Tree Allometrics

Androstachys johnsonii / Root biomass

Root system dry biomass from DBH²·H (Table 4, form 6)

Root biomassAndrostachys johnsonii · PicrodendraceaeMozambiquenaturalRead from the original paper
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Equation

As printed (Table 4, Root system rows, and Eq. (6; Ŷ = b0 × (DBH² × TH)^b1))

Root system 3 1/0.0003 × DBH3.8639 0.0070 (±0.0015)*** 1.0226 (±0.0251)***

In this library's units, ready to compute (kg)

Root biomass = 0.007 * (D^2 * H)^1.0226
D
Diameter at breast height (1.3 m), cm
H
Total tree height, m

Best independent root-system model by Adj.R² and CVr ("model form 6, found to be the best"). Weight function 1/(0.0003 × DBH^3.8639). The paper prints the DBH²·TH grouping as "DBH 2 TH b1" in the extracted text; the grouping is confirmed by b1 ≈ 1.02, as for a volume-like variable. Root system = taproot (including root collar) + lateral roots, excavated to full depth, fine roots included, dry mass at 105 C; stump above 20 cm is not part of it. Independent (not WNSUR additive) model, which the author recommends over the simultaneous ones. One of four independent root-system models in Table 4; all performed almost equally.

Source
93 trees (DBH range 5–32 cm; TH range 5.69–16 m)
Trees measured · Methods, Data acquisition
DBH range 5–32 cm
Smallest DBH · Methods, Data acquisition
Root system 3 99.80 23.1551
R² · Table 5, Root system
The dry weight of the root system was obtained by summing the dry weights of taproot and lateral roots (fine and coarse ones).
Output · Methods, Data acquisition
Trees measured
93
DBH range
5–32 cm
Height range
5.69–16 m
R²
0.998
Method
Weighted nonlinear least squares (nls, Gauss-Newton); r2 is the adjusted R² in Table 5; CVr = 23.1551%
Where
Mabote, Funhalouro, Panda, Mandlakaze and Chibuto districts, Inhambane and Gaza provinces
Last checked
2026-11-02
Calculate
Height from
3.6
Root biomass (kg)
1.69
Carbon (kg), ×0.47
6.2
CO₂e (kg), ×44/12
Fitted DBH range020406080100510152025303540DBH (cm)Root biomass (kg)Root biomass

Shaded: the DBH range the model was fitted on. Other inputs held at the values above.

Checks this equation passes

On every build, the library's form and the paper's own form (in its units) must both give these values within 1%.

InputsExpectedWe getFrom
D = 8, H = 73.63.6Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the Table 4 coefficients
D = 15, H = 1018.818.8Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the Table 4 coefficients
D = 25, H = 1369.769.7Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the Table 4 coefficients

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