Above-ground biomass and carbon and nitrogen content of woody species in a subtropical thornscrub parkland

Regression equations were developed to predict above-ground biomass, carbon and nitrogen content from stem and canopy dimensions for 10 shrub species common to subtropical thorn parklands of southern Texas. Projected canopy area yielded slightly more precise estimates of biomass and nutrient concentrations than the sum of stem basal diameters at the soil surface. All such equations were significant (p<0.05) and had r2 values ⩾0.70, except dead wood and large stems of one species. These equations are potentially useful for estimating woody biomass and nutrient content from remotely sensed or field survey data, and in evaluating models of ecosystem biogeochemistry.