Above-Ground Carbon Allometric Models for Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (Müll. Arg.) Pichon., A Common Miombo Woodland Associate
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Date
2015-07
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Abstract
Estimation of carbon using allometric models facilitates sustainable management of forests and woodlands. Reliable estimations of carbon in most ecosystems can only be accomplished by using species-specific allometric models which are lacking for many species. The present study was carried out so as to develop the best fit above-ground carbon allometric models of various tree components; stems, branches, twigs and leaves of Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (Horn-pod tree), a species that is commonly associated with Miombo woodlands. Twenty one trees of D. condylocarpon with a ranging diameter at breast height (DBH) from 5 to 19 cm were destructively sampled from Miombo woodlands of Kitwe in Tanzania. Linear models were assessed for above-ground carbon using regression analysis. Regression analysis was carried out by relating above-ground carbon of tree components to DBH and height (H), using DBH and H as predictor variables. The best fit allometric models for above-ground carbon of total, stems, branches and twigs and/or leaves had coefficient of determination values (R2) of 0.98, 0.98, 0.96 and 0.79 respectively at P < 0.05. Above-ground carbon allometric models developed have wide application in sustainable use of the species and carbon accounting particularly in Central Zambezian Miombo woodlands without future destructive sampling.
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Forestry biology, allometric models