Abstract

FLORES-NIEVES, Patricia et al. Biomass estimation and distribution models of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. et Cham: In decline. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2011, vol.2, n.8, pp.9-20. ISSN 2007-1132.

At present, the federal government promotes a payment for carbon sequestration by forests to mitigate global change. This is why there exists a need for estimating biomass and carbon sequestration rates in Abies religiosa forests. In this study stem, branch wood and needle biomass estimation models were generated for whole A. religiosa trees and branches in stands at Cerro Tláloc, Texcoco, Estado de México. For whole trees biomass was a function of breast height diameter (BHD), and for individual branches, biomass was a function of basal diameter (BD). Use of tree-level models is suitable for trees with BHD within the range of 12 and 105 cm, and branch-level models are recommended for BD within 1 and 120 mm. Stem models were potential while tree-level branch wood and foliage ones were exponential. Determination coefficients for whole-tree models show that there exists a large variability, especially for branch biomass, which is likely to be a result of the decline process taking place in the study area. Total tree biomass is atypically distributed within aboveground tree components: 97 % corresponds to stems, 3 % to branch-wood and 0.07 % to foliage. This biomass distribution pattern may be a reflection of the decline process affecting A. religiosa in the study area.

Keywords : Stem; branch; needle; allometric equation; Sacred-fir; net primary productivity.

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