Additive model of aboveground biomass of larch single-trees related to age, Dbh and height, sensitive to temperature and precipitation in Eurasia

Abstract

The first attempt of modeling changes in the aboveground additive component composition of larch (genus Larix spp.) tree biomass, according to the Trans-Eurasian hydrothermal gradients of Eurasia on the database compiled for the structure of harvest biomass in a number of 510 sample trees is fulfilled. The adequacy of the obtained regularities is determined by the level of variability 87-99 % explained by the proposed regression models. For the central territory of European Russia, characterized by the mean annual temperature of January -10 °C and the mean annual precipitation of 400 mm, the increase in temperature by 1°C at the constant level of precipitation causes on Larix spp. trees of the equal age and sizes, the decrease in the aboveground, stem, needle and branches by 0.4, 0.3, 1.4 и 1.3 %, respectively. For the same region, in equal-sized trees, the increase in precipitation by 100 mm at a constant annual temperature in January causes the decrease of the aboveground and stem biomass by 1.2 and 1.7%, respectively, and the increase of needle and branches biomass by 4.0 and 6.0%, respectively. The development of such models for the main forest-forming species of Eurasia will make it possible to predict changes in the productivity of the forest cover of Eurasia in connection with climate change.

Keywords: larch trees, genus Larix spp., tree biomass, allometric models