Open AccessHeight-diameter allometry for tropical forest in northern Amazonia
Author(s) -
Róbson Borges de Lima,
Eric Bastos Görgens,
Fernando Elias,
Jadson Coelho de Abreu,
Aldine Luiza Pereira Baia,
Cinthia Pereira de Oliveira,
Diego Armando Silva da Silva,
Anderson Pedro Bernardina Batista,
Robson Carmo Lima,
Eleneide Doff Sotta,
Rinaldo Luíz Caraciolo Ferreira,
José Antônio Aleixo da Silva,
Marcelino Carneiro Guedes
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0255197
Subject(s) - pantropical , allometry , tree allometry , biomass (ecology) , ecology , macroecology , environmental science , amazon rainforest , ecosystem , physical geography , atmospheric sciences , biology , geography , biodiversity , geology , biomass partitioning , genus
Height measurements are essential to manage and monitor forest biomass and carbon stocks. However, accurate estimation of this variable in tropical ecosystems is still difficult due to species heterogeneity and environmental variability. In this article, we compare and discuss six nonlinear allometric models parameterized at different scales (local, regional and pantropical). We also evaluate the height measurements obtained in the field by the hypsometer when compared with the true tree height. We used a dataset composed of 180 harvested trees in two distinct areas located in the Amapá State. The functional form of the Weibull model was the best local model, showing similar performance to the pantropical model. The inaccuracy detected in the hypsometer estimates reinforces the importance of incorporating new technologies in measuring individual tree heights. Establishing accurate allometric models requires knowledge of ecophysiological and environmental processes that govern vegetation dynamics and tree height growth. It is essential to investigate the influence of different species and ecological gradients on the diameter/height ratio.