Improved estimation of biomass accumulation by environmental plantings and mallee plantings ...

106 Pages·2014·6.95 MB·English

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FLAGSHIP

Improved estimation of biomass accumulation by
environmental plantings and mallee plantings using
FullCAM

K. Paul1, S. Roxburgh1, J. Raison1, J. Larmour1, J. England1, S. Murphy2, J. Norris2, P. Ritson3, K. Brooksbank3, T.
Hobbs4, C. Neumann4, T. Lewis5, Z. Read6, D. Clifford1, L. Kmoch1, M. Rooney7, D. Freudenberger7, J. Jonson8, A.
Peck9, R. Giles9, J. Bartle9, G. McAurthur10, D. Wildy11, A. Lindsay5, N. Preece12, S. Cunningham13, T. Powe14, J.
Carter1, R. Bennett1, D. Mendham1, R. Sudmeyer5, B. Rose15, D. Butler16, L. Cohen17, T. Fairman2, R. Law2, B.
Finn2, M. Brammar2, G. Minchin18, P. van Oosterzee12 and A. Lothian17

31st October 2013 (Up-dated on 26th May 2014)

Prepared for: Department of the Environment

1CSIRO, 2Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries, 3Department of Agriculture and Food, WA, 4SA Department of Environment, Water and
Natural ResoCuSrcIeRsO, 5 QSuuesetnasilannadb Dlee pAagrtrmicenutl toufr eA gFrilcaugltsuhrei,p F, isahnedrie Cs SaInRdO F oErceostsryy, s6tAeumstrsa lSiacni eNnactieonsa l University, 7Greening Australia, 8Threshold
Environmental, 9WA Department of Environment and Conservation, 10AusCarbon Pty Ltd., 11Fares Rural Pty Ltd., 12Biocarbon Pty Ltd., 13Monash University,
14Greenfleet Pty Ltd., 15Carbon Neutral Pty Ltd., 16Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, 17Canopy, trading
1
name of Australian Carbon Biosequestration Initiative Ltd (ACBI), 18Lachlan Catchment Management Authority.
Citation
K. Paul, S. Roxburgh, J. Raison, J. Larmour, J. England, S. Murphy, J. Norris, P. Ritson, K. Brooksbank, T.
Hobbs, C. Neumann, T. Lewis, Z. Read, D. Clifford, L. Kmoch, M. Rooney, D. Freudenberger, J. Jonson,
A. Peck, R. Giles, J. Bartle, G. McAurthur, D. Wildy, A. Lindsay, N. Preece, S. Cunningham, T. Powe, J.
Carter, R. Bennett, D. Mendham, R. Sudmeyer, B. Rose, D. Butler, L. Cohen, T. Fairman, R. Law, B.
Finn, M. Brammar, G. Minchin, P. van Oosterzee and A. Lothian. (2013) Improved estimation of
biomass accumulation by environmental planting and mallee plantings using FullCAM. Report for The
Department of the Environment. CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship, Canberra, Australia.
Copyright and disclaimer
© 2013 CSIRO To the extent permitted by law, all rights are reserved and no part of this publication
covered by copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means except with the
written permission of CSIRO.
Important disclaimer
CSIRO advises that the information contained in this publication comprises general statements based
on scientific research. The reader is advised and needs to be aware that such information may be
incomplete or unable to be used in any specific situation. No reliance or actions must therefore be
made on that information without seeking prior expert professional, scientific and technical advice.
To the extent permitted by law, CSIRO (including its employees and consultants) excludes all liability
to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses
and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this publication (in part or in
whole) and any information or material contained in it.

2
Contents
Abbreviations used in this report ....................................................................................................................... 5
Definitions .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
1 Executive summary ............................................................................................................................. 11
2 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 14
3 Methodological aspects ...................................................................................................................... 15
3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 15
3.2 Sampling Error .......................................................................................................................... 15
3.3 Precision sampling: increased efficiency of measurement ...................................................... 19
3.4 Rapid measurement techniques ............................................................................................... 20
3.5 Planted area calculation ........................................................................................................... 22
3.6 Sampling error when deriving allometrics ............................................................................... 24
4 New biomass estimates ...................................................................................................................... 26
4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 26
4.2 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 26
4.3 Allometrics for the estimation of above-ground biomass........................................................ 27
4.4 Site average root-to-shoot ratios ............................................................................................. 27
4.5 Testing of allometrics ............................................................................................................... 29
4.6 Estimates of mean annual biomass increment ........................................................................ 30
4.7 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 31
5 Database analysis ................................................................................................................................ 32
5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 32
5.2 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 32
5.3 Allometrics ................................................................................................................................ 38
5.4 Uncertainty in above-ground biomass estimates..................................................................... 42
5.5 Analysis of factors influencing biomass .................................................................................... 44
5.6 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 53
6 Calibration of FullCAM ........................................................................................................................ 54
6.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 54
6.2 Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 55
6.3 Calibration of the Tree Yield Formula ....................................................................................... 57
6.4 Implementation considerations ............................................................................................... 65
6.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 71
7 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................... 73
8 References .......................................................................................................................................... 75
9 Appendix ............................................................................................................................................. 81

