The study developed allometric models for estimating liana stem and total above-ground (TAGB) biomass in primary and secondary forests in the Asenanyo Forest Reserve, Ghana. Liana biomass was determined for 50 individuals for each forest using destructive sampling. Various predictors involving liana diameter and length were run against liana biomass in regression analysis, and , RMSE, and Furnival's index of fit (FI) were used for model comparison. The equations comprised models fitted to untransformed and log-transformed data. Forest type had a significant influence ( ) on liana allometric models in the current study, resulting in the development of forest-type-specific equations. There were significant and strong linear relationships between liana biomass and the predictors in both forests ( ). Liana diameter was a better predictor of biomass than liana length. Generally, the models which were based on log-transformed data showed better fit (higher FI values) than those fitted to untransformed data. Comparison of the site specific models in the current study with previously published models indicated that the models of the current study differed from the previous ones. This indicates the need for forest specific equations to be used for accurate determination of above-ground liana biomass. 1. Introduction Lianas are important structural component of tropical forests [1]. They perform a number of ecological functions which help to sustain tropical forest ecosystems [2]. Lianas add substantially to plant assemblages in tropical forests in terms of number of species [3] and stem density [4]. Apart from contributing directly to species diversity in tropical forests, lianas also play a number of roles which contribute to maintain diversity of other organism [5]. Due to relatively high dominance of lianas in tropical forests, they also contribute a lot to forest biomass, especially in heavy liana infested forests. Specifically, lianas can accumulate as high as 30% of total above-ground biomass in tropical forest ecosystems [2]. Comparatively, lianas devote much less biomass for stem support than tress, and therefore, they are able to allocate more biomass for their growth compared with trees [2, 5]. Consequently, lianas have higher biomass growth than trees [6]. Lianas allocate more biomass for leaf production than the amount of biomass allocated to their stems. Because lianas allocate less biomass to their stems they produce less dense wood compared to trees [7]. Estimating tropical forest biomass and determining its dynamics are important aspects of
References
[1]
L. Kammesheidt, A. Berhaman, J. Tay, G. Abdullah, and M. Azwal, “Liana abundance, diversity and tree infestation in the Imbak Canyon conservation area, Sabah, Malaysia,” Journal of Tropical Forest Science, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 265–271, 2009.
[2]
S. A. Schnitzer and F. Bongers, “The ecology of lianas and their role in forests,” Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 223–230, 2002.
[3]
P. Addo-Fordjour, A. K. Anning, E. A. Atakora, and P. S. Agyei, “Diversity and distribution of climbing plants in a semi-deciduous rain forest, KNUST Botanic Garden, Ghana,” International Journal of Botany, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 186–195, 2008.
[4]
S. A. Schnitzer, S. J. DeWalt, and J. Chave, “Censusing and measuring lianas: a quantitative comparison of the common methods,” Biotropica, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 581–591, 2006.
[5]
Y. Tang, R. L. Kitching, and M. Cao, “Lianas as structural parasites: a re-evaluation,” Chinese Science Bulletin, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 307–312, 2012.
[6]
Z. Q. Cai, L. Poorter, K. F. Cao, and F. Bongers, “Seedling growth strategies in bauhinia species: comparing lianas and trees,” Annals of Botany, vol. 100, no. 4, pp. 831–838, 2007.
[7]
B. Kusumoto, T. Enoki, and Y. Kubota, “Determinant factors influencing the spatial distributions of subtropical lianas are correlated with components of functional trait spectra,” Ecological Research, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 9–19, 2013.
[8]
J. Chave, D. Coomes, S. Jansen, S. L. Lewis, N. G. Swenson, and A. E. Zanne, “Towards a worldwide wood economics spectrum,” Ecology Letters, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 351–366, 2009.
[9]
D. Tilman, P. B. Reich, J. Knops, D. Wedin, T. Mielke, and C. Lehman, “Diversity and productivity in a long-term grassland experiment,” Science, vol. 294, no. 5543, pp. 843–845, 2001.
[10]
Q. M. Ketterings, R. Coe, M. van Noordwijk, Y. Ambagau', and C. A. Palm, “Reducing uncertainty in the use of allometric biomass equations for predicting above-ground tree biomass in mixed secondary forests,” Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 146, no. 1–3, pp. 199–209, 2001.
