ABOVEGROUND BIOMASS OF QUERCUS CONFERTA

IN THE UNIVERSITY FOREST AT TAXIARCHIS, GREECE

KONSTANTINOS G. MATIS
Department of Forestry and Natural Environment,
P.O. Box 237
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
GR-540 06, Thessaloniki, Greece

ABSTRACT
In this study, a sample size of 50 fixed-area circular plots
of 0.03ha has been used, in order to determine above ground
biomass production of Quercus conferta Kit. in the University
forest at Taxiarchis, Greece.
The average green weight of the total tree (excluding
foliage, flowers and fruits) with bark was 126.4 tons/ha with
standard error 5.2 tons/ha and the dry one 75.6 tons/ha and
3.3 tons/ha respectively. The total bole with bark had an
average value of 101.0 tons/ha with standard error 4.1 tons/ha
for the green weight and 61.2 tons/ha and 2.6 tons/ha
respectively for the dry weight. Finally, the mean green weight
of the total branches with bark is found to be equal to 23.8
tons/ha with standard error equal to 1.1 tons/ha, while the dry

one equal to 14.5 tons/ha and its standard error equal to 0.7
tons/ha.
On the average 81% of the total tree weight is bole
weight and the rest 19% seems to be branches.
Keywords : Aboveground biomass, regression equations,
Quercus conferta Kit.

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of any timber inventory is to describe
the trees in a forest in terms that are meaningful to
potential users. Primary interest was in sawtimber and
cordwood volumes in the main stem of trees. Cubic feet (or
meters), board feet and cords are meaningful units to the
people who were using the wood. Two developments in
recent years have created a need to express wood
inventories in a new way: mobile tree chippers and an
energy shortage that makes all woody materials valuable.
Thus, it is important inventory results be expressed in
terms of weight i.e. biomass.
In Greece very few studies concerning estimation of
forest biomass have been made. For Quercus conferta Kit.,
in the management plan, there are a single entry tree
volume table and a regression equation for the tree volume
increment (University Forest Administration 1991). Matis
and Alifragis (1983) prepared regression equations for
predicting tree green and dry weights for 9 above stump
components using 1) breast height diameter (d.b.h.) alone,
2) d.b.h. and total height and 3) the best of a number of
variables.

The purpose of this paper is to predict standing

aboveground green and dry biomass production of Quercus
conferta Kit. in the University Forest at Taxiarchis, Greece
for three components. The tree components were 1) total
tree from stump height excluding foliage, flowers and fruits
with bark, 2) total bole from stump height to the tip with
bark and 3) total branches excluding foliage, flowers and
fruits with bark in tons/ha.
STUDY AREA
The University Forest at Taxiarchis, Greece is located
on

the

south

and

southwestern

slopes

of

Mount

Cholomon. The total forest area is 5835ha, from which

3895ha are forest covered area, 264ha are partially
forested area, 1592ha are cultivated land and 85ha is
barren. It is divided in six management classes and 61
stands. The classes are: 1) class of evergreen broadleaves,
2) class of oak under conversion, 3) coniferous class from
enrichment of oak with pines, 4) coniferous class from
enrichment of evergreen broadleaves with pines, 5) class
of fagus and 6) class of coppice oak (University Forest
Administration 1991).

METHODS

In order the management plan of the University forest

at Taxiarchis for the period 1992-2001 to be prepared, a
forest inventory carried out. For Quercus conferta, 410
fixed-area circular sample plots of 0.03ha established by
systematic sampling. The distance from plot center to plot
center was 150 meters. Among other variables, in each
plot, the d.b.h. for all trees has been measured in
centimeters (cm).
From the above mentioned sample of 410 plots, a
pilot sample was drawn, to determine the sample size
required for each tree component with an accuracy of
10% and probability 95%, using simple random sampling
with replacement. For each plot the mean d.b.h. was
calculated and the mean weights were obtained using
regression equations given by Matis and Alifragis (1983).
Those regression equations are:

Regression equation
FT
1
1
0821
. 8 31
. 612 44940
.
2
d
d
d2

ln DT 21
. 686 24407
.
ln d

FTW
1
1
0.6364 22560
.
31
. 455 2
2
d
d
d

ln DTW 23200
.
241
. 47 ln d
ln FTB 37
. 897 25859
.
ln d
ln DTB 4.1909 25403
.
ln d