3
Acknowledgments
The project was funded largely by The Department of the Environment. Additional financial support
for this project was provided by Vic DEPI, while significant in-kind support in the form of assistance
with field work was provided by Vic DEPI (10 sites), DAFWA (7 sites), SA DEWNR (3 sites), Qld DAFF (3
sites), LCMA (2 sites), ANU (1 site), Qld DSITIA (1 site) and Threshold Environmental (1 site).
Technical support was provided by Alex Drew, Gordon McLachlan, Craig Baillie, Paul Warburton, Gary
Bastin (all CSIRO), Byron Yeo, Alex Winter, Mike Cully, Len Norris and Bob Hingston (all DAFWA),
Katelyn Ryan and Mervyn Tucker (both SA DEWNR), Scott Swift (Qld DAFF) and Dailiang Peng
(Chinese Academy of Science). ANUCLIM applications were undertaken by Jenny Kesteven (ANU).
For providing broad guidance with FullCAM growth curve calibrations and issues associated with
implementation of these calibrations, we thank: Matt Searson, Rob Sturgis, Brendan Pippen, Rochelle
Christian and particularly Rob de Ligt (The Department of the Environment). For providing broad
guidance with this work, including site selection and facilitating the collation of data, we thank: Craig
Barton and Fabiano Ximenes (NSW DPI), Gavin Kay (Terrain NRM), Keith Smith (Qld DSITIA), John
McGrath, Paul Turnbull (FFI CRC), Simon Dawkins (OMA), John Field (ANU), Angela Higgins (Lachlan
CMA), Gavin Kay (Terrain NRM), Tom Baker and Lauren Bennett (The University of Melbourne), Jason
Cummings (Greening Australia), Ray Wilson and Mariana Brekalo (Carbon Neutral), Kent Broad
(AusCarbon Pty Ltd.), Harry Roberts (SA Water), Ben Keogh (Australian Carbon Traders Pty Ltd.),
Richard Smith (previously Landcare Australia), Matthew O'Connor and Helen Burnie (Regenesis),
Richard Harper and Stan Sochacki (Murdoch University), Euan Beaumont (Carbon Diversity), Brendan
Vollemaere (Citola Pty Ltd.) and Peter Milthorpe.
We are also indebted to the landowners who gave us permission to harvest trees on their properties,
including Ingrid Davies, Greg Moir, David and Michael McFall, Philip Henseleit, Alan Piggott, John
Pepal, Audrey Bird, Norm Quicke, James Williams, Leo Rijs, Robert Temby, Joe Angel, Mitch Kemp,
Len Storey, Greg Carmody, Rob Batters, Dennis Watts, Trevor Campbell, Leo Tellefson, Rodney
Milthorpe, Chris Jones, Rob Rich, Bendigo City Council, John Toll, Elders Forestry, Trevor and Muriel
Muirhead, Gladstone Area Water Board, Tony and Trudy Woodall, Graeme Fitzgerald, Ross Battern,
David Sutton and Tony and Trudy Woodall.
Drs Mike Battaglia, Phil Polglase and Kelvin Montagu are thanked for their thorough review of this
report.
4
Abbreviations used in this report

