Abstract

ACOSTA MIRELES, Miguel; CARRILLO ANZURES, Fernando  and  GOMEZ VILLEGAS, Raúl Gilberto. Biomass and carbon assessment in two tree species in a cloudy forest. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2011, vol.2, n.4, pp.529-543. ISSN 2007-0934.

The generation of allometric equations is important to determine biomass and carbon in tree species. This information is useful in climate change studies. In this paper, allometric equations were generated for two species of ecological importance in the cloud forest: Clethra mexicana DC and Alnus arguta (Schltdl) Spach. Equations determined are of the form Y= bX^k; where: Y= biomass or carbon content (kg); and X= normal diameter (ND) in centimeters. To estimate model values of b and k for each species, a sampling was performed in fifteen Clethra mexicana and 22 of Alnus arguta trees. In Clethra mexicana the highest percentage of biomass 45.2% was found in the trunk including the stump, while branches and foliage had 36.3% and 18.6% respectively. With the biomass and ND of the tress, b and k parameters were determined from the proposed model (B= 0.4632 DN^1.8168, R²= 0.946). For Alnus arguta the highest percentage of biomass (60.6%) was found in the trunk including the stump, while branches and foliage had 27.4 and 12% respectively. Like the previous case with biomass and ND, b and k parameters were obtained from the proposed model (B= 0.1649 DN^2.2755, R²= 0.968). After analyzing carbon content in each species samples, equations were adjusted for Clethra mexicana C= 22.49DN^1.8168, with R²= 0.946, whereas for Alnus arguta C= 0.0809DN^2.2782 with R² = 0.968.

Keywords : Alnus arguta (Schltdl) Spach; Clethra mexicana DC; carbon store; allometric equations.

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