Generalized biomass estimation equations for Betulapapyrifera Marsh.

Abstract
Aboveground biomass estimation equations were developed and compared for several components of Betulapapyrifera Marsh, trees using diameter at breast height (dbh) alone or dbh and height as independent variables. The data upon which the equations are based were collected by a number of different investigators working in Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and several sites in Maine and New Brunswick. Coefficients of determination ranged from 0.82 to 0.99, with higher values for bole than for crown components. The root mean-square deviation of the observations from the model was in the range 1 – 10 kg for any component. The largest trees in the data set (ca. 30 cm dbh) had total aboveground biomass of about 540 kg. In the absence of site-specific data, these equations provide acceptable estimates of biomass for B. papyrifera.