Comparing of allometric models of single-tree biomass intended for airborne laser sensing and terrestrial taxation of carbon pool in the forests of Eurasia

Abstract

For the main tree species in North America, Europe, and Japan, a number of thousands of allometric equations for single-tree biomass estimation using mostly tree height and stem diameter at breast height are designed. An innovative airborne laser method of the forest canopy sensing allows to process online a number of morphological indices of trees, to combine them with the biomass allometric models, and to evaluate the forest carbon pools. The database of 28wood and shrub species containing 2.4 thousand of definitions is compiled for the first time in the forests of Eurasia, and on its basis the allometric transcontinental models of fractional structure of biomass of two types and dual use are developed. The first of them include as regressors the tree height and crown diameter and are intended for airborne laser location, whereas the latter have a traditional appointment for terrestrial forest biomass taxation using tree height and stem diameter. It is found that the explanatory capacity of the first model in comparison with the second one for foliage, branches, and roots is lower, but this difference is not statistically significant. The same capacity for the stem and aboveground biomass is lower too but this difference is statistically significant. Both models are designed for two different methods of taxation and cannot replace one another. Summary for Managers • We develop an innovative airborne laser method of the forest canopy sensing to evaluate the forest carbon pools. • We show this approach is highly reliable: in the most cases, there is more than 90% of tree biomass variability. • Processing speed of laser location, incommensurable with the terrestrial mensuration, gives the possibility to assess the change of carbon pool of forests on some territory during its periodic overflights. • The proposed information can be useful when implementing activities on climate stabilization, as well as in the validation of the simulation results when evaluating the carbon depositing capacity of forests. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.