Analysing different carbon estimation methods for Austrian forests

作者：Thurnher Christopher^*; Gerritzen Thomas; Maroschek Michael; Lexer Manfred J; Hasenauer Hubert

来源：Austrian Journal of Forest Science, 2013, 130(3): 141-165.

• Carbon estimation
• Austrian biomass functions
• expansion factors
• biomass allometries

Terrestrial tree measurements of diameter at breast height (DBH) and height are used to estimate the carbon of different tree compartments. In this paper we will present four different carbon estimation methods for three major tree species (Norway spruce, common beech and Scots pine) in Austria and demonstrate the differences in the resulting predictions according to the chosen method. Carbon estimations of single trees can be generally based on biomass equations or biomass expansion factors. The investigated methods are the Austrian biomass functions (ABF), biomass functions based on allometric relationships of tree data collected by Burger (Burger), biomass expansion factors (BEF) and calculations recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Since we were interested in the theoretical impacts of the chosen method we generated a standardized data set representing a similar number of trees within each diameter class. We calculated the overall above ground carbon as well as the carbon of different tree compartments (stem, branches, needles/leafs). All four approaches show similar results for trees with a DBH below 50 cm across all three investigated tree species. With an increasing DBH the differences in the resulting carbon estimation methods increase, suggesting that the method chosen has a strong impact on the results.

• 出版日期2013