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Height–diameter allometry in African monodominant forest close to mixed forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2021

Grace Jopaul Loubota Panzou Open the ORCID record for Grace Jopaul Loubota Panzou [Opens in a new window] ,
Yannick Enock Bocko ,
Alain Yves Mavoungou  and
Jean-Joël Loumeto
Grace Jopaul Loubota Panzou*
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biodiversité, de Gestion des Ecosystèmes et de l’Environnement (LBGE), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques (Université Marien NGOUABI), BP 69 Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Yannick Enock Bocko
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biodiversité, de Gestion des Ecosystèmes et de l’Environnement (LBGE), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques (Université Marien NGOUABI), BP 69 Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Alain Yves Mavoungou
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biodiversité, de Gestion des Ecosystèmes et de l’Environnement (LBGE), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques (Université Marien NGOUABI), BP 69 Brazzaville, Republic of Congo Ministère de l’Economie Forestière, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Jean-Joël Loumeto
Affiliation:
Laboratoire de Biodiversité, de Gestion des Ecosystèmes et de l’Environnement (LBGE), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques (Université Marien NGOUABI), BP 69 Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
*
Author for correspondence:*Grace Jopaul Loubota Panzou, Email: loubotagrace@gmail.com
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Abstract

African monodominant forests are frequently formed by Gilbertiodendron dewevrei (De Wild.) J. Leonard and commonly found close to mixed forests. However, previous studies have ignored differences between these two forest types in height–diameter allometry, which is extremely important for aboveground biomass (AGB) estimates. This study aims to evaluate the performance of height–diameter models and their effects on height attributes and AGB estimations in African monodominant and mixed forests. Four 1-ha plots divided in 16 subplots (0.25 ha) were installed in each forest type in northern Republic of Congo. We measured diameter of all trees ≥ 10 cm diameter for each subplot and we measured the height of 264 trees over a large range of 7–64 m in two forest types. There was a significant difference in height–diameter allometry between two forest types and trees were taller and had greater AGB in monodominant forests than in mixed forests. Two height–diameter models from the literature generated the lowest error values when predicting tree height and AGB in mixed forests, whereas no model derived from the literature was appropriate for monodominant forests. The variation in height–diameter allometry between monodominant and mixed forests influences AGB estimates that have practical implications for carbon monitoring.

Keywords

aboveground biomassheight–diameter allometrymixed forestmonodominant forestRepublic of Congo
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 37 , Issue 2 , March 2021 , pp. 98 - 107
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© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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