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Height-diameter allometry and above ground biomass in tropical montane forests: insights from the Albertine Rift in Africa

dc.contributor.authorImani, G.
dc.contributor.authorBoyemba, F.
dc.contributor.authorLewis, S.
dc.contributor.authorNabahungu, N.L.
dc.contributor.authorCalders, K.
dc.contributor.authorZapfack, L.
dc.contributor.authorRiera, B.
dc.contributor.authorBalegamire, C.
dc.contributor.authorCuni-Sanchez, A.
dc.date.accessioned2019-12-04T11:11:18Z
dc.date.available2019-12-04T11:11:18Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.identifier.citationImani, G., Boyemba, F., Lewis, S., Nabahungu, N.L., Calders, K., Zapfack, L. ... & Cuni-Sanchez, A. (2017). Height-diameter allometry and above ground biomass in tropical montane forests: insights from the Albertine Rift in Africa. PLOS ONE, 12(6), 1-20.
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12478/2398
dc.descriptionOpen Access Journal; Published online: June 15, 2017
dc.description.abstractTropical montane forests provide an important natural laboratory to test ecological theory. While it is well-known that some aspects of forest structure change with altitude, little is known on the effects of altitude on above ground biomass (AGB), particularly with regard to changing height-diameter allometry. To address this we investigate (1) the effects of altitude on height-diameter allometry, (2) how different height-diameter allometric models affect above ground biomass estimates; and (3) how other forest structural, taxonomic and environmental attributes affect above ground biomass using 30 permanent sample plots (1-ha; all trees ≥ 10 cm diameter measured) established between 1250 and 2600 m asl in Kahuzi Biega National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Forest structure and species composition differed with increasing altitude, with four forest types identified. Different height-diameter allometric models performed better with the different forest types, as trees got smaller with increasing altitude. Above ground biomass ranged from 168 to 290 Mg ha-1, but there were no significant differences in AGB between forests types, as tree size decreased but stem density increased with increasing altitude. Forest structure had greater effects on above ground biomass than forest diversity. Soil attributes (K and acidity, pH) also significantly affected above ground biomass. Results show how forest structural, taxonomic and environmental attributes affect above ground biomass in African tropical montane forests. They particularly highlight that the use of regional height-diameter models introduces significant biases in above ground biomass estimates, and that different height-diameter models might be preferred for different forest types, and these should be considered in future studies.
dc.description.sponsorshipEuropean Union
dc.format.extent1-20
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectHeight
dc.subjectDiameter
dc.subjectBiomass
dc.subjectForestry
dc.subjectDemocratic Republic Of Congo
dc.subjectTropical Forests
dc.titleHeight-diameter allometry and above ground biomass in tropical montane forests: insights from the Albertine Rift in Africa
dc.typeJournal Article
dc.description.versionPeer Review
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversité Officielle de Bukavu
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversité de Kisangani
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity College, London
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Leeds
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture
cg.contributor.affiliationNational Physical Laboratory, United Kingdom
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversité de Yaoundé
cg.contributor.affiliationMuseum National d'Histoire Naturelle, France
cg.contributor.affiliationCentre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles de Lwiro
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionCentral Africa
cg.coverage.countryCongo, Dr
cg.isijournalISI Journal
cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and developing country institute
cg.iitasubjectForestry
cg.journalPLOS ONE
cg.howpublishedFormally Published
cg.accessibilitystatusOpen Access
local.dspaceid92353
cg.targetaudienceScientists
cg.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179653


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