ANU Australian National University
BA Basal area of a single tree (m2) or group of trees (m2 ha-1)
CF Correction factor (Snowdon 1991) used to correct for bias in back
transformations
%CV Coefficient of variation (standard deviation divided by the mean x100)
Class 1 New above-ground biomass measures or estimates obtained from this study
CVI Canopy Volume Index, calculated as Ht x CW x CW (m3)
1 2
CW Canopy width (m)
DAFF Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
DBH Diameter of the stem measured at breast height (or 130 cm) (cm)
D10, D30 etc. Diameter of the stem measured at 10 cm, 30 cm, etc. height (cm)
DAFWA Department of Agriculture and Food WA
EF Model efficiency, increasing performance as values approach 1.0 (or 100%)
FullCAM Full Carbon Accounting Model
FFI CRC Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre
GA Greening Australia
GRTS Generalised Random Tesselation Stratified sampling
Ht Tree or shrub height (m)
IBRA Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia
LCMA Lachlan Catchment Management Authority
Lox Eucalyptus loxophleba subsp. lissophloia
M Forest biomass at maturity as defined by Richards and Brack (2004a)
MAR Mean annual rainfall (mm) over the period of growth
N Number of observations within the dataset
NIS National Inventory System
NSW DPI NSW Department of Primary Industries
OMA Oil Mallee Association
Pavg Forest productivity index as defined by Kesteven et al. (2004)
Poly Eucalyptus polybractea
PropTree Proportion of total individuals within a planting which are eucalypt trees
Qld DSITIA Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and
the Arts
Qld DAFF Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
UWA University of Western Australia
R:S Root-to-shoot ratio, with the boundary being defined as ground level
SA DEWNR Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources SA
Stdev. Standard deviation of the mean
sph Stems per hectare
Vic DEPI Department of Environment and Primary Industries Victoria
WA DEC WA Department of Environment and Conservation

5
Definitions

ANUCLIM
A bioclimatic analysis and prediction model. It enables users to obtain estimates, in point and grid
form, of monthly, seasonal and annual mean climate variables from supplied climate surfaces.
(http://fennerschool.anu.edu.au/research/products/anuclim)

Belt planting
Plantings that are established in a linear configuration. Belt plantings can follow contours or be
arranged in straight lines and can have geometry that is either ‘narrow linear’ or ‘wide linear’ with
the spacing between the Belts as defined below.

Block planting
Plantings that are established in a Block configuration. That is, the planting configuration:
a. Does not conform to either ‘narrow linear geometry’ or ‘wide linear geometry’(as
defined below)
b. Is not comprised of a single row,
c. Is consistent with the definition of a forest as defined in the CFI Regulations.
The treatment of spacing between blocks is consistent with the CFI Mapping Guidelines. These
Guidelines provide that Exclusion Areas are defined for: (i) features greater than 5 m in width, or (ii)
areas less than 5 m in width that total more than 5 per cent of the Project Area.

CFI Mapping Guidelines
Guidelines of that name, as published from time to time on the Department of the Environments
website.

Domain
The set of permissible values (either numerated or descriptive) of an attribute for which a function is
defined and for which valid inferences may be made. These include;
a. Age domain. It is recommended that this range only between a stand age of zero to 15
years.
b. Spatial domain. The geographic area over which the new growth curve calibrations are
applicable. ANUCLIM was used to fit continuous mathematical surfaces to measured
meteorological data and predict the full climatic extent where the new growth curve
calibrations can be applied based on the location and climate profiles of the sites from
which the new growth curve calibrations were derived. Each new growth curve
calibration will only be available within its Spatial Domain.
c. Regime domain.
Defined in accordance with the species, planting geometry, stocking density and for
Mixed-species Environmental Planting, also the tree proportion.
i. Species. The taxa that contribute to defining the applicability of a new
growth curve calibration, and includes:
- Mixed species environmental plantings – Temperate
- Mixed species environmental plantings – Tropical
- Mallee Planting – Eucalyptus loxophleba ssp. lissophloia
- Mallee Planting – E. polybractea
6
-Mallee Planting – ‘Other’ Mallee including species of E. kochii, E. kochii ssp.
borealis, and E. kochii ssp. plenissima
ii. Planting geometry. The planting configuration, and includes:
- Narrow linear planting
- Wide linear planting
- Block planting
iii. Stocking density. See definition below.
iv. Tree proportion. The proportion of individual live trees relative to the total of
individual live trees and shrubs in a mixed-species environmental planting.

Carbon Estimation Area (CEA)
A sub-set of the wider Project Area that has a planting which is homogenous for the purpose of
abatement calculations (species composition, planting geometry, stand density and for
environmental plantings, tree proportion) and with consistent site characteristics (i.e. soil type,
aspect, position on slope), as well as the same management regime, and which has been established
within a 180 day period.

Densely stocked planting
Plantings where, after the first 3 years post-establishment, the number of individuals per hectare
remains relatively high at; (a) >1,500 individuals per hectare, in mixed-species environmental
plantings; or (b) >2,300 individuals per hectare, in mallee eucalypt plantings.

