Variation of tree allometry and aboveground biomass in central African forests

Quantifying the biomass and carbon stocks contained in tropical forests has become an international priority for the implementation of the REDD+ initiative. Many techniques exist to estimate forest biomass at different spatial scales, but all ultimately rely on allometric equations calibrated on destructive measurements of individual tree biomass, in order to convert forest inventory data into biomass estimates. For many tropical forest ecosystems, that are structurally complex and species rich, these allometric equations have not yet been developed and general allometric equations are being used instead, with possibly local adjustment of tree allometry with non-destructive data. Variation in height-diameter allometry and in crown-diameter allometry across forest types and environmental conditions have been demonstrated to be of extreme importance for the estimation of biomass and carbon stocks in tropical forests, but yet poorly explored in central Africa. In this study we aimed to determine the variation in tree height-diameter and crown-diameter allometries across central African forests and the consequences for biomass and carbon stocks. Tree allometry data were collected in two of semi-deciduous forest sites in northern Republic of Congo that have vastly different substrate and soils (clay soils on quartzite and sandy soils on sandstone plateau), and forest communities, but similar rainfall regimes. These data will be analyzed to test two hypotheses: (i) tree allometry strongly varies across forest types with contrasted environmental conditions (and specifically soils), and (ii) both allometry and forest structure contributed to the greater biomass of the site on rich soil (quartzite substrate). Our newly collected data for two sites in northern Congo will be confronted to existing allometry and inventory data available elsewhere in the Congo basin to get a broader picture of allometric variations and its consequences for the estimation of biomass and carbon stocks.