Tree Allometrics

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Guangzhou subtropical forest total biomass, Model 5 (DBH and wood density)

Total biomassSubtropical evergreen broadleaf forest trees (Castanopsis fissa, Aleurites montana, Castanopsis chinensis, Machilus chinensis and 22 companion species)ChinanaturalRead from the original paper

Fitted on these 4 species and others the paper does not name here: Castanopsis fissa, Aleurites montana, Castanopsis chinensis, Machilus chinensis

2 of the 4 species it was fitted on · iNaturalist photos, hover for credit
Equation

As printed (Section 2.4, Eq. 5)

ln(B) = a + bln(DBH²) + cln(WD)

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

Total biomass = exp(-1.365 + 1.196 * ln(D^2) + 0.746 * ln(rho))
D
Diameter at breast height (1.3 m), cm
rho
Wood density (oven-dry mass / green volume), g/cm³

ln(B) = a + bln(DBH²) + cln(WD). Fitted in R (nlme) on ln-transformed biomass; the paper states no back-transform correction factor and none is applied. Aboveground biomass is above a 10 cm stump (stem, branches, leaves); belowground is the root system plus stump. The paper lists five models (1)-(5); model (2) (ln DBH²H) and (4) (ln DBH²WD) are not added here. Wood density WD is the stem basic density measured by water displacement (oven-dry mass over fresh volume). Sample size and diameter range for the belowground subsample are not stated separately for the total model, so none is given.

Source
(5) −1.365 ± 0.102 1.196 ± 0.015 0.746 ± 0.108 1.041 0.178 0.966 82.1 26.32 −1.57
Equation · Table 3, Total
(5) −1.365 ± 0.102 1.196 ± 0.015 0.746 ± 0.108 1.041 0.178 0.966 82.1 26.32 −1.57
R² · Table 3, Total
R²
0.966
Method
ln-ln regression (R, nlme)
Where
Fushan, about 26 km northeast of Guangzhou, Guangdong
Last checked
2026-11-02
Calculate
91.6
Total biomass (kg)
43
Carbon (kg), ×0.47
158
CO₂e (kg), ×44/12
02004006008001,000510152025303540DBH (cm)Total biomass (kg)Total 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 = 15, rho = 0.4591.691.6Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the published form
D = 40, rho = 0.51,0351,035Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the published form

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