An integrated pan‐tropical biomass map using multiple reference datasets
Top Cited Papers
- 10 January 2016
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Global Change Biology
- Vol. 22 (4), 1406-1420
- https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13139
Abstract
We combined two existing datasets of vegetation aboveground biomass (AGB) (Saatchi et al., 2011; Baccini et al., 2012) into a pan-tropical AGB map at 1-km resolution using an independent reference dataset of field observations and locally-calibrated high-resolution biomass maps, harmonized and upscaled to 14,477 1-km AGB estimates. Our data fusion approach uses bias removal and weighted linear averaging that incorporates and spatializes the biomass patterns indicated by the reference data. The method was applied independently in areas (strata) with homogeneous error patterns of the input (Saatchi and Baccini) maps, which were estimated from the reference data and additional covariates. Based on the fused map, we estimated AGB stock for the tropics (23.4 N – 23.4 S) of 375 Pg dry mass, 9% - 18% lower than the Saatchi and Baccini estimates. The fused map also showed differing spatial patterns of AGB over large areas, with higher AGB density in the dense forest areas in the Congo basin, Eastern Amazon and South-East Asia, and lower values in Central America and in most dry vegetation areas of Africa than either of the input maps. The validation exercise, based on 2,118 estimates from the reference dataset not used in the fusion process, showed that the fused map had a RMSE 15 – 21% lower than that of the input maps and, most importantly, nearly unbiased estimates (mean bias 5 Mg dry mass ha−1 vs. 21 and 28 Mg ha−1 for the input maps). The fusion method can be applied at any scale including the policy-relevant national level, where it can provide improved biomass estimates by integrating existing regional biomass maps as input maps and additional, country-specific reference datasets.Keywords
Funding Information
- Seventh Framework Programme (283080)
- Direktoratet for Utviklingssamarbeid (QZA‐10/0468)
- Epilepsy Society of Australia (4000113100/14/I‐NB)
- Australian Agency for International Development (46167)
- Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit
- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária
- U.S. Forest Service
- United States Agency for International Development
- Aberystwyth University
- University of New South Wales
- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
- National Science Foundation (1146206)
- European Research Council
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