Construction of compatible and additive individual tree biomass models for Pinus tabulaeformis in China

Current biomass models for Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) fail to accurately estimate biomass in large geographic regions because they were: usually based on limited sample trees on local sites; incompatible with stem volume; and not additive among components and total biomass. This study was based on mensuration data of individual tree biomass from large samples. The purpose was to construct compatible and additive biomass models using error-in-variable simultaneous equations and dummy variable modeling approach. This approach could ensure compatibility of aboveground biomass model with biomass conversion factor (BCF) and stem volume model, and compatibility of belowground biomass model with root-to-shoot ratio (RSR) model. Also, stem, branch and foliage biomass models were additive to aboveground biomass model. Results showed that mean prediction errors (MPEâ s) of the developed one- and two-variable aboveground biomass models were less than 4%, the MPEâ s of three components (stem, branch, and foliage) and belowground biomass were less than 10%. Furthermore, climate impact on above- and below-ground biomass were analyzed. Aboveground biomass was related to mean annual temperature (MAT), while belowground biomass had no significant relationship with either MAT or mean annual precipitation (MAP). The developed models provide a good basis for estimating biomass of Chinese pine forests.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author