[11]
D. B. MacKay, P. M. Wehi, and B. D. Clarkson, “Evaluating restoration success in urban forest plantings in Hamilton, New Zealand,” Urban Habitats, vol. 6, no. 1, 2011.
[12]
J. J. Gerwing and D. L. Farias, “Integrating liana abundance and forest stature into an estimate of total aboveground biomass for an eastern Amazonian forest,” Journal of Tropical Ecology, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 327–335, 2000.
[13]
J. R. Moore, “Allometric equations to predict the total above-ground biomass of radiata pine trees,” Annals of Forest Science, vol. 67, no. 8, article 806, 2010.
[14]
M. Segura and M. Kanninen, “Allometric models for tree volume and total aboveground biomass in a tropical humid forest in Costa Rica,” Biotropica, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 2–8, 2005.
[15]
P. Addo-Fordjour and Z. B. Rahmad, “Development of allometric equations for estimating above-ground liana biomass in tropical primary and secondary forests, Malaysia,” International Journal of Ecology, vol. 2013, Article ID 658140, 8 pages, 2013.
[16]
M. A. Cairns, S. Brown, E. H. Helmer, and G. A. Baumgardner, “Root biomass allocation in the world's upland forests,” Oecologia, vol. 111, no. 1, pp. 1–11, 1997.
[17]
C. Gehring, S. Park, and M. Denich, “Liana allometric biomass equations for Amazonian primary and secondary forest,” Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 195, no. 1-2, pp. 69–83, 2004.
[18]
F. E. Putz, “Liana biomass and leaf area of a “tierra firme” forest in the Rio Negro Basin, Venezuela,” Biotropica, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 185–189, 1983.
[19]
K. Hozumi, K. Yoda, S. Kokawa, and T. Kira, “Production ecology of tropical rain forests in South-Western Cambodia. I. Plant biomass,” Oecologia, vol. 145, pp. 87–99, 1969.
[20]
F. Beekman, Structural and Dynamic Aspects of the Occurrence and Development of Lianes in the Tropical Rain Forest, Department of Forestry, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1981.
[21]
P. Addo-Fordjour, Z. B. Rahmad, J. Amui, C. Pinto, and M. Dwomoh, “Patterns of liana community diversity and structure in a tropical rainforest reserve, Ghana: effects of human disturbance,” African Journal of Ecology, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 217–227, 2013.
[22]
P. Addo-Fordjour, P. El Duah, and D. K. K. Agbesi, “Factors influencing liana species richness and structure following anthropogenic disturbance in a tropical forest, Ghana,” ISRN Forestry, vol. 2013, Article ID 920370, 11 pages, 2013.
[23]
B. R. Parresol, “Assessing tree and stand biomass: a review with examples and critical comparisons,” Forest Science, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 573–593, 1999.
[24]
R. J. Hyndman and A. B. Koehler, “Another look at measures of forecast accuracy,” International Journal of Forecasting, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 679–688, 2006.
[25]
G. M. Furnival, “An index for comparing equations used inconstructing volume tables,” Forest Science, vol. 7, pp. 337–341, 1961.
[26]
G. L. Baskerville, “Use of logarithmic regression in the estimation of plant biomass,” Canadian Journal of Forest Research, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 49–53, 1972.
[27]
D. G. Sprugel, “Correcting for bias in log-transformed allometric equations,” Ecology, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 209–210, 1983.
[28]
H. P. Piepho, “Data transformation in statistical analysis of field trials with changing treatment variance,” Agronomy Journal, vol. 101, no. 4, pp. 865–869, 2009.
[29]
C. Wang, “Biomass allometric equations for 10 co-occurring tree species in Chinese temperate forests,” Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 222, no. 1–3, pp. 9–16, 2006.
[30]
D. J. C. Mackay, Information Theory, Inference and Learning Algorithms, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2003.
[31]
S. Brown, “Estimating biomass and biomass change in tropical forests. a primer,” Forestry Paper 134, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 1997.
[32]
T. Kenzo, T. Ichie, D. Hattori et al., “Development of allometric relationships for accurate estimation of above- and below-ground biomass in tropical secondary forests in Sarawak, Malaysia,” Journal of Tropical Ecology, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 371–386, 2009.
[33]
T. Kenzo, R. Furutani, D. Hattori et al., “Allometric equations for accurate estimation of above-ground biomass in logged-over tropical rainforests in Sarawak, Malaysia,” Journal of Forest Research, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 365–372, 2009.
