DBH vs. Biomass of Major Tree Species
on Saltonstall Ridge
The figure below illustrates how different dbh measurements affect the biomass of a tree. The dominant tree species found on Saltonstall Ridge were compared demonstrating that biomass estimates vary by species of the same diameter at breast height. There are a few possible explanations for these differences. First, species have different wood densities. Species also have diverse physical structures and vary in the amount of biomass that they distribute to leaves, stems, branches, and roots. As a result, the relationship between diameter at breast height and above ground biomass will be different for each species. Parameters a and b in the equation M=aD b account for these species variances.