R2

sYX

I%

adjusted
0.610

____
0.098

___
3.77

__
8.6

0.977
0.505

0.233
0.088

2.29
3.39

8.5
9.9

0.974
0.898
0.892

0.247
0.542
0.549

1.99
1.37
0.85

9.5
14.4
14.6

where FT: green weight of total tree with bark in kg, d:

breast height diameter outside bark in cm, ln: natural
logarithm, DT: ovendry weight of total tree with bark in kg,
FTW: green weight of total bole with bark in kg, DTW:
ovendry weight of total bole with bark in kg, FTB: green
weight of total branches with bark in kg, DTB: ovendry
weight of total branches with bark in kg, s YX: standard error
of estimate, I: Furnivals index of fit (Furnival 1961) and I%:
Furnivals index of fit as a percentage of the mean of the
independent variable.
The weights of the mean diameters were multiplied
by the number of trees of the plots to find the total weights
of the plots in kg/0.03ha. The sample size required for the
most variable tree component was used as the sample size
for all tree parts.
Using,

again,

simple

random

replacement the main sample

sampling

with

was drawn from the

population of 410 plots. Results obtained from this sample

were converted in tons/ha.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of pilot sampling are given in table 1. The
most variable tree component seems to be the green

weight of total branches with coefficient of variation 35%

and the minimum coefficient of variation were observed to
the green weight of total bole (30%). The sample sizes
required varied from 35 to 48 sample plots of 0.03ha. It is
decided to collect a sample size of 50 plots for all six
components.
Table 1. Results of pilot sampling.
Variable

FT
DT
FTW
DTW
FTB

3775.4
2264.3
3016.0
1830.7
715.1

Standar
d
deviatio
n
kg/0.03
ha
1154.9
730.6
905.2
582.5
250.5

DTB

434.4

147.7

Symbol

Green weight of total tree

Dry weight of total tree
Green weight of total bole
Dry weight of total bole
Green weight of total
branches
Dry
weight
of
total
branches

Mean
kg/0.03h
a

Coefficien Sample
t
size
of
require
variation
d
%
30.6
32.3
30.0
31.8
35.0

36
41
35
39
48

34.0

45

The basic statistics per plot from the sample of 50

plots are presented in table 2 and the stem-and-leaf
displays for all weights are shown in figure 1. A stem-andleaf display, developed by Tukey (Tukey 1977), retains all of
the observed values in rank order, but it also conveys well
the shape of the distribution (Hartwig and Dearing 1979).
Table 2. Basic statistics from the sample of 50 plots.
Variable

Minimu
m

Maximu
m

Mean

Medi
an

Variance

Skewne
ss

Mean plot diameter,

cm
FT, kg/0.03ha

18

11.3

11

5.7

0.758

1937.6

6025.6

1145.2

3785.6

FTW, kg/0.03ha

1548.4

4758.4

DTW, kg/0.03ha

926.8

3033.6

FTB, kg/0.03ha

358.4

1260.8

DTB, kg/0.03ha

218.4

752.0

3588
.4
2117
.6
2882
.6
1717
.4
657.
8
400.
2

1,231,7
88
486,29
9
757,37
4
309,51
4
56,70
0
19,74
4

0.382

DT, kg/0.03ha

3790.
5
2268.
8
3028.
8
1834.
7
715.
2
434.7

0.506
0.360
0.487
0.623
0.589

The ranges of the weights of the six tree components

varied from 4088.0Kg/0.03ha, for the green weight of the
total tree, to 533.4Kg/0.03ha, for the dry weight of total
branches. They were greater for fresh components than for
dry ones.
The average weights per

plot

of the six

tree

components with standard deviations and their standard

errors, in absolute terms and as a percentage of the mean,
can be found in table 3.

FT

DT

Frequency
1.00
13.00
16.00
11.00
7.00
2.00

Stem & Leaf

1
2
3
4
5
6

.
.
.
.
.
.

Stem width: 1000.0

Each leaf:

Frequency

9
0123455567999
0112234445556788
01233344588
0113669
00

6.00
13.00
13.00
9.00
6.00
3.00

Stem & Leaf

1
1
2
2
3
3

* 122344
. 5555677778899
* 0000011122234
. 555666789
* 000344
. 577

Stem width: 1000.0

Each leaf:

1 case(s)

FTW

1 case(s)

DTW

Frequency
6.00
9.00
12.00
8.00
7.00
4.00
4.00

Stem & Leaf

1
2
2
3
3
4
4

.
*
.
*
.
*
.

