Now that
we have verified the equation that we will use for estimating the amount
of biomass in a tree, we are ready to begin our calculation for the amount
of carbon sequestered in an acre of forest. To do this, we sampled
the same forest from which we took out reference trees at three different
locations. At each of the three locations (shown in the figure to
the right), a 10 meter by 10 meter square was randomly laid out, and the
trees within that square were measured. The trees that were measured
had to be more than 2 centimeters in diameter.
|
Site
#1
|
Site
#2
|
Site
#3
|
|
Tree
|
Diam.
(cm)
|
Tree
|
Diam.
(cm)
|
Tree
|
Diam.
(cm)
|
|
Pine
|
22
|
Pine
|
11
|
Pine
|
36
|
|
Pine
|
16
|
Pine
|
35
|
Pine
|
21
|
|
Pine
|
29
|
Pine
|
39
|
Pine
|
23
|
|
Pine
|
24
|
Pine
|
7
|
Pine
|
31
|
|
Pine
|
32
|
Pine
|
9
|
Pine
|
25
|
|
Pine
|
12
|
Sweet
Gum
|
8
|
Pine
|
12
|
|
Pine
|
43
|
Sweet
Gum
|
17
|
Pine
|
22
|
|
Pine
|
28
|
Sweet
Gum
|
5
|
Pine
|
25
|
|
Pine
|
39
|
Sweet
Gum
|
12
|
Pine
|
17
|
|
Sweet
Gum
|
7
|
Dogwood
|
7
|
Sweet
Gum
|
15
|
|
Sweet
Gum
|
3
|
Dogwood
|
5
|
Sweet
Gum
|
11
|
|
Sweet
Gum
|
21
|
Dogwood
|
11
|
Sweet
Gum
|
9
|
|
Dogwood
|
3
|
Dogwood
|
7
|
Sweet
Gum
|
38
|
|
Dogwood
|
8
|
Hickory
|
11
|
Dogwood
|
17
|
|
Birch
|
7
|
Hickory
|
6
|
Hickory
|
12
|
|
Birch
|
4
|
Hickory
|
8
|
Hickory
|
5
|
|
|
|
Birch
|
3
|
Birch
|
2
|
|
|
|
Maple
|
4
|
Birch
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Birch
|
2
|
With this data, and the
equation
log10M = -1.25 + 2.66
log10D
one can estimate the amount
of aboveground biomass in a 10m x 10m plot (100 m2)of
forested land. Given that 1 acre = 4047 m2,
these same calculations can be expanded to estimate the amount
of aboveground biomass in an acre of forest.
While this exercise was
originally done using the data above, additional data sets
have been derived from the original set to provide variety
in the calculations. Use the data set assigned by your instructor,
and if your instructor does not assign a particular data set,
use data set #1. Complete only one activity sheet - the one
for your data set.
|
Map
of the KSU dorm site.
Trees were sampled in the three
locations denoted by the red squares
KSU
Map
of housing sites
|