Mallee
Any of various Australian species of Eucalyptus that generally have multiple stems arising from a
large underground lignotuber. Individuals usually have a flattened crown that rarely exceeds 6 m in
height.

Mallee eucalypt planting
A planting, on ex-agricultural land (i.e. land cleared of forest and used primarily for agriculture for at
least five years prior to planting being established), of a single Australian species of mallee eucalypt.
Mallee eucalypt plantings have the potential to attain a crown cover of at least 20 per cent and a
height of 2 metres in the place where they are established. Establishment may be undertaken using a
range of management practices such as weed spraying and soil preparation. Included under this
definition of plantings are the species:
a. Eucalyptus loxophleba ssp. lissophloia L.A.S. Johnson & K.D. Hill (smooth bark york gum),
b. E. polybractea R.T. Baker (blue mallee) and
c. ‘Other’ mallee including E. kochii and sub-species comprising:
i. E. kochii, Maiden & Blakely, and/or
ii. E. kochii ssp. borealis C.A. Gardner, and/or
iii. E. kochii ssp. plenissima C.A. Gardner
All other mallee species known to be planted that are not applicable to the findings of this report
include:
a. plantings that have a mix of two or more of the mallee eucalypt species included under this
definition (E. loxophleba ssp. lissophloia, E. polybractea, E. kochii, E. kochii ssp. borealis and
E. kochii ssp. plenissima; and
b. plantings of one or more of mallee species such as, but not limited to: E. horistes, E.
calycogona, E. cneorifolia [Kangaroo Island CS20275], E. cyanophylla [Loxton cult.], E.
dumosa, E. gracilis [Loxton cult.], E. incrassata, E. leptophylla, E. oleosa, E. plenissima, E.
porosa, and E. socialis

Mixed-species environmental planting
A planting that consists of a mixture of tree and shrub species that:
7
a. include species which are native to the local area of the planting; and
b. include species which are sourced from seeds:
i. from within the natural distribution of the species; and
ii. that are appropriate to the biophysical characteristics of the area of the planting;
and
c. may be a mix of trees, shrubs, and understorey species where the mix reflects the structure
and composition of the local native vegetation community, and
d. are established through planting (e.g. tube stock, direct seeding or broadcast seeding).It does
not include mixed-species regenerated naturally without planting seeds or seedlings (i.e.
natural regeneration or regrowth).

Narrow linear planting geometry
Where the spatial configuration of a planting is:
a. For mixed-species environmental plantings established in either rows (using tube-stock or
direct-seeding) or random (using tube-stock and/or broadcast-seeding) where:
i. the distance between stems of the outermost trees or shrubs (random plantings) or
rows of the planting is greater than zero but 20 m or less across; and
ii. the distance between the stems of trees or shrubs at the outermost edge of the
plantings is at least 40 m from the stems of any adjacent planting; and
iii. where there is no impact from adjacent trees (defined as a tree growing within the
area 20 m perpendicular to the long axis of the planting (measured from the outer
stems) and which has a potential to develop a crown that extends >5 m across at its
widest point).
b. For mallee eucalypt plantings:
i. a Belt planting of two rows of trees (from tube-stock or direct-seeding); and
ii. where the distance between the stems of the outermost rows of trees in a Belt is at
least 40 m from the stems of any adjacent planting; and
iii. where there is no impact from adjacent trees (defined as a tree growing within the
area 20 m perpendicular to the long axis of the planting (measured from the outer
stems) and which has a potential to develop a crown that extends >5 m across at its
widest point).

Planted area
The spatial area defining the planting that, as per a Carbon Estimation Area, is homogenous for the
purpose of abatement calculations and has consistent physical characteristics and is established and
managed in a consistent way. In this project, the planted area of each FullCAM calibration site was
used to estimate carbon abatement where:
a. For blocks or belts in which plants are established in rows:
i. the location of the outside edge of the long axis of the rows is a distance
from the outer row of stems one half of the average spacing between trees
within rows within the planted area;
ii. the location of the outside edge perpendicular to rows is a distance from the
outer row of stems one half of the average spacing between trees within the
planted area;
iii. the location of an edge internal to the planting perimeter bordering on an
exclusion area is a distance of one half of the average width of the rows
within the planted area from the outermost stem; and
iv. requirements for the minimum area of the planting and exclusion areas are
set out in the CFI Mapping Guidelines; and
b. For blocks or belts in which plants are established randomly (i.e. not in rows):
i. the location of any outside edge from the outer stems is equal to zero
meters from the outer stems;
8
ii. the location of an edge internal to the planting perimeter bordering on an
exclusion area is equal to zero meters from the outermost stem; and
iii. requirements for the minimum area of the planting and exclusion areas are
set out in the CFI Mapping Guidelines.

