Abstract

RUEDA SANCHEZ, Agustín et al. Aerial biomass estimation in Cedrela odorata L. and Swietenia macrophylla King plantations. Rev. mex. de cienc. forestales [online]. 2014, vol.5, n.25, pp.8-17. ISSN 2007-1132.

This study was conducted with the aim of assessing the ability of biomass production and carbon sequestration by plantations of Cedrela odorata and Swietenia macrophylla in a plantation established 12 years ago in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. At Costa de Jalisco Experimental Site of the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP) and 15 trees of each species were selected and felled and the biomass and carbon in the aerial stratum were determined. Samples were taken from the stem, branches (twigs and firewood) and foliage of each of the selected trees and fresh weight was determined in the field from both species; the samples were dried in a laboratory to obtain the dry weight and estimate the total biomass of each tree using the ratio dry weight: fresh weight of samples. To estimate the biomass and carbon and polynomial regression equations were fit; the independent variables were normal diameter and tree height. To the dry weight of each tree component was applied a carbon sequestration index of 0.4269, thereby determining the potential for atmospheric carbon sequestration. For C. odorata, the total average biomass per tree was 34 kg, 75 % of which belongs to the biomass in the stem, 11 % in the trunk, 9 % in branches (wood) and 5 % in foliage. For S. macrophylla, the total average biomass per tree was 26 kg, which are distributed as 47 % in the stem, 19 % in the trunk, 23 % in branches and 10 % in the foliage.

Keywords : Biomass; carbon; Cedrela odorata L.; allometric equations; Jalisco; Swietenia macrophylla King.