A step closer to local carbon calculations : growth timescales and linear relationships for sand forest and woodland tree species in Maputaland, South Africa

摘要

In Africa, information on time required for plants to develop from seed to mean size and maximumsize is scarce. There is also a lack of information regarding accurate relationships betweenstem diameter, height and canopy dimensions. This type of information is however becoming areal necessity to allow the accurate measurement of carbon stocks and carbon stocks change toqualify for the UNFCCC’s REDD+ mechanism. We evaluated these parameters for 22 Sand Forestand woodland tree species of South Africa’s Maputaland. Results indicated that it takes approximately66 and 35 years for current dynamics of Sand Forests and woodlands to occur respectively.Based on diameter and growth rates, larger trees of the forests can be older than 600 years, whilelarge woodland trees can reach ages of 900 years. Our evaluation of linear relationships betweenstem diameter, height and canopy dimensions showed extremely robust results allowing the useof stem diameter to calculate height and canopy dimensions. The results are of interest for carbonrelated investigations and reconstructing stands dynamics.