Shrub aboveground biomass estimation considering bulk volume geometry

This study provides novel allometric equations essential for assessing aboveground biomass of shrubs in central Chile and similar Mediterranean shrublands. 411 specimens at two representative sites were measured, harvested, and weighed to quantify aboveground biomass in 14 shrub species. Finally, observations on total height, diameter at collar height, number of stems, and crown size as well as different geometric shapes representing crown area and bulk volume were used to develop species-specific and general models of AGB. Using cross-validation, we identified a general multi-species model based on bulk volume geometry that can serve as an indirect, non-destructive method for biomass estimation in future studies in Mediterranean shrublands.

Kutchartt, E., Gayoso, J., Pirotti, F., Castagneri, D., Matula, R., Rojas, Y., Olson, M. E. & Zwanzig, M. (2025): Shrub aboveground biomass estimation considering bulk volume geometry: general and specific models for 14 species in the Mediterranean central Chile. New Forests 56, 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-024-10081-7