Frequency

567899
001124444
556667778889
00023444
5556889
0124
5777

Stem width: 1000.0

Each leaf:

2.00
13.00
17.00
12.00
4.00
2.00

Stem & Leaf

0
1
1
2
2
3

. 99
* 0111222234444
. 55556666677788899
* 000111133444
. 6788
* 00

Stem width: 1000.0

Each leaf:
1 case(s)

1 case(s)

FTB

Each leaf:

Frequency
3.00
7.00
9.00
8.00
5.00
7.00
5.00
1.00
3.00
2.00

Stem & Leaf

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

1 case(s)

DTB

578
2356789
033366788
34444568
00236
1112448
26668
5
444
66

Frequency
10.00
15.00
11.00
8.00
4.00
2.00

Stem & Leaf

2
3
4
5
6
7

.
.
.
.
.
.

Stem width: 100.0

Each leaf:

Stem width: 100.0

1336678899
022245556999999
01224469999
11358889
4889
55
1 case(s)

Figure 1. Stem-and-leaf displays for all weights (n=50).

Table 3. Mean weights and their statistics per plot.

Variable

Mean
kg/0.03ha
3790.5
2268.8
3028.8
1834.7
715.2
434.7

FT
DT
FTW
DTW
FTB
DTB

Standard
deviation
kg/0.03ha
1109.0
697.4
870.3
556.3
238.1
140.5

Standard error
kg/0.03ha
157.0
98.6
123.1
78.7
33.7
19.9

%
4.1
4.3
4.1
4.3
4.7
4.6

Those results in kg/plot are not understandable

enough, so it is decided to be converted into tons/ha (table
4). In the same table the 95% two-sided confidence
intervals, for all variables, are given. Alternatively, the 95%
reliable minimum estimate (Husch Miller and Beers, 1982;
Matis 1992) can be obtained. The minimum weight
expected to be present with probability 95% for each of the
six tree parts is 117.8, 70.2, 94.3, 56.9, 22.0 and
13.3tons/ha respectively.
Table 4. Mean weights and confidence intervals in tons/ha.
Standard error
Variable
FT
DT
FTW
DTW
FTB
DTB

Mean
tons/ha
126.4
75.6
101.0
61.2
23.8
14.5

sx

tons/ha
5.2
3.3
4.1
2.6
1.1
0.7

95% Confidence
interval

sx %

tsx

4.1
4.3
4.1
4.2
4.6
4.8

10.2
6.5
8.0
5.1
2.2
1.4

10

Lower
116.2
69.1
93.0
56.1
21.6
13.1

Upper
136.6
82.1
109.0
63.3
26.0
15.9

The ovendry mass /green mass ratios for all three tree
parts were, also, calculated for the mean values. For totall
tree this ratio was 0.60, while for total bole and total
branches this value estimated equal to 0.61. The resultes
indicate that, on the average, dry weights are, about, 60%
of the green ones for the tree parts studied in this work.
Predicted green or dry weight by tree parts show that
the main stem comprised 81% of the total green or dry
weight. Only 19% of the total green or dry weight was from
branches.
REFERENCES
Attiwill, P.M. and Ovington, J.D. 1968. Determination of
Forest Biomass. Forest Science 14(1): 13-15.
Furnival, G. 1961. An Index for Comparing Equations Used
in Construction Volume Tables. Forest Science 7(4):
337-341.
Hartwig, F. and Dearing, B.E. 1979. Exploratory Data
Analysis. Sage University Paper 16. Sage Publications,
London. 83 p.
Husch, B., Miller, C.I. and Beers, T.W. 1982. Forest
Mensuration. Third

Edition. John Wiley & Sons, New

York. 402 p.

11

Matis, K.G. 1992. Forest Sampling. Aristotle University of

Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. 253 p. [In Greek].
Matis, K.G. and Alifragis, D.A. 1983. Aboveground Biomass
of Oaks (Quercus conferta Kit.) in Taxiarchis Greece. In:
Scientific Annals of the Department of Forestry and
Natural Environment, Aristotelian University, 26-27
(15): 397-527. [In Greek with Summary in English].
Tukey, J.W. 1977. Exploratory Data Analysis. Reading, M.A:
Addison-Wesley.
University Forest Administration. 1991. Management Plan
of the University Forest at Taxiarchis 1992-2001. A
General Part. Taxiarchis, Greece. 85 p. [In Greek].
Young, H.E. 1964. The Complete Tree Concept - A Challenge
and an Opportunity. Soc. Amer. Foresters Proc. 1964.
231-233.
Young, H.E. 1968. Quantum Increases in Fiber Production.
Proc. of the Forest Engineering Conference of the Amer.
Soc. Agri. Eng. 102-104.
Young, H.E. 1969. Five Hundred Million Potentially Useful
Forest Acres in Australia. Australian Forestry 33(2): 129134.

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