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Gaps in sampling and limitations to tree biomass estimation: a review of past sampling efforts over the past 50 years

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Tree biomass models are widely used but differ due to variation in the quality and quantity of data used in their development. We reviewed over 250 biomass studies and categorized them by species, location, sampled diameter distribution, and sample size. Overall, less than half of the tree species in Forest Inventory and Analysis database (FIADB) are without a published biomass model and most of the sampled trees are less than 13 inches diameter at breast height (d.b.h.). Although some species are well represented with biomass sampled, most focus on the aboveground components and as a result, there are important spatial gaps in their sampling as there was general divergence between the observed and sampled biomass centroids. In addition, most studies we analyzed did not sample trees of poor form or vigor, which means the models may not be representative of the larger population. Currently, this information is being used to address existing biomass sampling gaps in order to develop more robust prediction models.

Parent Publication

Citation

Weiskittel, Aaron; Frank, Jereme; Westfall, James; Walker, David; Radtke, Phil; Affleck, David; Macfarlane, David. 2015. Gaps in sampling and limitations to tree biomass estimation: a review of past sampling efforts over the past 50 years. In: Stanton, Sharon M.; Christensen, Glenn A., comps. 2015. Pushing boundaries: new directions in inventory techniques and applications: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) symposium 2015. 2015 December 8–10; Portland, Oregon. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-931. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 31-35.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/50167