Fine-scale altitudinal gradients influence the relationships between structural attributes and aboveground biomass in Central Africa

There is increasing interest in altitude effects on structural attributes and aboveground biomass (AGB) in tropical forests. However, we continue to lack a clear understanding of relationships between structural attributes and AGB along altitudinal gradients in Central Africa. Using a new network of 760.5 ha permanent plots, the relationships between structural attributes and AGB were explored along fine-scale altitudinal gradients in Republic of Congo. We obtained four fine-scale altitudinal gradients (71-350 m; 350-550 m; 550-650 m and 650-853 m), measured the diameter and heights of 4,192 trees ≥ 10 cm diameter and calculated structural attributes and AGB for each 0.5-ha plot. For a given diameter, trees were shorter and had narrower crown in the altitudinal gradient of 71-350 m than in the other altitudinal gradients. Structural attributes – AGB relationships differ along fine-scale altitudinal gradients with higher stem density, wood density, crown depth and AGB for the altitudinal gradient of 71-350 m. These results provide important advances for the understanding of the relationships between structural attributes and AGB along fine-scale altitudinal gradients in Central Africa. They should improve AGB estimates for the low altitudinal gradient when combined with other field and remotely sensed data sets in Central Africa.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author