Forest aboveground biomass estimates in a tropical rainforest in Madagascar: new insights from the use of wood specific gravity data

To generate carbon credits under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation program（REDD＋）, accurate estimates of forest carbon stocks are needed. Carbon accounting efforts have focused on carbon stocks in aboveground biomass（AGB）.Although wood specific gravity（WSG） is known to be an important variable in AGB estimates, there is currently a lack of data on WSG for Malagasy tree species. This study aimed to determine whether estimates of carbon stocks calculated from literature-based WSG values differed from those based on WSG values measured on wood core samples. Carbon stocks in forest biomass were assessed using two WSG data sets：（i） values measured from 303 wood core samples extracted in the study area,（ii） values derived from international databases. Results suggested that there is difference between the field and literaturebased WSG at the 0.05 level. The latter data set was on average 16 % higher than the former. However, carbon stocks calculated from the two data sets did not differ significantly at the 0.05 level. Such findings could be attributed to the form of the allometric equation used which gives more weight to tree diameter and tree height than to WSG. The choice of dataset should depend on the level of accuracy（Tier II or III） desired by REDD＋. As higher levels of accuracy are rewarded by higher prices, speciesspecific WSG data would be highly desirable.

Old-growth mixed dipterocarp forests show variable losses and gains in aboveground biomass and standing carbon over forty years

Background:No studies have documented long-term trends in aboveground biomass(AGB)for mixed-dipterocarp forests(MDF),the dominant rain forest type in tropical wet equatorial Asia.In our study,we sought to document such trends over forty years across three sites representing lowland to lower montane elevations.Methods:To do this,we established fifty 100 m×25 m plots in 1978 across three sites sampled along an elevation gradient,identified as mature old-growth forest.We measured trees for diameter at breast height that we identified to species and tagged.We took wood samples to calculate species wood-specific gravity.We re-measured plots in 1998 and again in 2018.Results:We show standing AGB for all sites combined to be 517.52 Mg·ha^(-1)in 1978,but this declined by 17%over 40 years to 430.11 Mg·ha^(-1).No differences exist among sites in AGB primarily because of considerable within site variation;but interactions of time with site show declines across sites were not uniform,one remained about the same.Relatively few species represented a high proportion of the AGB with the top five species comprising between 34%and 65%,depending upon site and year sampled.One species,Mesua nagassarium,represented a disproportionately large amount of AGB and decline over time,particularly at the low elevation site.Conclusions:Our results are directly relevant to estimating AGB and standing carbon sequestered in MDF.Our study is the first to demonstrate varying but overall,declining trends in amounts of AGB among forests making predictions of biomass and standing carbon in MDF difficult over wide regions.

Technical Evaluation of Hybrid Clones of Corymbia spp. to Produce Market Pulp

This study presents hybrid clones of Corymbia spp.developed by Aperam BioEnergia as potential substitutes for Eucalyptus wood in the pulp industry.The biomass of Eucalyptus spp.was compared with that of Corymbia spp.by performing modified kraft pulping and basic density analyses.Comparisons were made by analyzing their respective mean annual increments of cellulose(MAI_(cel))and specific wood consumption(SWC),estimated using a kappa number of(19±1).The results showed that one of the hybrid clones(Corymbia citriodora×Corymbia torelliana,ID 4)had higher basic wood density,higher screened yield,better MAI_(cel#k19),and lower SWC than the other samples,reaching values of 0.608 t/m^(3),54.1%,24.6 ADt/ha/year(i.e.,air dry ton/hectare/year),and 2.74 m^(3)/ADt,respectively.Consequently,clone ID 4 had the highest MAI_(cel)/SWC ratio score(8.98).Given its high forest productivity and low industrial cost compared with other samples,as well as its advantages over Eucalyptus spp.wood,we concluded that clone ID 4 has great potential as an alternative biomass for pulp production.