Tree Allometrics

Androstachys johnsonii / Root biomass

Root system dry biomass from DBH and height (Table 4, form 5)

Root biomassAndrostachys johnsonii · PicrodendraceaeMozambiquenaturalRead from the original paper
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Equation

As printed (Table 4, Root system rows, and Eq. (5; Ŷ = b0 × DBH^b1 × TH^b2))

Root system 2 1/0.000008 × DBH1.7645 0.0185 (±0.0064)** 2.1990 (±0.0793)*** 0.4699 (±0.1898)*

In this library's units, ready to compute (kg)

Root biomass = 0.0185 * D^2.199 * H^0.4699
D
Diameter at breast height (1.3 m), cm
H
Total tree height, m

Ranked below the D²H form (form 6) by CVr but the author notes height improved fit only negligibly and prefers DBH-only or RCD-only models. Weight function 1/(0.000008 × DBH^1.7645). Root system = taproot (including root collar) + lateral roots, excavated to full depth, fine roots included, dry mass at 105 C; stump above 20 cm is not part of it. Independent (not WNSUR additive) model, which the author recommends over the simultaneous ones. One of four independent root-system models in Table 4; all performed almost equally.

Source
93 trees (DBH range 5–32 cm; TH range 5.69–16 m)
Trees measured · Methods, Data acquisition
DBH range 5–32 cm
Smallest DBH · Methods, Data acquisition
Root system 2 99.78 23.4060
R² · Table 5, Root system
The dry weight of the root system was obtained by summing the dry weights of taproot and lateral roots (fine and coarse ones).
Output · Methods, Data acquisition
Trees measured
93
DBH range
5–32 cm
Height range
5.69–16 m
R²
0.9978
Method
Weighted nonlinear least squares (nls, Gauss-Newton); r2 is the adjusted R² in Table 5; CVr = 23.406%
Where
Mabote, Funhalouro, Panda, Mandlakaze and Chibuto districts, Inhambane and Gaza provinces
Last checked
2026-11-02
Calculate
Height from
4.47
Root biomass (kg)
2.1
Carbon (kg), ×0.47
7.7
CO₂e (kg), ×44/12
Fitted DBH range050100150200510152025303540DBH (cm)Root biomass (kg)Root biomass

Shaded: the DBH range the model was fitted on. Other inputs held at the values above.

Checks this equation passes

On every build, the library's form and the paper's own form (in its units) must both give these values within 1%.

InputsExpectedWe getFrom
D = 8, H = 74.474.47Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the Table 4 coefficients
D = 15, H = 1021.121.1Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the Table 4 coefficients
D = 25, H = 1373.273.2Computed from the printed form
hand-computed from the Table 4 coefficients

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