Dataset on woody aboveground biomass, disturbance losses, and wood density from an African savanna ecosystem

Data in Brief

Daniela Niedeggen¹  Magnus Dobler²  Ezequiel Chimbioputo Fabiano³  Liana Kindermann³  Anja Linstädter⁴ 

[1] Corresponding author at: Biodiversity Research / Systematic Botany, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, Potsdam 14469, Germany;Grassland Ecology and Grassland Management, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Agricultural Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany;Biodiversity Research / Systematic Botany, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, Potsdam 14469, Germany;Terrestrial Ecology Group, Institute of Zoology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany;

关键词: Damage assessment;    Disturbance impacts;    Disturbance indicator;    Elephant disturbance;    Tree allometry;    Specific wood density;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This dataset comprises tree inventories and damage assessments performed in Namibia's semi-arid Zambezi Region. Data were sampled in savannas and savanna woodlands along steep gradients of elephant population densities to capture the effects of those (and other) disturbances on individual-level and stand-level aboveground woody biomass (AGB). The dataset contains raw data on dendrometric measures and processed data on specific wood density (SWD), woody aboveground biomass, and biomass losses through disturbance impacts. Allometric proxies (height, canopy diameters, and in adult trees also stem circumferences) were recorded for n = 6,179 tree and shrub individuals. Wood samples were taken for each encountered species to measure specific wood density.These measurements have been used to estimate woody aboveground biomass via established allometric models, advanced through our improved methodologies and workflows that accounted for tree and shrub architecture shaped by disturbance impacts. To this end, we performed a detailed damage assessment on each woody individual in the field. In addition to estimations of standing biomass, our new method also delivered data on biomass losses to different disturbance agents (elephants, fire, and others) on the level of plant individuals and stands.The data presented here have been used within a study published with Ecological Indicators (Kindermann et al., 2022) to evaluate the benefits of our improved methodology in comparison to a standard reference method of aboveground biomass estimations. Additionally, it has been employed in a study on carbon storage and sequestration in vegetation and soils (Sandhage-Hofmann et al., 2021).The raw data of dendrometric measurements can be subjected to other available allometric models for biomass estimation. The processed data can be used to analyze disturbance impacts on woody aboveground biomass, or for regional carbon storage estimates. The data on species-specific wood density can be used for application to other dendrometric datasets to (re-) estimate biomass through allometric models requiring wood density. It can further be used for plant functional trait analyses.

【 授权许可】

Unknown