Author(s)

Andriamparany Rakotomavo

Higher Institute of Sciences, Environment and Sustainable Development (ISSEDD), University of Toamasina, Toamasin, Madagascar.

Forty-three trees (23 Rhizophora mucronata and 20 Avicennia marina) were studied for the establishment of allometric relationships between the aboveground biomass “y” and the following dendrometric variables “x”: diameter at breast height DBH, (DBH)2 product Ht (where Ht is the total height), and the basal circumference Cb of the trees. The Log y = A Log [(DBH)2·Ht] + B equation gives a fairly satisfactory regression coefficient (R2 > 0.9) for the woody compartments. For A. marina, it is the equation Log y = A Log Cb + B that is the best correlated for the estimation of less woody compartments (R2 = 0.826 to 0.847). As for R. mucronata, these are much more related to DBH. For trees of 8 - 10 m height, the aboveground biomass of the delta is higher (171 t·ha-1 for R. mucronata) than that of Puerto Rico, but quite comparable to that of Australia (110 t·ha-1 for A. marina). The first tools for estimating aboveground biomass are given for these two characteristic species of the Indo-Pacific Region and East Africa. Because of the low values of the regression coefficients for some allometric relationships obtained, precautions should be taken in case of extrapolation.

Avicennia marina, Aboveground Biomass, Mangoky Delta, Mangrove, Allometric Relationships, Rhizophora mucronata

Rakotomavo, A. (2018) Aboveground Biomass Estimation of Avicennia marina (Forssk) Vierh. and Rhizophora mucronata Lam. in the Mangoky Delta, SW Madagascar. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 9, 1894-1910. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2018.99137.