Project area
A spatial area of land on which the set of activities is carried out. Subsets of a Project Area include
CEAs and Exclusion Areas (including the space between adjacent plantings).

Shrub
A perennial plant that has primary supporting structures consisting of secondary xylem. For the
purposes of establishing the tree Proportion, a shrub does not have (or does not have the potential
to attain) a stem diameter measurement at breast height (130 cm height).

Sparsely stocked planting
Plantings where, after the first 3 years post-establishment, the number of individuals per hectare
remains relatively low at; (a) 500-1,500 individuals per hectare, in mixed-species environmental
plantings; or (b) <2,300 individuals per hectare, in mallee eucalypt plantings.

Stand density or stocking density
The number of live trees and shrubs per hectare. Excludes non-woody plants, and plants with other
life forms (i.e. ground-covers and grasses). Stand or stocking density is taken to be equivalent to
stems per hectare and for multi-stemmed individuals a single stem is counted.

Stems or multi-stems
A stem is the main woody structural component of the above-ground portion of a tree or shrub.
Although it may branch into multiple stems at heights between 10 and 130 cm from the ground
where stem diameters were measured, in this report these multi-stemmed trees or shrubs are
assigned a single stem equivalent size. The numerous stem-branches of small diameters were
converted to an equivalent single stem value.

Tree
A perennial plant that has primary supporting structures consisting of secondary xylem. For the
purposes of establishing the tree proportion, a tree has (or has the potential to attain) a stem
diameter measurement at breast height (130 cm height).

Tree-dominant planting
Mixed-species environmental plantings that have at least 75% of live individuals of tree growth-habit.
That is, the proportion of trees in the planting is ≥0.75. The definition of a tree was made in relation
to species. A species was classified as having a tree growth habit if it was (or has the potential to
attain) a stem diameter measurement at breast height (130 cm height).

Tropical planting
A planting that consists of a mixture of tree and shrub species that:
b. are native to the local area of the planting; and
c. are sourced from seeds:
i. from within the natural distribution of the species; and
ii. that are appropriate to the biophysical characteristics of the area of the
planting; and
d. may be a mix of trees, shrubs, and understorey species where the mix reflects the
structure and composition of the local native vegetation community,
9
e. are established through tube stock, direct seeding or broadcast seeding. That is it
does not include mixed-species regenerated naturally without planting seeds or
seedlings (i.e. natural regeneration or regrowth), and
f. are in tropical regions of Australia classified as having hot (or warm) humid summers
as per the temperature/humidity zones of climate classification of BOM (2006).

Very sparsely stocked planting
Plantings where, after the first 3 years post-establishment, the number of individuals per hectare
remains very low at <500 individuals per hectare in mixed-species environmental plantings.

Wide linear planting geometry
Where the spatial configuration of a planting is:
a. For mixed-species environmental plantings established in either rows (from tube-stock or
direct-seeding) or randomly (from tube-stock and/or broadcast-seeding) where:
i. the distance between the stems of the outermost trees or shrubs (random plantings)
or rows of the planting, in the narrowest dimension, is greater than 20 m across, but
less than 40 m; and
ii. the distance between the stems of trees or shrubs at the outermost edge of the
plantings is at least 40 m from the stems of any adjacent planting; and
iii. there is no impact from adjacent trees (defined as a tree growing within the area 20
m perpendicular to the long axis of the planting (measured from the outer stems)
and which has a potential to develop a crown that extends >5 m across at its widest
point).
b. For mallee eucalypt plantings:
i. A Belt planting of three to eight rows of trees (from tube-stock or direct-seeding);
and
ii. where the distance between the outermost rows of trees in a Belt is at least 40 m
from the stems of any adjacent planting; and
iii. where the average distance between rows within the planting is 4 m or less across;
and
iv. where there is no impact from adjacent trees (defined as a tree growing within the
area 20 m perpendicular to the long axis of the planting (measured from the outer
stems) and which has a potential to develop a crown that extends >5 m across at its
widest point).

10