser scanning (TLS)tree aboveground biomassallometric equationsQuercus agrifoliaQuercus garryanaSequoia sempervirens |
| spellingShingle | Paris Krause Brieanne Forbes Alexander Barajas-Ritchie Matthew Clark Matthew Clark Mathias Disney Mathias Disney Phil Wilkes Phil Wilkes Lisa Patrick Bentley Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forests Frontiers in Remote Sensing terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) tree aboveground biomass allometric equations Quercus agrifolia Quercus garryana Sequoia sempervirens |
| title | Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forests |
| title_full | Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forests |
| title_fullStr | Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forests |
| title_short | Using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non-destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse Northern California forests |
| title_sort | using terrestrial laser scanning to evaluate non destructive aboveground biomass allometries in diverse northern california forests |
| topic | terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) tree aboveground biomass allometric equations Quercus agrifolia Quercus garryana Sequoia sempervirens |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsen.2023.1132208/full |
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