Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest
Allometric equations use easily measurable biometric variables to determine the aboveground and belowground biomasses of trees. Equations produced for estimating the biomass within Canadian forests at a large scale have not yet been validated for eastern Canadian boreal open woodlands (OWs), where t...
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/1/59 |
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| author | Olivier Fradette Charles Marty Pascal Tremblay Daniel Lord Jean-François Boucher |
| author_facet | Olivier Fradette Charles Marty Pascal Tremblay Daniel Lord Jean-François Boucher |
| author_sort | Olivier Fradette |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Allometric equations use easily measurable biometric variables to determine the aboveground and belowground biomasses of trees. Equations produced for estimating the biomass within Canadian forests at a large scale have not yet been validated for eastern Canadian boreal open woodlands (OWs), where trees experience particular environmental conditions. In this study, we harvested 167 trees from seven boreal OWs in Quebec, Canada for biomass and allometric measurements. These data show that Canadian national equations accurately predict the whole aboveground biomass for both black spruce and jack pine trees, but underestimated branches biomass, possibly owing to a particular tree morphology in OWs relative to closed-canopy stands. We therefore developed ad hoc allometric equations based on three power models including diameter at breast height (DBH) alone or in combination with tree height (H) as allometric variables. Our results show that although the inclusion of H in the model yields better fits for most tree compartments in both species, the difference is minor and does not markedly affect biomass C stocks at the stand level. Using these newly developed equations, we found that carbon stocks in afforested OWs varied markedly among sites owing to differences in tree growth and species. Nine years after afforestation, jack pine plantations had accumulated about five times more carbon than black spruce plantations (0.14 vs. 0.80 t C·ha<sup>−1</sup>), highlighting the much larger potential of jack pine for OW afforestation projects in this environment. |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj.art-5ee50a0993f24bea83f24f2bc13d650a2023-11-21T08:44:29ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072021-01-011215910.3390/f12010059Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal ForestOlivier Fradette0Charles Marty1Pascal Tremblay2Daniel Lord3Jean-François Boucher4Carbone Boréal Research Infrastructure, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, CanadaCarbone Boréal Research Infrastructure, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, CanadaDépartement des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, CanadaDépartement des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, CanadaDépartement des Sciences Fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC G7H 2B1, CanadaAllometric equations use easily measurable biometric variables to determine the aboveground and belowground biomasses of trees. Equations produced for estimating the biomass within Canadian forests at a large scale have not yet been validated for eastern Canadian boreal open woodlands (OWs), where trees experience particular environmental conditions. In this study, we harvested 167 trees from seven boreal OWs in Quebec, Canada for biomass and allometric measurements. These data show that Canadian national equations accurately predict the whole aboveground biomass for both black spruce and jack pine trees, but underestimated branches biomass, possibly owing to a particular tree morphology in OWs relative to closed-canopy stands. We therefore developed ad hoc allometric equations based on three power models including diameter at breast height (DBH) alone or in combination with tree height (H) as allometric variables. Our results show that although the inclusion of H in the model yields better fits for most tree compartments in both species, the difference is minor and does not markedly affect biomass C stocks at the stand level. Using these newly developed equations, we found that carbon stocks in afforested OWs varied markedly among sites owing to differences in tree growth and species. Nine years after afforestation, jack pine plantations had accumulated about five times more carbon than black spruce plantations (0.14 vs. 0.80 t C·ha<sup>−1</sup>), highlighting the much larger potential of jack pine for OW afforestation projects in this environment.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/1/59allometric equationsblack sprucejack pineboreal forestopen woodlandafforestation |
| spellingShingle | Olivier Fradette Charles Marty Pascal Tremblay Daniel Lord Jean-François Boucher Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest Forests allometric equations black spruce jack pine boreal forest open woodland afforestation |
| title | Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest |
| title_full | Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest |
| title_fullStr | Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest |
| title_full_unstemmed | Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest |
| title_short | Allometric Equations for Estimating Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Afforested Open Woodlands with Black Spruce and Jack Pine, in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest |
| title_sort | allometric equations for estimating biomass and carbon stocks in afforested open woodlands with black spruce and jack pine in the eastern canadian boreal forest |
| topic | allometric equations black spruce jack pine boreal forest open woodland afforestation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/1/59 |
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