Tropical forest biomass estimation and the fallacy of misplaced concreteness

Abstract

Despite the importance of measuring tropical forest biomass, the accuracy of biomass estimates is poorly constrained due to fundamental weaknesses in the design and implementation of field studies. We identify these issues and propose a radical paradigm shift to advance tropical forest biomass research to a firmer theoretical and empirical basis. Despite the importance of measuring tropical forest biomass, the accuracy of biomass estimates is poorly constrained due to fundamental weaknesses in the design and implementation of field studies. We identify these issues and propose a radical paradigm shift to advance tropical forest biomass research to a firmer theoretical and empirical basis. © 2012 International Association for Vegetation Science.