Biomass Determination Using Wood Specific Gravity from Increment Cores

Abstract

Wood specific gravity (SG) is one of the most important variables used to determine biomass. Measurement of SG is problematic because it requires tedious, and often difficult, sampling of wood from standing trees. Sampling is complicated because the SG usually varies nonrandomly within trees, resulting in systematic errors. Off-center pith and hollow or decayed stems pose further problems in biomass estimation. When the pattern of variation within a tree is known, as it often is for a given species, the sampling procedure can be greatly simplified by sampling wood that approximates a mean value for the tree. Even when a pattern is not known, a representative approximation can produce reasonable estimates of SG. If whole above-ground woody biomass is required, corrections may be necessary to account for differences with height or in branches.

Citation

Wiemann, Michael C.; Williamson, G. Bruce. 2013. Biomass determination using wood specific gravity from increment cores. Gen.Tech. Rept. FPL-GTR-225. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Labratory. 9 p.